New identity for white elephant
LIPSTICK on a pig.
Perhaps another way of describing the re-naming of the Guildbourne Centre.
How a new identity will enhance one of the town's largest ever white elephants beats me.
If you're looking for ways to improve the shopping centre, a number of people might suggest demolition, which is a tad harsh given a couple of my friends live in the flats above.
And, in Muldoons and Guildborne Meats, you have two very good, old fashioned, traditional businesses.
The arguments will rage on as to where the centre went wrong.
I believe if a serious trading partner had been with them, i.e., Tesco or Marks & Spencer, then more could have been made of the space available and the project, now nearly 40 years old, could have been a resounding success.
So what name will be chosen for Worthing's premier shopping centre?
There are several people who have served the town who deserve the accolade, but sadly will be overlooked because a number of the population won't have a clue what they did for the town.
The other route could be something a bit more edgy, a title that's a bit left-field but attracts people in to the town, if only for curiosity value.
Worthing Council see themselves, at times, as trailblazers, so for pure shock value could we see the first "Robert Mugabe Shopping Centre" in this country?
I spent the majority of Saturday night in Worthing A and E with my nephew Mark after he dislocated his knee playing cricket for Broadwater 2nd XI.
From the first contact with the paramedics right through to the doctors, nurses and admin staff, I cannot fault anybody.
They were superb and highlighted how farcical it was to even suggest closing Worthing Hospital.
There was, apparently, one funny moment during the initial 999 call, when the operator asked for a post-code for Broadwater Green, to which the club official replied: "We don't have the post code, but you can't miss us.
"It's the big bit of grass as you drive into Worthing and we are all wearing white".
And finally, a most welcome, new trader in Montague Street on receiving his fourth parking ticket in under a month, spoke to the NSL warden as he wrote out the latest ticket.
"I'm trying to run a new business and from time to time I have to park here just to take things to the shop, but you never give me any leeway despite me putting notes on my dashboard. You can see why people say you're killing the town."
The NSL warden said: "Don't care mate, I don't live here."
Ian Hart's comment is published in the Herald series every Thursday
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Weather for Worthing
Sunday 27 May 2012
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