stupidfrustration

I can confirm that John Jones from Mammas and John Jones from the BID team are two different people. John Jones from the BID is a director of Philip Morris. John Jones from Mammas....... well, you get the point.

Looks like a great event!

If there are criminal charges being brought it's quite right "we" don't know all the facts. But - outside of the model shop - the lunch box or the church - makes no difference - some people just shouldn't be allowed out into the night time economy

Isnt this a good thing? People going around their ordinary business will have nothing to fear. Bobby - coming out of the commercial - perhaps singing and maybe even dancing - will have nothing to fear. The "yob" - the person who "knows his rights" who "pays your wages" who is difficult to control may just think twice before being that tw*t to a police officer. Whilst I believe Hereford is a safe place to live and work, I also see a "Jeremy Kyle" culture growing in Hereford. Sad state of affairs - us "middle agers" are bringing up the next generation of teens to believe the world owes them, they are untouchable have no respect for authority and can do what they want. I of course speak in general terms - there are some great "kids" out there - but the yobs are growing.

So - Roger hasnt been to town since NOVEMBER!!! However - WE all want our shops in high town full. Roger isnt alone - there will be many people who have not been in town for some time. BUT - we want all shops full? Sadly - I agree - add some residential to the town centre - that is the way forward. Would I want to live there? NO. However - there will be people who will want to live there. I personally dont see any more pub / liquor licences being applied for. The reason the shops are closing is simple - there are not enough shoppers around. The reason the pubs are closing - the way we drink has changed. This is not complicated - we shop differently as we now buy more items on the internet. We buy more drink from the supermarket than ever before - AND we are slowly becoming more health conscious and drinking less - hence - pubs are closing. The world is changing - I dont like it - but its happening - we need to understand these changes and MANAGE them.

Or the university !

Exactly right Paul - and your qualifications are? Only running the biggest and busiest pub slap bang in the middle of town! So you would know more than many on here.

Roger Roger Roger. I would suggest that many 18-25's like to have a drink, its a right of passage, its part of growing up. Once you reach later life - many people will have a bottle of wine when they get home from work - in fact - there are studies to say that these people in their 30s are the biggest problem drinkers. However - its easier as we all get older to "point at those younguns" and say - they are the problem and those pubs and clubs cause it. Its a little like the UKIP thing - and this is where Russel Brand is right - Johnny Foreigner is the problem with this country - not the bankers or the people at the top being greedy. Us in the cheap seats just swallow it all up. So - back to drinking - many many people over induldge and get themselves into difficulities on occasion. It happens to us all - doesnt mean the pubs and clubs are the problem, just simply "**** happens" sometimes.

Im not really into football, but I get that having a club is good for the town to Unite behind. Go read Bulls Banter. Go read the intellectual thoughts of those who glory in the demise of our once mighty and legendary football club, once called Hereford United and then argue with me that they ain't simpleton idiots who've had their buttons pressed and have been socially engineered into bringing about the ruin of our football club. Why? Because a bunch of fools decided amongst themselves that they wanted to run Hereford United and they, and only they knew what was best for our beloved Club. It's all now gone and despite what the new prophets say, it ain't coming back anytime soon! The club fell into the hands of wronguns - just bad people - who historically have not had the best interests of local people for a local's football club. The club looks like it will be back fairly soon, with the interests of local people supporting it - and that is a good thing. With regards to the Directors : Nick Nenaditch put his own money in to keep it going and develop it - he is a good guy. Keyte - my understanding is - good intentions, but not really a clue what he was doing in the world of football. Bad decisions with little money brought us to where we are. Whilst bad decisions were made - they went made with malice

To answer your question Roger - its simple economics. The pubs have trade - and there are more people out in Hereford at midnight than there are at 3am for example. Spoons has a decent trade, Hope Pole has some, Yates does well, as do the Long Bar and of course the Commercial, and Shake and Stir, and The Heardsman, and The Exchange and the Wellington and the Imperial and The Barrels, and Watercress Harrys and Zanes and....... Now - some of those people go to a club, Play/Saxtys/Mammas. The point is - about the amount of people out at the times available. Simply at midnight - there are still people around to buy food. At three am - there is simply the three clubs that have customers - of which not all will want food. Choice is good - no - its great. But - I personally prefer to spend money locally and keep the local Hereford Business man in business rather than the big chains that will take the majority of the trade and in my view make it unviable for the local to keep open and make any money eventually resulting in only the big corporates open. This then means no choice AND money taken out of Hereford And that is what I am against.

Colin, We all sound like stuck records on this. I agree - I would love to have a good ruby murry at 3am - love to. But I foresee that wont happen for long. I respect what you are trying to do here, I really do, but when I look at it I see : All obvious food choices trying to stay open later. now - add in a couple of curry houses Now - add in a Chinese Now - add in MCd's Now - add in KFC LOADS of offerings there. There are not that many people out at 2am. Not all of those people that are out will want food. Of those that do - are there enough people to service and keep in business all these late night food houses? My suggestion is - there are not. So - what or who is out at that time? In the majority - mainly 18 - 30s - spread over Play, Saxtys, Mammas. No need to discuss Jail House as that is going. So - three venues open - maybe 1500 people between those 3 venues at 2am. I just dont see how there will be enough trade for all those venues to stay open till late for a maximum of 1500 people who are out - and thats only on a Saturday night. And - to bottom out my view - who will have the financial backing to see through the fight? To offer these mainly 18-30s great incentives to eat there. Who is big enough to almost give the food away to get customers to go there? Who has seating / toilets and warmth? Its KFC and McD's. I know my views are not the popular vote here - but I call it how I see it.

When this goes wrong for our town, and only the big boys of Mc Ds and KFC are open as there is not enough trade for the local independent business, me popping up here saying "i told you so" will do no good. Once again, I say this - be careful what you wish for. There are not enough people in the NTE to keep a load of late night food places open, as such, the locals will close, the big boys will stay open - that will be it. In my humble opinion - all this will do eventually - is give more of our hard earned local cash to the big boys.

My understanding is that although they are Christian - no "preaching" is made, given or offered by them. They simply help people who are in distress. They seem to get good feedback and thanks for their work on facebook. Ive seen them out at night and they just wonder around looking for people who are in distress or vulnerable and offer assistance. Good Samaritans would be a good way to describe them, and, if they can keep the silly issues out of A&E I for one am all for it!

I follow the Street Pastors on facebook and have seen some of the work they do. They do often put up about financial donations and I have seen that Play, Mamma Jammers and Spoons have all made financial contributions. There maybe others but I remember those three.

This is great news for Hereford - and a country first I understand! Well done to all involved.

And if the boot was on the other foot, and it was my other half who was offered this once in a lifetime chance? Believe me, I could live with it.......and in the nicest possible way, it would all be over in a matter of minutes! (I jest of course!) DipplyHippy - are you female? Ive never considered that you were female till this post?

Agreed Glenda - why wont they do another river crossing?

Local businessmen building over national companies - pah - if only that were true!

Well - Once upon a time - I earnt a fair bit more - however things went wrong for me. To answer your questions below : What would you do to protect a 90 thousand pound a year salary? - A fair bit! Embark on a path of wrong doing, that could effect your wife, husband or children? - I guess I did. Lie to someone who was vulnerable? - No. Break the law? - Yes. I break the law EVERY DAY!!! I have a heavy right foot and sometimes go over 30mph when I shouldnt. Put vulnerable children at risk? - No. How low would you sink for 90 k a year? - erm - low enough to realise that I had to fall on my sword, but nothing too drastic I'm really interested to know if their really are any good men out there? Yes there are - but in my case - I tried for a while to keep it going, but realised that I was in a no win situation and left - with a compromise. This was private business by the way - where I had done very well for the company I worked for - for a long period of time. Got into trouble - but did try to find away out. I can clarify - I did not put others at risk at all - but I may have "ducked and dived" a bit. I would suggest most people would.

OR saved if you are the landlord with a building with no tenant to go in there. Without a tenant - the landlord has to pay the rates. I understand the landlord is a pension investment company. Its not nice - but it is business. If my pension was with that company I would be saying "right on - look after my money - good job guys" As a person living and working in Hereford having to walk past that burnt out shell everyday - I think they are a bunch of anchors!

Chris Apparently I have reached my quota of positive ticks for the day- but if I could - I would give your post a green tick

Glenda - just because you sit on the board of something does not necessarily mean you know what you are talking about. You would be surprised what groups/committees I sit on - doesn't mean I am a font of all knowledge in all these areas. People being frightened - understood and agree - however as a way to reduce fear perhaps if an obnoxious person is being watched by a police officer and handcuffed to a bed - it would imply that person is of no cause of concern really. After all bring handcuffed to a bed does restrict their movement. Still - not nice for other patients - especially those who live in a different world to the harsh realities of life of the un educated/unwashed The street pastors - Glenda a couple of questions here : 1) how much does it cost for an ambulance to transfer someone from town to a&e 2) how much does each attendance at a&e cost? Let's say the street pastors care for a lone drunk female who has been found in town. If the street pastors pick up this female and care for her as opposed to an ambulance being called and an a&e visit has been saved - let's add answer 1 and answer 2 together. Now multiply by x . Not only is that a decent saving to a&e but also leaves a&e clear for those who really need it. A win all around I would suggest

Mr Philip Morris is also the Chair of the BID team. He is a good guy trying to take the town in the right direction. Im quite close to someone on the BID team and get regular updates. I understand the town will be going for the vote in Jan / Feb 2015. The BID project is about pulling all the good things that are going on in Hereford together and assisting projects get over the finishing line. It is also about lobbying for the "public realm" to be tidied up and increasing footfall to our lovely city. The line I hear a lot is "The BID will be bigger than the sum of its parts" by having access to the right people to make things happen and be the voice of business to the LEP and Hereford Council whilst putting on events to draw people to town.

Oh dear Glenda - the last two posts Ive commented on have been directed towards you. The street pastors are creating a place of refuge for the drunks and minor triage which they can only be congratulated on for their efforts to reduce the burden on A&E. A&E should be a place for, well, accident and emergencies - not people who have over indulged on a night out. The street pastors will take out some of the "silly" people who need help, but not serious enough for A&E. The drug users are a different matter and these people need more specialist help - which would be a longer term kind of help which I believe is also coming to our town.

And once again Glenda, I respectfully say to you - what experience do the traders have in : 1 ) That type of building and the love that is required there. 2 ) What experience do the traders have in refurbishment of that type of building 3 ) What experience do the traders have in marketing the BM 4 ) What experience or financial backing do the traders have in.........well, anything but small market stalls. Im a sucker for the underdog all the time - I really am, but these guys do not have the skill, knowledge or expertise to referb the BM to take it in the right direction. Respectfully - if they did - they wouldn't be renting a trestle table in that building if they did.