Mareel - Cinema & Music Venue

[Ghostrider]

 

The car park isn't big enough, fact. Its frequently full. The "back up plan" to cope with overspill, quite frankly IMHO is taking the piss.

 

 

Wouldn't the fact the car park is "frequently full" indicate that the building is a success? Can't say I've yet to not find a parking space at Mareel. But given that there are a couple of overspill car parks less than a minute's walk away, I'm not sure how that's so much "taking the piss", as "adequate provision with a workable backup". But as you've no interest in films, and don't apparently find any interest in the live music that does take place, I'm not sure how you're in a position to offer your opinion. Unless you and Mrs Boyle are still ogling the webcams for an evening's entertainment.

 

"Frequently full" car park has absolutely nothing to do with the "success" of the building. The success (or otherwise) relies wholly on the number of paying customers and how much money they leave behind them. Number of vehicles using the car park is no indicator of either.

 

The so called "overspill" carparks are "taking the piss" as had anyone else built Mareel other than the SIC and one of their "arms length" departments, it would never have gotten beyond planning permission with such a parking provision arrangement. One is a carpark intended to service an adjacent office building so is not available during business hours at least, and the other has far from easy access for both vehicles and foot traffic, and is becoming less and less likely to have much spare space anyway given the recent increase in residential accomodation in the neighbourhood.

 

I never said I had no interest in the live music that does take place.

 

What webcam would that be then, that could give me an "opinion" of Mareel?

 

 

Nobody ever said the soundproofing wouldn't be adequate, as nobody would ever divulge what the soundproofing system(s) were. The best anyone would say was, "Trust us, we've had experts design it", which isn't reassuring anyone, given the number of f**k ups so called 'experts' have created and presided over in public works. Whether they're adequate or not, who knows? As there's been next to nothing on that stage so far to test its limitations.

 

 

Weird I recall several instances of people demanding to know what the soundproofing would be like. I can only assume it works, since nobody in the houses opposite seems to have moved, leaving empty, abandoned dwellings slowly disintegrating under acoustic assault. Still, experts eh? Tch. What do they know? Apart from their respective fields.

 

Nothing weird about it, because people did so on several occasions. Problem is, despite asking numerous times no answers were ever forthcoming.

 

It may work, in your opinion, at whatever events you have attended. That's great, for you.

 

The point remains, its never been fully tested yet. The kind of music I would really like to attend simply hasn't been there yet. If it were to be I would hope the sound proofing would be adequate, but there is no way of knowing, yet. Meanwhile, one is left wondering has its absence simply been due to be judged not a viable show, or is it because management know fine well the sound proofing is unlikely to cope adequately, and there'll either be complaints from all around, or they'll have to limit the audio output which will ruin the show, so just don't bother with it.

 

It has very little to do with neighbours, thats been said often enough before, and it disingenuous to only cite that. It has to do with other users of the building.

 

Come on, it ain't rocket science. You mix numerous uses all inside one box, you need damn good sound proofing isolating each one to solely their own space.

 

 

The cinema floor is too steep. I have no interest in films so it doesn't matter personally, but I am disabled, and I sure as hell wouldn't risk my neck going down that lot even if I was the most avid film buff going.

 

 

 

No, its too steep in your opinion. Though seeing as how you have no interest in films, can we assume you don't use it that often? Perhaps you were just having a bad day, disability-wise? I know I do when it's particularly damp, for example. I've yet to find the cinema rake too steep. And it's accessible from both the bottom and the top, if need be - so it's not really a problem if you don't like steps. And there's Screen 2, which has a much shallower rake as well.

 

For the size of the screen installed in Screen 1, vs the length of the building, it's exactly the right rake. If it were on a shallower rake, than the cinema would end up occupying most of the museum and archive car park. And that'd sausage the completely adequate overspill provision.

 

I realise you're implacably opposed to Mareel just because, but if you're going to find fault, at least find ones that actually exist, like the foyer not having a screen to tell you what's coming up, or times of movies, etc. Or the cafe bar, which still has quite slow service some days (though is miles better than before). 

 

 

It is too steep for me. It isn't too steep for you, in your opinion. Just like Everest isn't too steep for those who've reached the summit, but is too steep for the vast majority of people. Opinions is all anyone is ever going to have of it, as there is no provable definitive answer.

 

Oh, I was definitely having a bad day, disability wise, because every day is a bad day disability wise, unless of course those that are a bit worse than that, but I wouldn't have been able to stand never mind walk on those, so they can be discounted.

 

Yes, we appreciate that for most able bodied folk the rake is "acceptable", and we also appreciate that if it were shallower the building's footprint would have to increase accordingly. My point is, and always has been, that to be most use to the greatest number of people the rake should have been shallower, and the only reason it isn't is because the brief for Mareel was always a case of trying to cram too much in to too little and no more space could be afforded to a cinema.

 

I am not against Mareel, I have stated so more than once on this thread previously. So apparently I'm not the only one with selective memory.

 

Your stance however comes across as a somewhat obsessive "silence the enemy at all costs", "if you're not with us, you're against us", and a complete denial that anything about Mareel could possibly justify criticism, type of attitude.

 

I have nothing against the individual component parts which go to make up Mareel, what I am against is the "camel" design of trying to be everything to everybody by bunging them all together on a vastly inadequate footprint, on account of trying to fit it on to a site that had been chosen for it in the "cultural quarter" for it, rather than going out and designing building(s) that were best suited for their purpose, and then identifying the best site(s) for it/them.

 

The end result of taking the route that has been taken, is a building that sorta, kinda, maybe does each of the things it says on the tin a little bit and cost a hellishly un-necessary additional amount extra.

 

Come this time, the money has been spent, its there for what its worth, and we'll just have to make the best of a poor deal, while it does exist. However that doesn't alter the fact that if its not self-financing, and the public is going to be expected to bail it out again, the sooner we know the better. As depending on how much is likely to be asked for when the begging can comes, there's still a lot to be said for flogging the site as is for whatever can be gotten, and cutting ones losses rather than throw more good money which we don't have after the far too much bad that's already been sunk in it.

[Kafka]

Fatal Paper Cut please step away from the keyboard, Pavlov's dogs have awoken, stop rewarding them.

[brian.smith]

The beer is to expensive

[MuckleJoannie]

The one bit of Mareel I do use regularly is the cafe/bar. Any time I am in it there are generally quite a few customers. However I would mark it down for service at busy times. Any time I've been at a gig there is a huge queue for drinks. A lot of this is not having spirits on optics so each nip has to be poured individually. But maybe this is part of their policy for encouraging responsible drinking. 

[Fatal Paper Cut]

 

"Frequently full" car park has absolutely nothing to do with the "success" of the building. The success (or otherwise) relies wholly on the number of paying customers and how much money they leave behind them. Number of vehicles using the car park is no indicator of either.

 

 

A busy car-park would at least indicate that people are using the building. Unless all those cars are owned by Museum staff/visitors/SIC Employees/Sada staff. In which case, I would have to assume all those people I keep seeing in Mareel who aren't SADA staff are apparitions or figments of my imagination.

 

As it is, we already know that the cinema attendance is much, much higher than was expected, and has been since the beginning. That, coupled with a full car park would be a fairly good indication as any that people are spending money. Unless you're also of the opinion that sandwiches, movie tickets, coffee, popcorn, etc is handed out free.

 

The so called "overspill" carparks are "taking the piss" as had anyone else built Mareel other than the SIC and one of their "arms length" departments, it would never have gotten beyond planning permission with such a parking provision arrangement. One is a carpark intended to service an adjacent office building so is not available during business hours at least, and the other has far from easy access for both vehicles and foot traffic, and is becoming less and less likely to have much spare space anyway given the recent increase in residential accomodation in the neighbourhood.

 

 

Again, this is entirely your opinion and a subjective one at that. How can you possibly know Mareel wouldn't have received planning permission with it's current parking provision? How do you know that the planning officers didn't take those overspill car parks into account? Nobody's suggesting that the museum car park and SIC car parks will be used all day everyday, but the number of people flooding Mareel during the day is likely to be less than through the evening, when most people go to see films and concerts, or during the weekend, when the SIC offices are most likely shut. So, it's not a problem. It's never been a problem, and it's unlikely to become a problem down the line. Those car parks are well within easy walking distance for most people.

 

Nothing weird about it, because people did so on several occasions. Problem is, despite asking numerous times no answers were ever forthcoming.

 

 

 

Possibly because people were far too busy to answer the ridiculous minutiae of nimbys when frankly, there were more important things at the time. Like getting the building built, and programmed. Stuff like that. It's a little like demanding to know what materials the guy planning a house on the site next to you is going to use, and exactly what sort of roof insulation he's fitting. That is to say, way way down the list of priorities to be dealt with. However, if it's any consolation, when you're building a modern venue where music is likely to be played very loudly, very often, adequate sound proofing must be used. Especially when there's residential buildings opposite. I have yet to see anyone from over the road complain when Heavy Metal Buffet is on.

 

 

It may work, in your opinion, at whatever events you have attended. That's great, for you.

 

 

It would seem to work for just about everybody.

 

The point remains, its never been fully tested yet. The kind of music I would really like to attend simply hasn't been there yet. If it were to be I would hope the sound proofing would be adequate, but there is no way of knowing, yet. Meanwhile, one is left wondering has its absence simply been due to be judged not a viable show, or is it because management know fine well the sound proofing is unlikely to cope adequately, and there'll either be complaints from all around, or they'll have to limit the audio output which will ruin the show, so just don't bother with it.

 

 

 

How do you know? Are you an acoustic expert? Do you regularly design, build and install music venues? Are you a pathological control freak whose going to insist that something hasn't been done on the basis that you weren't there to bare witness? Are you also a music programmer, who can summon AC/DC, Meatloaf and Iron Maiden to play at Mareel? Or are you just complaining an making assumptions you can't possibly make?

 

It has very little to do with neighbours, thats been said often enough before, and it disingenuous to only cite that. It has to do with other users of the building.

 

 

 

No, it does have to do with the neighbours. If people living opposite had reason to complain because of inadequate soundproofing, they'd be the first to complain. Personally, I have yet to sit in any part of the building and be able to pick up the soundtrack to whatever blockbuster movie is on thudding through the walls. Or have a movie drowned out by the auditorium. Hasn't happened. Haven't heard anyone else complaining about it either.

 

 Come on, it ain't rocket science. You mix numerous uses all inside one box, you need damn good sound proofing isolating each one to solely their own space.

 

 

 

Can we deduce from the total absence of complaints on this front that it is indeed the case?

 

It is too steep for me. It isn't too steep for you, in your opinion. Just like Everest isn't too steep for those who've reached the summit, but is too steep for the vast majority of people. Opinions is all anyone is ever going to have of it, as there is no provable definitive answer.

 

It's true. Opinions are like arsehøles. Everyone has one. And some of them are full of shît.

 

Oh, I was definitely having a bad day, disability wise, because every day is a bad day disability wise, unless of course those that are a bit worse than that, but I wouldn't have been able to stand never mind walk on those, so they can be discounted.

 

So we can assume that your particular mobility issues are constant and ongoing and therefore not representative of most other people? Good to know. Thanks.

 

Yes, we appreciate that for most able bodied folk the rake is "acceptable", and we also appreciate that if it were shallower the building's footprint would have to increase accordingly. My point is, and always has been, that to be most use to the greatest number of people the rake should have been shallower, and the only reason it isn't is because the brief for Mareel was always a case of trying to cram too much in to too little and no more space could be afforded to a cinema.

 

 

 

No. It's not too steep. It's just right for the size of the screen, versus the availability of land to build it on, combined with the other functions of the building without making it several stories high and blotting out all light for everyone around.

 

Just because you personally don't like it or find it difficult to navigate doesn't mean it's incorrect. And seeing as most modern cinemas are built with the same sort of rake, and since you're not a specialist architect who designs and cinemas, I think we can safely say your opinion is noted, however gloriously incorrect it may be.

 

I am not against Mareel, I have stated so more than once on this thread previously. So apparently I'm not the only one with selective memory.

 

 

 

Yes, I recall you saying that. And since it's been almost constantly followed up by negativity and complaint, ranging from the trivil to the ridiculous, I'm as disinclined to believe you now as I was then.

 

 

Your stance however comes across as a somewhat obsessive "silence the enemy at all costs", "if you're not with us, you're against us", and a complete denial that anything about Mareel could possibly justify criticism, type of attitude.

 

 

Errr, like the criticisms I outlined earlier? I prefer my criticisms to be valid, and real, and not spurious and made-up.

 

 Come this time, the money has been spent, its there for what its worth, and we'll just have to make the best of a poor deal, while it does exist. However that doesn't alter the fact that if its not self-financing, and the public is going to be expected to bail it out again, the sooner we know the better. As depending on how much is likely to be asked for when the begging can comes, there's still a lot to be said for flogging the site as is for whatever can be gotten, and cutting ones losses rather than throw more good money which we don't have after the far too much bad that's already been sunk in it.

Ah. You should have said you could predict the future. In which case, why even raise the subject of how well Mareel is doing at all? Surely you know?

 

Edited December 9, 2014 by Fatal Paper Cut

[Ghostrider]

"A busy car-park would at least indicate that people are using the building. Unless all those cars are owned by Museum staff/visitors/SIC Employees/Sada staff. In which case, I would have to assume all those people I keep seeing in Mareel who aren't SADA staff are apparitions or figments of my imagination.

 

As it is, we already know that the cinema attendance is much, much higher than was expected, and has been since the beginning. That, coupled with a full car park would be a fairly good indication as any that people are spending money. Unless you're also of the opinion that sandwiches, movie tickets, coffee, popcorn, etc is handed out free."

 

Oh, it certainly indicates people are using the building, I never claimed otherwise. It doesn't tell you how many people are using it though, how long they're using it for, or how much they're spending during their visit.

 

It'll take more than a few cups of coffee and a sandwich to pay the power bill for that place for a start.

 

No, we know cinema attendance was higher than forecast up to the point attendance figures were last revealed, and that was quite a number of months ago as far as I'm aware. Cinema goers may well be spending, but whether that extends to much beyond seat tickets is unknown - the opinion that drinks/food etc was overpriced has come up from others more than a few times. Regardless even if all cinema goers are leaving the building crammed to the gunnels with whatever drinks and snacks, the point remains that the cinema is but a minority portion of the facility, and if its subsidising the rest of the building to the point of keeping it afloat, its past time the rest was closed and the cinema continued as a stand alone.

 

"Again, this is entirely your opinion and a subjective one at that. How can you possibly know Mareel wouldn't have received planning permission with it's current parking provision? How do you know that the planning officers didn't take those overspill car parks into account? Nobody's suggesting that the museum car park and SIC car parks will be used all day everyday, but the number of people flooding Mareel during the day is likely to be less than through the evening, when most people go to see films and concerts, or during the weekend, when the SIC offices are most likely shut. So, it's not a problem. It's never been a problem, and it's unlikely to become a problem down the line. Those car parks are well within easy walking distance for most people".

 

On past recommendations of said planning officers. Just you go try build a (from memory) 700 capacity facility and only provide something in the region (from memory) 50 space dedicated carpark, and see how far you get with them.

 

I didn't say the "overspill" car parking wasn't taken in to consideration, in fact someone who should at least know a little bit about it pretty much confirmed it was on this thread previously. The point I'm making is, what was accepted in to the plan as "overspill parking areas" should not have been acceptable for that purpose, as its bumming it off other folk (in theory anyway) and hoping it might be empty as and when its needed, and its questionable had the applicant been anyone else, it would have been thrown out at the first hurdle. A similar plan of sharing someone else's parking area for a leisure facility was aired back in the day with different people were involved, and to the best of my recollection it was turned down out of hand by the SIC on account of it not being dedicated parking.

 

If parking has never been a problem for you then you've either been lucky or blind, as I've seen the dedicated parking completely full more than once, and that was when the only scheduled event on was the cinema - not encouraging that you'd get a space when more events were being held in tandem.

 

"Possibly because people were far too busy to answer the ridiculous minutiae of nimbys when frankly, there were more important things at the time. Like getting the building built, and programmed. Stuff like that. It's a little like demanding to know what materials the guy planning a house on the site next to you is going to use, and exactly what sort of roof insulation he's fitting. That is to say, way way down the list of priorities to be dealt with. However, if it's any consolation, when you're building a modern venue where music is likely to be played very loudly, very often, adequate sound proofing must be used. Especially when there's residential buildings opposite. I have yet to see anyone from over the road complain when Heavy Metal Buffet is on."

 

The building was quite happily being built by the contractor with minimal input needed from the person concerned, and the question was first asked early enough that programming issues was a long way in to the future. If a public servant involved with a publically funded project cannot find the time to answer one relatively simple question, which quite frankly they should have known the answer to off the top of their head. That says that either they're not paying the attention to their job they should be, or they're not providing teh level they're supposed to to the people who are employing and funding them, take your pick.

 

It is absolutely nothing like demanding to know what materials a neighbour is using to build a house. What a neighbour does they are paying for themselves and doing on their own property, what a public body spends is public money, the people doing it are employed as public servants, and the site in question was a publically owned one.

 

Whether or not music was likely to be played very loudly and very often in the plan, who knows, but the reality is that music is not played all that often, and very rarely very loudly. Posing the question, why isn't music being played very often and very loudly.

 

Maybe there's just not the demand to make it viable, and that's fine if that's the case, but nobody has ever said that. So folk wonder maybe its the case that the facility simply isn't capable of coping, which isn't helped to go away by the past uber-silence/secrecy regarding the maximum audio capabilities of the design, for no obvious reason.

 

How many times has HMB played Mareel, for how long, and what other parts of the facility were in use in parallel?

 

"It would seem to work for just about everybody".

 

Big leap of faith, and altogther inaccurate.

 

Firstly it'll come as quite a shock to thousands I'm sure that somehow they unknowingly appointed you as their spokesperson to express an opinion they'd never been asked to give. Secondly, while you may be able to try and claim its working "for just about everybody" on the basis that there have been little complaints, that's making a quite patronising assumption, and in any case it could only begin to stand up for regular customers.

 

"How do you know? Are you an acoustic expert? Do you regularly design, build and install music venues? Are you a pathological control freak whose going to insist that something hasn't been done on the basis that you weren't there to bare witness? Are you also a music programmer, who can summon AC/DC, Meatloaf and Iron Maiden to play at Mareel? Or are you just complaining an making assumptions you can't possibly make?"

 

Do you? Are you?

 

I'm just simply pointing out that the facility has not as yet been fully proven to be capable of being all things to all people at all time, as it was supposed to be according to the original plan.

 

"No, it does have to do with the neighbours. If people living opposite had reason to complain because of inadequate soundproofing, they'd be the first to complain. Personally, I have yet to sit in any part of the building and be able to pick up the soundtrack to whatever blockbuster movie is on thudding through the walls. Or have a movie drowned out by the auditorium. Hasn't happened. Haven't heard anyone else complaining about it either".

 

I said it had very little to do with neighbours, not that it had nothing to do with neighbours. If someone is hammering the life out of a mutha of a bass amp on stage, it sure as hell is going to bother folk in the cinema watching the latest weepie if they can't hear what Romeo whispers in her ear because its feeding through the walls/floor, or someone recording a piece of slow gentle music gets bits of it picked up in their mike coming in the same way, long ahead of someone behind a wall across the road with their telly blaring or a console bleeping and squeaking away like a dalek on speed.

 

The main stage is where the problem is going to come from, not the cinema sound system. I very much doubt, however good the cinema one is, its capable of making your ears bleed, and thats what the main stage needs, if its allowed that is.

 

"Can we deduce from the total absence of complaints on this front that it is indeed the case?"

 

No, we can deduce that either so far folk have chosen to shutup and tolerate it, if it exists. Or that there simply hasn't been anything loud enough on stage yet at the same time as it might bother someone elsewhere in the building.

 

"It's true. Opinions are like arsehøles. Everyone has one. And some of them are full of shît."

 

Well, touche!!!!

 

"So we can assume that your particular mobility issues are constant and ongoing and therefore not representative of most other people? Good to know. Thanks."

 

Nope, you cannot assume one damn thing. I'm neither going to confirm of deny that, as what I tell, or don't tell anyone about myself, and when I tell it is my choice. Right now, its none of your damn business.

 

However, beware of the Disability Discrimination Act. Anyone with any disability whatever it is, could legitimately be described as "not representative of most other people," but, I am led to believe that to do so would be an offence. So, likewise, if I were to confirm your question as correct, you might well suddenly find yourself having committed a Disability Discrimination offence.

 

Don't bother thanking me for the favour of saving you from doing that though.

 

"No. It's not too steep. It's just right for the size of the screen, versus the availability of land to build it on, combined with the other functions of the building without making it several stories high and blotting out all light for everyone around."

 

It may well be to "industry standard specs", but that doesn't make it "right", "good" or even "worth a sh*t*, it makes it tolerable.

 

As for the rest, like I said, design the ideal building, then select the ideal site. Not select the site, then make a building to fit it, then try to squeeze everything inside you want in there, more ass-first you couldn't get.

 

"Yes, I recall you saying that. And since it's been almost constantly followed up by negativity and complaint, ranging from the trivil to the ridiculous, I'm as disinclined to believe you now as I was then."

 

Well, don't let me hold you back, just cut to the chase and call me a liar, you know you want to.

 

Strange as it may seem it is quote possible to support the ideal and principle, but object strongly to the delivery. I have similar feelings towards more than one political persuasion.

 

"Errr, like the criticisms I outlined earlier? I prefer my criticisms to be valid, and real, and not spurious and made-up."

 

Well, there's the oxymoron of the week award taken care of. The points you have been throwing at me all day have relied 100% on cherry picking and taking out of context and misrepresenting things I've said in such a way as to twist them to appear to give your own "arguments" validity.

 

How about delivering on that "real" and "not made up" claims, then we might possibly have a productive debate.

 

"Ah. You should have said you could predict the future. In which case, why even raise the subject of how well Mareel is doing at all? Surely you know?"

 

Call it what you like, I call it future financial planning. Something the whole Mareel project has lacked from day one. When a buidling's owner has to sell the building to pay off the builder who built it, them sums were waay too far off to be a simple miscalculation, and nearer to fantasy accounting.

[Windwalker]

Fatal Paper Cut please step away from the keyboard, Pavlov's dogs have awoken, stop rewarding them.

Your right Kafka, Fatal Paper Cut should step away from the keyboard, but not for the reason you suggest. He/She should stop bitching. Never post for ages, then bites anytime Mareel is mentioned. Then she/he can't have a reasoned discussion, just continues to bitch at other posters veiws, should change his/her name to "Fatal Tounge"

[Fatal Paper Cut]

 

 

 

Nope, you cannot assume one damn thing. I'm neither going to confirm of deny that, as what I tell, or don't tell anyone about myself, and when I tell it is my choice. Right now, its none of your damn business.

 

However, beware of the Disability Discrimination Act. Anyone with any disability whatever it is, could legitimately be described as "not representative of most other people," but, I am led to believe that to do so would be an offence. So, likewise, if I were to confirm your question as correct, you might well suddenly find yourself having committed a Disability Discrimination offence.

 

Don't bother thanking me for the favour of saving you from doing that though.

 

 

Seriously? You're trying to tell me I may be in breach of the disability discrimination act for pointing out that your disabilities are largely your problem?

 

(** mod edit - comment removed - watch the language **)

[administrator]

At this point it would be best for all if you'd walk away from your computers for a while. At least until you can be civil.

[JustMe]

Meanwhile the comments about the cinema have prompted me to have a look next time there is something I like the sound of on in the afternoon I will go.  Well depending on the weather as a 50 mile trip by bus and ferry does not encourage me to venture out in the worst of the weather like today.

[Ghostrider]

I'm sorry, I didn't realise your hardships extended to severe mental impairment as well.

 

 

Argumentum ad hominem

[peeriebryan]

I'll do my best to briefly address some of the concerns raised here, but there's not much to add that hasn't been covered in considerable detail in previous posts dating back a number of years.
 
Re: parking. I'm not aware of any issues or complaints about parking. Personally, I often come and go several times a day and I've been at the majority of events there but there's only been a handful of times that I haven't found a parking space in the main car park. Each time there's been plenty of alternative spaces at the museum, SIC offices or North Ness car parks. 
 
Re: soundproofing effectiveness. The sound systems in the cinemas and auditorium have been extensively tested and the Sound Pressure Levels have been pushed to extremes with no problems whatsoever, neither internally nor externally. I'm not aware of any complaints from neighbours or customers either.
 
Re: soundproofing design. In essence the auditorium and cinema are physically decoupled as much as is practically possible from the the rest of the building (like boxes within a box), combined with standard treatments such as heavy airtight double doors and absorbent wall materials. The design has proven to be more than up to the job.

Re: the rake of the cinema seating. The rake is indeed steep, but that's the nature of cinema design and Mareel isn't unusual. There's access from the top and bottom of the rake, and there's the option of the smaller second screen if folk prefer. The Front of House staff are happy to help anyone with mobility issues.

 

If folk have concerns, complaints or suggestions then please do get in touch with Shetland Arts and we'll do our best to help (admin@shetlandarts.org / 01595 743 843). We're always looking at ways to improve what we do so we'd be delighted to hear from folk.

In the meantime, let's try to keep this discussion polite and good natured 

[paulb]

the children love it. ive never been mainly mobility issues but im an old fart to. i love the museum to but ive not been there for 2 years. i think if it can run at about even for the next 5 years its here to stay. still not a fan of its shape but its slowly blending in. lets just face it its here

[hjasga]

Ghostrider's moaning taking a heavy smackdown there, when forced to stare awkwardly into the face of actual facts.

[Suffererof1crankymofo]

Last night we looked at the forthcoming programme for Mareel; again, nothing I really fancied going along to see; nothing jumping out at me and making me go "Wow, I really don't want to miss that!".  Granted, I might have been tempted to go to The Blues Festival if it wasn't for transport.

 

What happened to this Scottish promoter who was gonna bring all these fantastic bands to Mareel?  Kings of Lyon, mmm, let's have a listen on youchoob - let down by the lead singer so nope, some gig I might have considered attending and outside to a degree Mareel's control.  £15 admission compared to £11 in Belfast ... or would some teenagers rather go and see the X Factor live tour in Glasgow later in the year at £19.50 a pop?  Not fair comparisons?  Okay then, see what's on rurally in Shetland and hell, Ness Boating Club Xmas do with live music (albeit I suspect not really my taste either) and a two course buffet (not forgetting the all important raffle) is £18 (members)/£22 (non-members).  So do I save my dosh and go to a local event, or splash out on either petrol (which means no boozing) or bus with a £40 plus cab fare back and venture to Mareel this month?  I suspect the Ness bar will be cheaper and I won't have to wait long to be served even if the place is full.  I could probably bum a lift home too or stagger.  I'm not rolling in it and I suspect like others living out in the sticks, the cost of admission, food, drinks, transport have to be taken into account.

 

Ah, and in the paper, the new bod spouting off about the bar and finding the balance or something being a venue bar or a bar you'd choose to go to?  You can't do both.  It isn't big enough.  Face facts on that one.  You can't arrange to meet someone without checking first that there's no 'big' gig on meaning the bar is open only to those attending the event.  Not having optics on spirits - does that mean having to wash out the dupree wotsits each time?  1 whisky, 1 vodka, 1 brandy and 1 double rum - how long that take to be served then, only for the bloke in the queue next to ya also wanting a gin n tonic for the Mrs?  Seriously, is that true - no optics?

 

I'm 51 but not past it but hell, to be honest, the venue comes across as a niche, nicey-nicey SQUARE venue.  Oh, but apparently they had an 'acoustic' heavy metal buffet ... na, I want me amps and the cobwebs blown off those amps, and I sure as hell want electric guitar and not acoustic, with a thudding base ... which brings me nicely onto ...

 

... I don't recall this point as ever being answered and apologies if it has but what precisely is the output of the sound system?  Please don't say it is in line with elsewhere in the UK.  Watts, decibels, the straightforward stuff.  Bothered about staff's eardrums re H&S - do what other venues do and provide ear plugs then.

 

Ah, Fatalpapercut mentioned bringing Iron Maiden up.  Well, Bryan has the details for Dennis Stratton; perhaps he wants too much dosh but last time I spoke with him, he was willing to come to Shetland.

 

Value for money?  Do the patrons spend enough when present?  Are enough patrons getting through the door? (excluding the cinema)  Every gig at least 60% full?  Anyone had their wedding reception there yet?

 

I'm willing to attend but this not so square 50 plus old git just hasn't been tempted enough yet (apart from when films have been sold out/only aired for one day).  I'm grateful to Bryan for pointing out about assistance.  But it's a pretty poor state of affairs that so far, a venue that is meant to cater for all, just hasn't managed to coax me off Ghostie's couch.

 

Why don't we just see what the next lot of financial figures released from Shetland Arts are?  Aren't they due out this month?  Then we can see whether or not the issues that are being ignored regarding making profits and so forth turn out to be facts to be concerned about.