Mareel - Cinema & Music Venue

[Spinner72]

I simply can't pass up the chance to point out, and he will verify this i'm sure, that myself and a certain well known local grasscutting entrpenuer at one time did indeed make use of a council toilet as a makeshift rehersal venue.

 

 

Of course i say that to lighten the tone, but without fail someone will latch on to it and say "why can't you just use the new toilets then instead of Mareel?"

 

 

Looking back over the past few pages, its actually heartening to take a step back and realise all the "anti-mareel" posts are stereotypical old fashioned forum trolling. Very little semblance to fact or reality, and just geared to push the buttons of those who support the project.

[Baron Farkoff]

No, I'm claiming that they are laughing because of of the way that the detractors are continuing to try and derail the project even after a definitive answer was given on the issue by the islands' council, and because of the way these newbwoy councillors and publican X fail to grasp the basic concept of the place. They also can't understand why these people would want to stop such a project in the first place, given its' obvious value to the community.

You seem keen to keep wanting to compare Shetland to other places while ignoring the fundamental point that Shetland is unique.

Anyway, another question goes unanswered: I asked if there was a building here devoted to music, and my only answer is a question about Aberdeen. Answer ze question, please!

[Evil Inky]

Anyway, another question goes unanswered: I asked if there was a building here devoted to music, and my only answer is a question about Aberdeen. Answer ze question, please!

No, we don't have a dedicated, industry-standard music venue. But then we don't have an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a drive-through McDonalds, or an elephant sanctuary, either. Should we dip into public funds to provide these facilities ?

[Infiltrator]

Why? I don't live in Aberdeen.

Anyway, I can: The Kef, few doors down from the Lemon Tree.

A good venue.

 

Sorry, maybe my logic was too subtle for you.

 

Aberdeen population = 250,000

Shetland population = 20,000

 

Does Aberdeen have a professional facility permenantly devoted to music?

 

You stated that you had 'pals on the mainland in the business' - I'm pretty sure their local council won't build them a state of the art facility.

 

Kef's a private owned venue and it's in Belmont St - nowhere near The Lemon Tree - you should get out more

[Baron Farkoff]

Don't be a twerp.We don't have an olympic pool because we don't have an olympic swimming team. There are no elephants here either which require sanctuary, and McDonalds is a completely irrelevant issue, as it not a facility but a corporation.

We do have, however, a proud tradition of local music which does not have anywhere to call home.

Please try to stick to the issue rather than throwing in these pointless irrelevancies.

Again comparisons to other places. Yawn.

[Baron Farkoff]

Kefs' status aside, it is permanent and geared up for live music,and I couldn't care less which street it's on- the venue is in Aberdeen, which is what you asked.

The point remains that Shetters has nowhere even remotely up to scratch, yet boasts that its' music is as good as anywhere in the world, a discrepancy which does deserve to be put right.

Aberdeen is a city with a university, the comparison is invalid. Again I say that Shetland is unique.

And I would get out more, if there was somewhere to go.

[JohanofNess]

Looking back over the past few pages, its actually heartening to take a step back and realise all the "anti-mareel" posts are stereotypical old fashioned forum trolling. Very little semblance to fact or reality, and just geared to push the buttons of those who support the project.

 

People having a concern that a facility that is being partially funded out of the public coffers and voicing an objection, you call that trolling. Jesus wept it's debate, having a differing opinion is far from trolling.

 

What I find utterly amazing is that on the news every day we're being told that sales are down, inflation is rising, jobs are being lost by the hundreds and thousands and you still want to build a cinema/music venue when you haven't agreed a cost, appointed a contractor and raw materials are still going up at record rates. I will be a monkeys uncle if it gets built for £9.2m and you all know it won't be because no numpty is going to submit a price that low knowing the EU has promised more funding for construction.

 

The first thing that people cut back on during financial hardship is non essentials like entertainment and the whole place is geared to just that. If Mareel isn't being subsidised inside five years I will name my first kid Hitler. I can understand why my folks are pissed off their taxes are going towards what can be best described as a luxury item in a time of financial uncertainty, if it was an essential it would have already been built and not done so by the council but by the private sector because it was a financially attractive proposition.

[Baron Farkoff]

Fair point, Johan .Now that is an argument I can respect: these concerns are valid and clearly set out.

I would say, however, that we won't be in a recession for ever, and to hold our nerve: these plans have been thoroughly prepared over a long period of time, and for the money, I think represent good value.

We cant't put everything on hold just because there is the hint of recession, otherwise there definitely will be one.

We should not act in as if our fears have already been realised. We should do everything we can to improve our chances of being able to adapt in a changing world to the challenges of the future. I don't agree that sitting even tighter on a pot of money of uncertain value is the way to save the day, however.

I say use it or lose it.

It's nice to be involved in a realistic debate again, thanks!

 

 

 

 

A lot of the other posters are fairly troll-like, I have to agree with spinner72 on that.

[JohanofNess]

I would say, however, that we won't be in a recession for ever, and to hold our nerve: these plans have been thoroughly prepared over a long period of time, and for the money, I think represent good value.

We cant't put everything on hold just because there is the hint of recession, otherwise there definitely will be one.

It's nice to be involved in a realistic debate again, thanks!

 

A lot of the other posters are fairly troll-like, I have to agree with spinner72 on that.

 

The daft thing is you have to build it now because if you don't it never will be, you'll lose funding and likely struggle to get a commitment down the line.

 

It's still the wrong time to build it to be honest, we're seeing local authorities down here stopping several sports and community projects because the just can't justify the expenditure at this time

 

The unfortunate thing is the people who managed to hold it up weren't stupid they knew that a reasonable delay would push the cost of Mareel up and make it harder to justify, it didn't surprise me some councillors bottled the vote. I personally have no objection to the place being built my objection is how it is being funded, this isn't something the council should be funding to the tune that it is. I'm not going to point fingers at anyone in particular but people who are pushing Mareel forward know that the council can't let this place die on its rear end so they'll have to step in should the projections for attendances and turnover not be met and this is where I get annoyed with the build it any cost as long as it gets built mentality of some people.

[Baron Farkoff]

Quite right- we have to build it now. The best time to build it would have been before the N star closed, but that is irrelevant now. I would disagree about what you said about the objectors being not stupid,though: looking at it logically, if their aim was to save money, they should hurry to get on side and get it built quick, not push it back and back so that costs spiral just so they can say i told you so, as the council is now in the position where it has to build Mareel to save face. It will be built, and the quicker the better because it will be cheaper.

[Evil Inky]

Should we spend millions of pounds just so the council can save face ?

[JohanofNess]

I would disagree about what you said about the objectors being not stupid,though: looking at it logically, if their aim was to save money

 

The serious objectors don't want to save money on the construction they just don't want it built full stop. So to keep delaying it like is happening again only plays into the hands of those who want it stopped entirely.

 

Other thing is by the time they get round to breaking ground you've missed the best weather for building and that will also push up costs.

 

I don't envy the project team this one at all

[JohanofNess]

Should we spend millions of pounds just so the council can save face ?

 

No but since a substantial amount of money has already been spent stopping now would throw it away completely. All the delays and mucking about has only pushed the cost of Mareel up even more, the council wanted to have a vote and in doing that they've made the contract more expensive, not the first time I've seen that great idea either.

[JustMe]

Should we spend millions of pounds just so the council can save face ?

No of course not. However we should spend millions of pounds to give Shetland a really good music venue, arts centre and cinema. Public money being spent wisely on something that will benefit Shetland residents for decades to come.

[Evil Inky]

Should we spend millions of pounds just so the council can save face ?

 

No but since a substantial amount of money has already been spent stopping now would throw it away completely.

 

With the greatest of respect, I think you might be falling foul of the Sunk Cost Fallacy. Economists generally believe that you shouldn't take money you've already spent into account when making decisions about the future. In other words, don't throw good money after bad.