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Post by merlin on Apr 16, 2011 17:08:02 GMT
Hi Dax,
I agree with you the only time this place really comes alive is Wool-sack Race day and it's a Great day of Family Fun which owes a lot to the private and highly active organisational group.
This is a historical town with well over 1,300 years of history... not that you would ever know about it... It was once one of if not the premier Wool Market towns in the Cotswolds.... you might think that might warrant a mention or even it's own museum.... But Alas No !
We got a police museum and rumour has it that due to Council cutbacks the police will be moving back in there when they shut the Tetbury Police Station down..
One quick suggestion I would make why not set up a new message Thread in the Events section about Your fairs and who and what you need there.
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daxia
Full Member
Posts: 14
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Post by daxia on Apr 16, 2011 19:33:39 GMT
Hi merlin,
I've added threads to the events section, and will be lobbying for inspiration and action.
I have to admit my interest in tetbury is more of a business interest given that I live in Wiltshire, BUT I have made Tetbury my main place of business and would love to integrate fully into the town.
Christmas Market being one of them!
Also - trying to get ANYONE to turn the proper market into a "proper" market..... ahhh, where to start? The council whom I've contacted many times seem to forget the conversation the second I leave!
However - given that I've booked myself up until at least December 2013 - I'd better keep shouting!
Ty
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Post by merlin on Apr 16, 2011 21:16:39 GMT
Your voice has been heard and we will pass it on, sometimes it's easy for one voice to be ignored but when many voices are raised then officials will start to listen... as if their futures depend upon it !
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Post by Emma on May 6, 2011 13:56:59 GMT
I hope nobody minds me butting in (well if you don't now, you may do by the end of the post  ) I grew up in Tetbury and returned last year after a 20yr absence. My observations as someone who knows the town, but is also somewhat of an outsider, are as follows: 1. There is little community in the middle of the town because there is no hub in the middle of the town. Tetbury's town centre is dissected by busy roads and narrow pavements which don't promote gentle ambling. The town therefore needs to better utilise the more 'gentle flowing' areas just off the centre. 2. Many of the shops and restaurants in Tetbury make a big thing out of food miles and local produce.....yet Tetbury has no regular farmers' market. Madness! Such a market would be of interest to locals and tourists alike 3. There's a disused railway building sitting there. It's right next to plentiful car-parking and in a salubrious area. It's ripe for....ooo I don't know...a weekly farmers' market perhaps??? 4. The rec. Why isn't this used more? It's central, it has lots of entrances and it's large. Why doesn't the town host something like an annual drink festival? There are local producers of wine, cider and beer. How about a comedy festival? Even cow bingo would be better than nothing. 5. Tetbury is medieval. Play on it. As someone else said, create a world championship or something....and try to make it medieval. What about a Championship of Fools? The very last Court Jester was employed at Berkeley Castle so there's a Gloucestershire tie-in. 6. Get rid of the bloody awful fairs in the Chipping. Nobody, but nobody wants to see mopey teenagers swigging WKD and screaming little consumers on fairground rides. On the promotion of this site; I simply stumbled across it searching for something else so my guess is that much of the town don't know about it. It'd have been easy to promote it on the back of the royal wedding recently.....did anyone get their butt on to Twitter and whack in a few links when #royalwedding was trending? (I'll take a big guess at 'no'). I manage enterprise size online communities for a living so take it from me, you have to find topical angles to promote yourself via social media. If Pippa Middleton's backside is trending, then someone get the bakery to make a cake in the shape of her rump and grab some attention off the back of a popular hash tag. Elementary dear townsfolk! I'd also add that the site needs a total overhaul design-wise. As it stands it's circa-1998, there's absolutely nothing on the front page to draw the eye, no calls to action, the formatting isn't good, the template jumps around the page when clicking links from the left-hand nav and in general it really doesn't invite you in. Personally I'd build the whole d**n thing on Drupal and have the more dynamic elements (like local news) above the fold in an eye catching place. And there endeth my two pence worth. |
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Post by tetburymum on May 6, 2011 15:07:53 GMT
As stated in other posts elsewhere this site was created by our son when he was a student at SWR many years ago! He maintained it for many years, including up to date news pages and events, even whilst away at university. The site was used extensively by locals, tourists as well as students at the school. However times move on and he is now settled elsewhere. As the site receives many hits it was decided to remove the pages that needed constant up-dating. As no other local sites seem to have a message board this was left on as a service. The site is privately owned and it is impossible for us to maintain the site as we would wish - maybe when we retire!
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Post by Wally on May 6, 2011 15:54:40 GMT
Emma,
And there you have it straight from the Horses mouth, so to speak.
They hear what you're saying but have no intention of doing anything about it nor let anyone else help... it's like a flippin' memorial to someone who ain't even dead !!!
Maybe You should get together with Merlin... he seems to be the only one interested enough in the site to try and breathe life into it but I and others think he's floggin' a dead horse.
If ever a town need a swift kick up the collective backside it's Tetbury... A new Web site wouldn't do any harm for starters but with all the committees around here progress is stagnant !
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Post by Emma on May 7, 2011 11:00:38 GMT
As stated in other posts elsewhere this site was created by our son when he was a student at SWR many years ago! He maintained it for many years, including up to date news pages and events, even whilst away at university. With all due respect, the history of the site is totally irrelevant. It may have done the job at one time, but now it's now tired, dated and wholly fails it all its objectives. A poor site is worse than none at all. I'd also add that 'proud mum' rhetoric has no place in discussions about a town website. Then pass the domain on to a local group who WILL do something it. Having a memorial to your son's long-gone hard work may be nice for you personally, but in terms of acting as either a) a virtual community hub for townsfolk or b) a promotional vehicle for the town it's about as much use as a paper bra in a rainstorm. Sorry if that offends, but I tend to find that tip-toeing around people's personal sensibilities tends to results in naff-all getting done. |
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Post by Emma on May 7, 2011 11:04:46 GMT
Tetburymum - I'd also add that if you're one of the administrators of this site, then 15 posts since 2006 is absolutely shameful!
Online communities are not 'field of dreams' territory. It is not a case of build it and they will come. They don't. Communities, whether real or virtual, need seeding and nurturing.
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Post by merlin on May 7, 2011 17:02:17 GMT
Hi Emma,
Do you have the time, inclination and technical know how to set up a new site ? One with Va Va Voom ?
Sounds like you do so if you are up for the challenge name the pub and let's sit down for a chat.... but don't expect a lot of help, as you can see I've been trying to kick start this sad old site but there is a sad lack of interest. All of which cannot be blamed upon the site designer.
For what it's worth you're leaning on an open door with all your critisisms of Tetbury and many of us share your opininions but I get the feeling most are waiting for someone to come along and do it for them.
A new Web Site won't hurt for starters so if you have the smarts I don't mind helping.
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Post by Webmaster on May 13, 2011 19:35:12 GMT
Hi, Chris here. I'm aware Tetbury Online's a bit of a sad memorial to a website which Emma correctly states, harks back to about 1998. All I'll say is that this paragraph looks miraculously prescient: I'd also add that the site needs a total overhaul design-wise. As it stands it's circa-1998, there's absolutely nothing on the front page to draw the eye, no calls to action, the formatting isn't good, the template jumps around the page when clicking links from the left-hand nav and in general it really doesn't invite you in. Personally I'd build the whole d**n thing on Drupal and have the more dynamic elements (like local news) above the fold in an eye catching place. Watch this space. |
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Post by Wally on May 14, 2011 13:07:06 GMT
Not sure I'm goin' ta hold Me breath !
With only about 4 regulars why bother ? It's obvious, at least to me, that Tetbury neither wants nor needs a site of it's own.
The days of Tetbury as any sort of community are long gone...!
Even when challenged to put up...all ya get is silence...!
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Post by Andy on Jun 11, 2011 8:02:45 GMT
Merlin, Seems you really are Flogging a Dead Horse !
Not a single comment in ten Days...
Good try but I think the silence says it all...
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Post by cliff on Jun 17, 2011 11:38:32 GMT
Hi Merlin, Andy,
After many efforts I have come to the conclusion that flogging is a waste of time, the horse is DEAD. Been in Canada for last few weeks came home expecting to read at least some comments. Only this morning tidying documents, came across a parody poem I wrote several years ago.One day in the near future will enter it on this forum. It could stimulate some replies, especially from those who seem content with the "status quo"
WATCH THIS SPACE.
Terribly tired, Tetbury toad trying to tittilate the totally UNINTERESTED. ( Is there a word, printable of course, beginning with a "T" instead of uninterested ? )
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Post by merlin on Jun 17, 2011 14:44:05 GMT
Hi Cliff,
Welcome back.
the only 'T' word that springs to mind is Trite !
I have given up as perhaps most people have noticed.
Seems the site still gets visitors but they don't have anything to say or ask...
Perhaps they're too polite !
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Post by paul on Jun 19, 2011 0:58:08 GMT
It's all about getting the fundamental basics right in the first place then building upon it. Cliff you will recall I was a member here a few years ago posing all kinds of hints and tips on how to improve upon this basic board, how to post images using photobucket, basic "IT" security issues/suggestions along with historical information, old directory adverts, postcard images, Victorian shop receipts etc etc. I would sincerely love to see things move forward, although being co admin on a busy collectors forum my free time is very limited. That said it really doesn't take too much time make interesting posts, even if it's just the odd interesting photo in a Gallery section. For example this evening the Market Hall looked absolutely stunning with the sunlight illuminating the place against the dark thundery skyline. Is there a need for an informative forum/board/hub or what ever people wish to call it? the answer should be Yes provided it's gone about in professional way. What would I suggest; 1) Move away from this free host Proboard. Very basic board with little to no assistance if/when go wrong. I'd suggest a package from vBulletin - NOT FREE, the fee would have to be covered by paying advertisers - wouldn't be too hard to cover after the first year when things start becoming busy. Advertising doesn't cost it pays, after all 24/7 search engine index ads are a must these days. 2) One of the most common mistakes Admins make is simply to allow all sections/threads to be open to "guest readers" why? it doesn't encourage people to become members plus the many search engine bots crawl over everything many times per day giving a false impression of active interest/visitors. Some limited sections should be open to guest viewers but not all. 3) Accountability. Registration only. Guest posters are a massive no no, likewise, throw away email accounts such as hotmail/gmail (plus the other few hundred world wide freemails) should be ruled out. This stops spammers and members registering many ID's in order to cause trouble. 4) Establish a reliable forum team, couple of admins to over see the site, three trustees to handle the finances & records (make public once a year) a couple of super mods and maybe a few basic moderators when the site becomes busy. That's the groundwork put in place. The next job is to establish contact with the local authorities, businesses (sell your package - not for profit) community groups,schools et al and above all be prepared to put yourself out if a Tetbury & District forum is to survive. Keep people interested in an informative safe regularly updated site and they will regularly return, post and bingo you will have a Tetbury online community.    |
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