Seriously underused forum...

[newishtotetbury]

As a recentish new resident to Tetbury I have found it fairly difficult to integrate into the Town as, in my mid-30's, I feel too young to join some of the Society's and am too old (and quite frankly not skillfull enough) to play football or rugby!!! Having been here 18 months now I am quite content, but it was slow progress.

It is a shame that this site is not better used as, for people like myself, it could be a valuable resource in allowing interaction between those with a better knowledge of the town and what goes on and those who aren't Tetbrarian by birth or schooling.

So my question is why isn't it better used? Nailsworth's is overflowing with new posts and Cirencester's has closed to new members as it can't cope... What do you think makes Tetbury so different to our near neighbours??

(PS. I have emailed the Advertiser asking them to publicise this website, see if it can get some more traffic....let's see what happens!).

[John]

I have to say that when I moved to Tetbury from Minchinhampton three years ago I had the opposite problem. Everyone in the town (well most that I came across anyway)were really friendly and I felt like I had 'fit' in really quickly. You just need to get out and about to meet people face-to-face rather than use a souless computer (I am only on this site because i am bored at work!)

I really like Tetbury though. The new deli in Long Street (near Cafe 53) is great! The choice of shops here is good (considering that only 5000 people live here!) Tetbury folk need to stop using supermarkets and buy local!!!

[Derek]

Yes this is an extremely quite board,I too moved to tetbury back in 2004 and have found the people nice,but like you say if you are of a certain age,it is had to mix well,And like you when I moved here I looked at this board back then and was disappointed with the amount of people using it.
But I do also think some of thats down to the fact that it just dosn`t seem to be known about,I kind of stumbled across it myself.
It`s a shame really as with tetbury being such a quite(possibly boring place)it might have been a good place to meet like minded people to strike up frendships and hang out(sounding a bit younger than my 30ish years now).
I to have become comfortable here,if a tad restricted,but it does seem to be a very good place for family`s,my kids are in St mary school and I`ve got to say it is a very good school,although it makes me laugh when I hear about the `Hoodies`,I lived near cheltehnam,and if you did`nt see police vans there was somthing wrong!.

[normanspants]

Yes, it's been a real disappointment! From experience, it needs a handful of 'regulars' who will post anything about anything and that will then encourage others to join. Actually, the Tetbury forum reminds me a lot of the Thornbury.

There is perhaps a general malaise that everyone likes to read local news, but not many feel confident or have the time or enthusiasm to actually write anything. If everybody who looked on here and was disappointed about a lack of activity actually wrote something - started a topic or replied to a discussion - then it would undoubtedly become an invaluable local resource. Yes, that means YOU! Don't just read what I'm typing, reply to it as well!

I suppose my random conclusion is that no two communities are the same, no two discussion forums are the same; some just seem to work, some just seem not to work, and occasionally a site will suddenly become popular for no apparent reason. However, a good forum needs more than just readers, it needs writers too!

Hmm, bit of an obvious conclusion.

[Cliff BRYAN]

As another Ex-Tetburian I also find the facility is under used. I have put in several messages in the past. One headed APATHY I feel this says it all. I visit the site at least once a week from a local library, if I had acess in the home I would never be off line. But there is always light at the end of the tunnel, after several months I have made contact with an old Tetbury Grammar School form mate who has lived in Australia for the last 40 plus years . As a result of writing a letter to the Advertiser two others have made contact, it may be that some time in the future we may get a re-union off the ground.
Tetbury Advertiser may be the answer to getting some interest in the site. As it is delivered to the door one only has to pick it up and read its contents. Seeing a message on the site that had gone unanswered for many months I wrote to the Advertiser. As a result I was able to put a former Tetburian living in California in touch with the was children of his late Brother. We knew each other having lived only doors apart in West Street. Surely there must be someone actually living in Tetbury who could have got the ball rolling.
How about starting a " blog", ( would this be the correct terminology") DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN ?
Be pleased to see a reply or two.

Cliff BRYAN

[normanspants]

Morning Cliff,

Just replying, as requested!

A 'blog' is close, but not quite right! On an existing discussion forum, you need to consider starting a new discussion or topic or thread. A blog is something separate, where someone sets up their own webpage or website, and talks endlessly and sometimes pretentiously about themselves in a sort of online diary; "today I did the washing up, put out the rubbish and considered the merits of Nietzsche within the existentialism movement", that sort of thing.

Anyway, glad you've made contact with your old friends, but where you say someone in Tetbury could have got the ball rolling, all I would say is never be surprised at the complete lack of activity and/or apparent interest in even the most simple of questions!

One thing, you might find it useful to register rather than posting as a guest - as time goes by, you'll find it easier to search back through old topics and comments you have made.

If we're doing 'do you remember when?', well, my memories of Tetbury 'only' go back to 1972. I have fond memories of, for example, the yellow-painted sweet shop in Chipping Street. (NB. It says 'Chipping Street' on Multimap, but I don't ever remember calling it that). What was the name of the guy who ran that shop and used to serve me with a quarter pound of wine gums every Tuesday on the way to my piano lessons?

Anyway, it probably needs a new thread - your idea Cliff, you can start it!

[paul]

Now then that would "Barry" in the shop formerly known as J.Culls next to the chippy, now a dress shop.

[normanspants]

Hey, that's the chap - Barry! Thanks Paul.

For a while I took my custom to the Mace (I think?) shop opposite the church on the way down to Bath Bridge. I can't remember why though, perhaps a different make of wine gums. It seemed an old fashioned shop to me even in those days, with a musty smell. The old man who ran it used to wear a navy blue shopkeepers coat.

Weird, the odd things we remember, especially at ten to four in the morning.

[paul]

Your welcome.

I have no recollection of a shop on Church Street that sold sweets/confectionary, although I will stand corrected on that. I remember the Pet Shop on the corner of West St & Church St t/a Percivals with a talking bird named "Charlie" from way back in the early 1970's.

Anyone remember the old "Shell" filling station in London Rd ? or when Northfield Garage was a "National" fuel outlet ? the later also sold VW's in Tetbury before moving to Cirencester.

[normanspants]

Hmm, perhaps my memory has played tricks on me. Mind you, now I think of it, my wine gums did taste like bird seed. I'm sure it was the shop on the corner. I can't think why I would have gone in there otherwise as I didn't have a pet.

I remember the London Road filling station though - I used to buy packets of Polos there on the way to school, in the days when they cost 2 and a half pence a packet, probably about 1977. Would have the occasional ice pop on the way home too.

The National garage has an association with Smurfs for a while I think - free Smurf toys or similar? Again, late 70s.

I remember when the supermarket in Long Street was called Vivo, and had a series of 3D Disney cards that I collected (I've still got some swaps if anyone is interested)

[newishtotetbury]

I'm glad this forum has sparked some interest. Incidentally, Barry Gibbs, of the Tetbury Advertiser, has offered this site some free advertising within his editorial in the most recent edition. Hopefully that will help this site become more of a community resource than is currently the case!

[bograt]

I believe the shop near the junction of Church St and West St causing the confusion between pets and sweets was at number 43. It used to be a Sweet shop but the old lady that ran it sold pet mice as well. Im afraid I cant remember her name, but it was there for a long time, as my Father in law bought mice from her. Later it was a design studio / collectables shop called Deco.

[cliff]

Well, Well,Well,
At last some action on this site. Sweet shop. In my day it sold f*g**ts and peas, also genuine authentic polony sausages. Its owner was the J. CULL, with his name in gold letters over the door. On my last visit to Tetbury the name was still there. No need for a health inspector, everything in the shop was scrubbed white and had highly polished brass. Owner immaculate in white apron etc.
Other sweet shops. There were two in Church Street. Mrs CLARK where you took your rabbit skins and received threepence each. She also sold one cigarette and a match, at that time a packet of Woodbines cost two pence halfpenny. The other one was owned by the PEGLER family, next door to their grocery shop. In my day Mrs PEGLER sold ginger beer in stoneware bottles, now seen in antique shops.
Chip shop in West Street. Is there any one out there who remembers it? The side entrance to the White Hart ( I have an idea that it has an up dated/snooty title now) had a white deer on top. Can anyone re-call its nether regions being blue, and why they were ?
Enough for now to start an interest in the Town from a few years back. Be pleased to hear from anyone.

[cliff]

Have checked my transmission. For some unknown reason my reference to a well known old fashioned made up meat item has had letters taken out with asterisks. Why?. I have not realised how P.C. we have become.

[Webmaster]

It's all about context, really, isn't it?

Sadly I can either turn the filter on or off, so you've either got to put up with f*ggots being asterisked, or all sorts of words cropping up!