Trifter

I have every sympathy for the employees of Corus who were moved to protest about possible job cuts. As a former resident, I was a bit surprised at the quote about it taking the heart and soul of the area. I lived here for about three years and come back every now and again, and know how to solve the problem and breathe some life into Redcar. The closure of Corus is only part of the problem; this town has always been on the slide. Surely, in this economic climate the people should pull together and do something about it.

People call Redcar a seaside town, but it is not a seaside town. It’s a town with a beach bolted to it that isn’t properly exploited. However, do the people of Redcar have what it takes to bring the town back to the glory days?

A long held belief is that the problem with Redcar is mainly due to the residents themselves. Nobody seems to want to get involved in anything that may be a bit too difficult. There are problems that the town and its people can solve.

Retail:

The first impression a visitor has is the High Street. The ideal shop in Redcar would have everything for a pound, with the money going to charity, and a tanning light in it. Local independent shops are limited to a couple of butchers shops, and the same amount of fruit shops. Quality is an alien concept. Redcar High Street is a shabby array of pound shops, charity shops and cheapo purveyors of household tat. A few decent shopping experiences would not go amiss, although folk will moan about the expense. Nevertheless, the tourists that could be attracted will spend. This will create employment for the small amount of people who want to work.

The Wednesday market is a joke, why not replace it with a monthly farmers market? Then a craft market? If people wanted to buy cheap clothing and cleaning products then all they have to do is go to the regular shops.

Tourism:

We keep hearing that more and more people are holidaying in this country now due to the shortage of money to go abroad. Redcar can be turned into a thriving resort. Once again, it depends on the residents going along with it.

To begin with, the bed and breakfasts need tidying up and the few hotels given a facelift. The seafront, now in a terrible state, needs a serious revamp. With the right care and attention, Redcar could rival Skegness or Blackpool.

The amusement arcades could be used for more than just a rain shelter for chavs. The boating lake reopened, complete with kiosk selling refreshments. That awful expanse of ground near it needs something on it once someone sees sense and knocks down Mungle Jungle. It has the car park there, so day-trippers will start their day there. That land could accommodate crazy golf, a paddling pool, a small collection of kid’s rides, the list goes on.

One of the few remaining unspoilt independent cinemas sits on the front, largely ignored by everyone in favour of the multi-screens. Tidy it up and use it to your advantage. It could even double up and be a theatre for seaside shows. If big name comedians could be booked for summer season then people would go and see them wouldn’t they? Why is The Coatham Bowl not used for live music? There must be more to live music requirements in Redcar other than a tribute band in a pub?

With an increase in emphasis on tourism, jobs would be created. The whole of the seafront reopened with cafes, gift shops, and perhaps a decent fish and chip shop or two. Staff will be needed to operate all this.

Summer employment also deals with another problem. I went to school in Skegness, and every year school kids would elbow each other out of the way for a summer job. With job opportunities galore for teenagers, they would not be on the streets causing trouble. I am sure the drop in antisocial behaviour in the town would counter the drop in sales of White Lightening cider.