What's been up? Got ridiculously positive a week or three back and the morning after enrtertaining Helen chucked myself at the Volunteer Centre which had some opportunities that sparked my interest. The natter with an old (and rather attractive, though married) work contact was fun and even pumped up the old self-confidence to the point where I deemed myself capable of earning some shekels once more (comments like "you've got a lot to offer" if used judiciously, when receptive and preferably coming from a delightful young lady can do wonders y'know). So what happened?
'k, I'll tell ye. One lead I followed up with zeal was an apparently new community arts initiative that are creating an arts venue from the old Fish Market and wants assistance with everything from admin and accounts to retail and renovation. Sounded cool, what with my all-rounder managerial/accounting background with a practical and artistic twist, hey, that's me all over that is! And getting in early on, making a new network, social and employment opportunities perchance??? Initial contact seemed promising but has kind've fizzled out and a little web-based research gave a hint. It appears the Borough Council has not finally agreed to hand over the building and a realistic business plan has not been forthcoming. The insight gained over years negotiating for health and social care funds with local government together with snippets gleaned from the arty types' website lead me to various conclusions:
Council will do what they see fit with scant regard to the efforts put in to the aty types' bid.
Council will pay lip service to negotiation/consultation but provide little by way of information or resources to aid the process
The arty types' will have more ideas and enthusiasm than business nouse, negotiation skills or indeed time to devote to the bidding process
The arty types could well face a funding 'catch-22' as a realistically costed business plan will be needed to apply for funds but the council will not supply (for they work in mysterious ways) historic costings such as heating/water/maintenance nor lease terms or concessions they may offer.
Put all this into local context (I'm admittedly not plugged in to local affairs as I once was). The Roadmender music and arts venue closed down last year due to continued losses and ultimate withdrawal of funding from various sources (remember that often funding is contingent upon other sources of funding being secured therfore a domino effect can occur if one source is pulled or reduced). The Roadmender is only 100-200 yards away from the Fish Market but away from the town centre. The Fish Market is tucked away in a backwater, appears to only have flourished for 2-3 decades and looks a fright! The council planners have been touting a 'cultural mile' redevelopment idea which may or may not pass by the Roadmender venue or the Fish Market but by dint of prestige will be mainly new-build or at least require massive refurbishment a'la Coventry's Motor Museum and Cathedral areas. Therefore our beloved arty types will at best be looking at a short-term lick of paint and a few gasps of cultural life before the bulldozers move in. IMHO.
So that one fizzled out somewhat. Have a couple of others irons firing tho...
Other than that, this past week's been full of chesty coldy thingummy, slashed housing benefit AND the joyous news that said HB has been overpaid for some months so the old belt is going to need a new notch punching! Fuck!

2006 snogs

posted by Andy 16:45