Salthill Times Square

bored pedestrian

Salthill village has a similar footprint to New Yorks Square, it slowly is getting brighter and more colourful at night so why not go the whole hog? .....sky high neon signs, artwork, ads, screens etcs, making the place a much see attraction it badly needs.
All the power needed could possibly be from the abundant wind there or wave power.

Storm 10

bored pedestrian wrote: »

Salthill village has a similar footprint to New Yorks Square, it slowly is getting brighter and more colourful at night so why not go the whole hog? .....sky high neon signs, artwork, ads, screens etcs, making the place a much see attraction it badly needs.
All the power needed could possibly be
from the abundant wind there or wave power.

are you for real, its like times square lol

stampydmonkey

Storm 10 wrote: »

are you for real, its like times square lol

Sure with the electronic message board in seapoint, its already half way there

_Whimsical_

It'd end up like a half hearted Blackpool,exactly what we don't need. Those tacky seaside resorts have had their day.

chakademus

I nominate K.D to do a turn as the "Naked Cowboy"

Ludikrus

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

Those tacky seaside resorts have had their day.

Unfortunately not. Had dinner in gourmet tart last night and took a stroll around. The arcades were full and so was Leisureland. 'Tack' it seems is flourishing.

kippy

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

It'd end up like a half hearted Blackpool,exactly what we don't need. Those tacky seaside resorts have had their day.

What would you suggest?

_Whimsical_

Ludikrus wrote: »

Unfortunately not. Had dinner in gourmet tart last night and took a stroll around. The arcades were full and so was Leisureland. 'Tack' it seems is flourishing.

It never ceases to amaze me!Last year I was passing through Salthil at around 8 every night and I couldn't believe the amount of people going in and out of that casino place. Seems to attract all ages and demographics. It's bizarre. In the UK resorts like Blackpool have seriously declined in popularity.

kippy wrote: »

What would you suggest?

I'd like something classier but still relaxed. Well maintained classy shop fronts, nice pubs and restaurants, something with a bit of a Quay street vibe. I think it'd be lovely if they could revamp the area directly across from the prom, a serious facelift inside and outside for those pubs. They have some room for outside tables so if they were nicely taken care of and served nice food and coffees it could really be a lovely spot in summer.
Id leave leisureland and seapoint alone in the name of offering choice for everyone but I wouldn't add more of that kind of tack.

dharma200

Salt hill has to be one the most depressing places in the world in winter. Businesses cannot just survive from the summer season... Look at the pubs closing, etc. sea point might be doing well but only for a few months out of the year,mother pubs across from the prom you talk about should not be revamped, made all gleaming for the few tourist in the summer, those pubs are traditional and have regular customers all year round. To revamp them, look at the bal...... Eurgh.... Changing those pubs to cater for a few tourists and completely ignore the fact locals have been drinking there for years and actually keeps the place open, is as shortsighted as most of recent developments that have wrecked the country.... Have a look at what was kitty osheas or the bal as reference.

_Whimsical_

dharma200 wrote: »

Salt hill has to be one the most depressing places in the world in winter. Businesses cannot just survive from the summer season... Look at the pubs closing, etc. sea point might be doing well but only for a few months out of the year,mother pubs across from the prom you talk about should not be revamped, made all gleaming for the few tourist in the summer, those pubs are traditional and have regular customers all year round. To revamp them, look at the bal...... Eurgh.... Changing those pubs to cater for a few tourists and completely ignore the fact locals have been drinking there for years and actually keeps the place open, is as shortsighted as most of recent developments that have wrecked the country.... Have a look at what was kitty osheas or the bal as reference.

Well I take your point but by the same token by revamped I don't mean made into the soulless barn that was Kitty o'Sheas.There is definitely wide middle ground between the present state of those places and the likes of The Bal. Look at the cottage bar for instance. It had been a pokey little place for locals but it started making an effort,serving some food,put itself on the map and attracted a wider clienetele by so doing.I don;t know but I don't think it was shunned by locals after that.

Also as regards Salthil being dead in the winter I'd mostly agree, but then if you go into the likes of The Gourmet Tart cafe any Saturday ,Sunday or even weekdays at lunch in winter the place is hopping. The prom never fails to attract walkers day and daily regardless of weather. If there was some place attractive and welcoming directly across from the prom I think it might attract business all year around.

It just seems like the prom is probably our top best resource, both for attracting tourists and for locals. It feels like an untapped resource. Salthil could be a thriving little economic satellite of the city. It's a shame is not to maximise its potential.

ben.schlomo

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

It never ceases to amaze me!Last year I was passing through Salthil at around 8 every night and I couldn't believe the amount of people going in and out of that casino place. Seems to attract all ages and demographics. It's bizarre. In the UK resorts like Blackpool have seriously declined in popularity.



I'd like something classier but still relaxed. Well maintained classy shop fronts, nice pubs and restaurants, something with a bit of a Quay street vibe. I think it'd be lovely if they could revamp the area directly across from the prom, a serious facelift inside and outside for those pubs. They have some room for outside tables so if they were nicely taken care of and served nice food and coffees it could really be a lovely spot in summer.
Id leave leisureland and seapoint alone in the name of offering choice for everyone but I wouldn't add more of that kind of tack.

Im pretty certain Blackpool has had a big resurgence in its popularity in recent years after a facelift.

_Whimsical_

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Im pretty certain Blackpool has had a big resurgence in its popularity in recent years after a facelift.

I don't think so .Infact there was a recent study that gained quite a bit of media attention called Turning the Tide on social issues in coastal towns and the picture it revealed was extremely bleak. Their failing economies have seen them become blackspots for social issues associated with serious poverty. Blackpool was one of the worst if I remember correctly.

High levels of unemployment due to failing businesses has led to very high welfare dependence. Another issue raised was that property has become so valueless and cheap that small hotels and B&Bs have become essentially hostels for people with very little money who often suffer from a myriad of problems from drug abuse to mental illness from all over the country. Infact the report found that Blackpool and other towns were now "dumping grounds" for these very vulnerable people. Another sad and revealing stat is that Blackpool has the highest rate of children in care in the UK now.

Those fact are a reflection of how seaside towns who have marketed themselves on traditional seaside town appeal just are no longer cutting the mustard. Obviously Galway and its economy is very different from those towns so I'm not suggesting we would end up like that however it would be foolish to take a direction we have proof does not work.

Here's one article but theres more to be found if you check it out yourself :http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23549534

dharma200

Recently watched a programme about Blackpool, which is a social dumping ground for junkies and alcoholics.. The place looked more horrific than when I visited it in the 90s , which is really saying something.....

Iwannahurl

Ludikrus wrote: »

Unfortunately not. Had dinner in gourmet tart last night and took a stroll around. The arcades were full and so was Leisureland. 'Tack' it seems is flourishing.

Perhaps for some people Salthill is gourmet tack?

IIRC there was a thread -- or at least some class of discussion -- in this forum a few months ago asking what Salthill needs to give it a boost.

Here it is: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056933816

Perhaps some tack is inevitable, but given that I grew up in the area, and spent a lot of time in the Salthill amusements as a child, perhaps I'm inclined to see it in a different light...

fishy fishy

cheap and tacky

Redhairedguy

We need one of these to bring back the tourists. :pac:

Iwannahurl

Redhairedguy wrote: »

We need one of these to bring back the tourists. :pac:

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110425163321/fatherted/images/5/52/Holy_Stone_Of_Clonrichert.jpg

Or these:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGJC1pM54EQ

_Whimsical_

Iwannahurl wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGJC1pM54EQ

In fairness people standing in thousand deep crowds all focused on the sun and randomly bursting into applause at the sight is an understandable reaction in Ireland.


If we could get one of those sun yokes we would definitely be onto something though.