Last night at the West CC meeting Michael Green detailed the summer's fund raising success and outlined his vision for future events. To hear what he has in mind listen below.
Michael Green's events plans for Nairn by Graisg
Here's a video of the event in Weston Super Mare that Michael is referring to.
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Maybe he supped too much refreshment at his exploded beer tent for something seems to have gone to his head
ReplyDeleteIn between the constant 'errs' in his speech he might have some good ideas, but has he really thought through the consequences of a motorbike race on our famous beaches
If Nairn is to have a serious makeover in terms of what tourists we want to attract is this an area we want to go into. It seems at odds with other attractions that the town has which are shall we say a little more sedate. They may only generate a trickle in terms of money making but I fear if Nairn becomes known as a motorbike town then rightly or wrongly it might not be a reputation that everyone enjoys
I'm not sure as to just how blinkered or Nairn centric Michael Green is. Scotland not good at events!? He made mention of the much missed Nairn Jazz Festival but fails to mention the ever successful Nairn Book and Arts one, which has grown from year to year
ReplyDeleteJust a few miles down the road is one of Scotland's largest music festivals Rock Ness, and nearby Beladrum, both successful.
Slightly nearer home there is the Cawdor food festival, Inverness Film Festival
Portsoy has a traditional boat festival, the list goes on and on without stepping too many miles from Nairn
I wish him well with his proposed motorbike festival or whatever he wishes to call it. It would seem to go a little against the grain for most Nairn folk, but please Michael don't ignore all the very successful events which surround you when you stand up and make your marketing statements
Welcome to Nairn……..here’s some brief points about this wonderful place!
ReplyDelete1. Get a hard hat as the Herring Gulls will attack you in the nesting season. We can’t do anything to properly sort them out as they are “Red-listed” as their numbers are declining.
2. Although we originally banned dogs from certain parts of the beaches at certain times, we had to remove this due to legal technicalities. Now there is a call to re-introduce this due to dog mess and out of control dogs on said beaches. So bring protection and watch where you step!
3. A local land owner (Mr. A Brodie of Brodie) is trying to stop the abuse/misuse of the Culbin sands which is a lovely RSPB, RAMSAR, & SSSI, site. Unfortunately under the current legal rules wildfowlers are allowed to shoot various birds in season between the high & low water marks. So again that hard hat comes in useful!! Also watch your step to avoid the dog mess that people leave!
4. This year was first year that Nairn games in its long history has not been “Dry”. This is due to the initiative of Councillor Mr. M. Green, who organised a beer tent (later tent less). So although the Scottish government makes a lot of noise about trying to reduce the amount of drink related deaths, accidents, abuse, etc. that gives Scotland a bad name. Don’t worry about it, as by encouraging it at a “traditional family event” we raised several thousand £££ to give to the local good/ charities. So that makes it all OK then!
5. The East beach (part of which forms the fore mentioned Culbin sands) will be holding a big trials bike style race under current plans by Councillor Mr. M. Green. So bring a good set of ear defenders and some goggles to protect the eyes from sand thrown up by the bikes!
Maybe we should change the “logo” from the dolphins/bandstand to a “Danger” symbol like the skull and crossbones????
Also do you think that we should change the name of the town as well?? People might sue Nairn under the Trade Descriptions Act, as it has been known for many years as peaceful, with beautifully clean, white, and quiet beaches!
Aviemore hosts it's 'Thunder in the Glen' event, maybe in Nairn we could call it 'Rumble on the beach', or how about 'Greenie's mean Machines'
ReplyDeleteThe Weston Super Mare event looks excellent with riders getting run over, crashing etc, just what Nairn needs
Looks like they have a week long bike fest with night time events as well:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/westonsupermarebikenight/
Maybe the Links and other areas could be turned into a campsite and Michael could huff and puff and blow up his inflatable pub again?
"Scotland is in the dark ages with regard events management"
ReplyDeleteOh really Michael, yes you're so right, I can't think of one event that's well organised in Scotland eh?
What an insulting statement, perhaps we'd better try and employ someone from England then?
After listening to Mr Greens speech, the first thing on his agenda should be to go for election lessons, as the poor fellow can hardly string a sentence together without using "errs".
ReplyDeleteWell done the Gurn. Was this recording a covert operation? Might we expect more bootleg recordings of public meetings? Thanks to the digital age we've reached openness and transparency, not sure if all speakers will be happy this arrangement though!
ReplyDeleteAnon 8:12
ReplyDeletePerhaps you yourself should seek some tuition in keyboard skills or even spellchecker for dummies as I'm pretty sure you meant to say that Mr Green should go for elocution lessons?
@anon Election lessons? No need of them, do you mean elocution?
ReplyDelete@doublefold The soundfile was produced with Michael Green's permission.
Sorry Mr Green, I think you've lost the plot on this. Looking at the info on Weston Beach race, see here (which has been established for 30 years), I can't see how you could do anything similar on the East beach. The whole set up is completely different with Weston beach, see here, being, what could only be described as cultivated, with very easy access to it from a very long promenade and roads while, in comparison, the East beach is backed by dunes with very limited vehicle access. It would be interesting to see how you (Mr Green) propose to work out the logistics such an event would entail, ie how would the competitors, bikes, spectators and everything else get to the event? Where would you have parking? How would you prevent damage to the beach and the dunes? I, for one, think that this is a non starter and suggest you go back to the drawing board.
ReplyDeleteAlternatively, how about asking the public if they have any ideas for a grand event?
How about an International inflatable pub gathering, teams racing to inflate them etc. guest beers, pub games
ReplyDeleteObviously the overall winner would be the last one standing (pub and person)
Michael has some experience in this area too (standing)
Shame the Gurn hasn't got video of this event, I would have loved to have seen the faces of the West CC's when Mike suggested his plan for motorbikes on the beach
ReplyDeleteSo a very successful local entrepreneur has provided for free his keen business abilities and applied them for the benefit of the town. He dared to try to take some of the Games Day drink profits from local pubs for the benefit of the town and gets ridiculed. He proposes events that would attract many paying visitors to the town and gets criticised.
ReplyDeleteWake up Nairn. The town is getting a reputation as a sleepy backwater where people stare and point at visitors. This guy has the potential to add a fortune to the income of the town to all our benefits. More forward looking communities are paying serious money to consultants to get the sort of advice he is giving free. The alternatives are further local depression or corruption.
Hats off to the guy. Lets live in a place where our children can find employment, that has a vibrancy to it and that welcomes innovation.
The alternative is hideous to contemplate.
Good to see Michael is putting some thought into having some sort of event but I don't think this is a goer. I'm sure he could come up with something else though.
ReplyDeleteLooks like the same prophets of doom that got into a frenzy about the beer tent have been working a backshift.
ReplyDelete"More forward looking communities are paying serious money to consultants to get the sort of advice he is giving free"
ReplyDeleteHa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ...
Bear with me whilst I pick myself up off the floor and wipe away the tears
IF Michael G is such a valuable commodity, please, please, please, please could we sell him off to some unsuspecting town and quietly pocket the money. He's really being doing Nairn a big favour!
It's one thing having a beer tent on the Links but this proposal is a different cup of tea altogether. The location and surrounding environment are just not suitable. More suited for this type of event would be out by McDermotts old yard where they have some sort of scrambing thing?
ReplyDeleteIn life you have to accept that not every suggestion will work, no disgrace in that, doesn't mean to say you don't put your thinking cap on and try again.
Think of the spider?
Far too many NIMBYS and people abject to change, Nairn needs change and an injection of fun would be just what the town needs, if you want to see how the motorbiking aspect works look at the Annual Orkney Beach Race weekend, a hugley successful event which attract competitors from far and wide and gives the area an economic boost, well done Michael keeps the ideas coming
ReplyDeleteMichael Green is right to be looking for ways of using Nairn's Common Good capital assets to produce revenue for the community - as Inverness CG does very successfully.
ReplyDeleteUnder Highland Council management, Nairn's Common Good brings in very modest rental income (from caravan park, Showies etc), which scarcely covers the costs of maintaining the CG assets.
The Council's proposal to mortgage and sell off the most valuable asset (Sandown) was a mistaken and ill-judged initiative. Far better to look at ways it could generate a continuing income stream. Let us hope that lesson has been learned, and will also be applied to other publicly-owned sites around the town.
Michael's energy in trying to promote Nairn through an organised programme of events is also very welcome. But motorbike races on East beach is inappropriate. As Robert the Bruce says, if that is to be pursued, develop the existing motocross at Whiteness.
A Nairn events programme ought to support and build on what is already established in the town: Sailing Club regattas and competition, Book & Arts Fest, Highland Games, Ceilidh Group, etc. Let's have outdoor events like fun-runs, the Nairnshire Challenge, and suchlike - but ones which disturb the environment a bit less than bikers on the beach!
I think that Michael is trying to bring something exciting and new to this town and for that I commend him.
ReplyDeleteNot everyone is tune with the things that Nairn currently offers and I "personally" find many of them dated and boring eg. Book and arts festival, Ceilidh groups, sorry just not my scene! I'm not knocking these things they have their fans and followers and I respect that, however we are all different and I feel there is a distinct lack of respect or support for those looking for something else a little more action packed or dare I say aimed at the slightly younger audience in this town.
As for slating the guy beacause you think his ideas are a bit "out there" - thats how the best ideas come up you throw all the ideas into a pot no matter how bizzare they are and work at it from there... Keep the ideas coming Michael!!
Oh my word he's off again.lol.
ReplyDelete