View Full Version : how dare he
who does that guy, writting into the paper saying that he came up here on holiday and thought wick was rubbish, think that he is??? what was excpectying to find a holiday resort like the ones in the med??? i am sick fed up with people from down south coming up here and doing nothing but slateing us for our little community. wick has very recently taking a boost with the new retail park and thats just what it we were needing. how can someone come up here for ten minutes then make a judgement like that then have the cheek to write to a local paper and let us know what he thinks. from the way that the letter is written i would say that by the sound of it he hasn't even bothered to look into wick past to see that it was once a big herring port. another thing he says in his letter makes me think that he also likes to use this site to see whats going on well hopefully this message will get to him and he will realise that if they are his views then maybe he should just wind his neck in and hold his tounge. maybe i am being to harsh what do you think????
no i dont think you are being too harsh he really got my hackles up when i read it too. Lets hope he does log in and read this.[disgust]
connieb19
23-Sep-06, 18:37
Which paper and when? :confused
martin macdonald
23-Sep-06, 18:37
:Razz relax man this guy is a wind up merchant
martin macdonald
23-Sep-06, 18:40
Which paper and when? :confused
this weeks groat:D
pultneytooner
23-Sep-06, 18:42
I haven't seen the article yet but I would say that if that's what he thinks then that's up to him but I don't see the need for him to have written into a newspaper about it, nothing better to do obviously.
Wick is a lovely wee town with a rich history,very little serious crime and for the most part very friendly, welcoming locals.
If he doesn't like the town that's his loss, let's hope he never comes back.
brokencross
23-Sep-06, 19:08
He is entitled to his views, the letter was not that bad.
http://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/781/Wick_has_stolen_a_march_on_Thurso.html
connieb19
23-Sep-06, 19:15
Maybe someone should send him a letter telling him he's won a weekend stay in Wick, all expenses paid. Bet he wont be so fussy then lol. :evil
And when he said that the retail park should have gone to thurso because 'it has more going for it'
surely the less wick has going for it, the more ir SHOULD get the much needed boost of the retail park?
It angered me too, but you have to admit, the main street looks so sad and drab with all the closed down shops and the burnt out cinema. This is probably where he got his impression.
pultneytooner
23-Sep-06, 19:26
Maybe someone should send him a letter telling him he's won a weekend stay in Wick, all expenses paid. Bet he wont be so fussy then lol. :evil
Sure he's no originaly fae thurso.;)
Dreadnought
23-Sep-06, 19:40
This happens everywhere. I live in Southend-on-Sea, we get slated from time to time too, despite having award winning beaches etc.
Take no notice.
He is entitled to his views, the letter was not that bad.
http://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/781/Wick_has_stolen_a_march_on_Thurso.html
I agree his letter is not bad, I'm expat tea in a bowla and I am laughing myself silly here. Dr Evil I suspect a bit of sour grapes on your part, or the owld Thursa / Week thing again [lol]
rockchick
23-Sep-06, 20:17
Unfortunately Wick doesn't shine as a twee small town, which is what most tourists are looking for. It's main streets ARE rather drab, and it's only those fortunate enough to have the time to explore further that can really get an idea of what Wick is really about.
The new shopping mall and Tescos coming soon are good for bringing shoppers here, but if we want to attract tourists, well that requires something else. Caithness Glass used to provide that bit of panache, but now that that's gone, what is there to replace it. If you DIDN'T live up here, what would bring you to the area?
As a contrast, just yesterday I was stopped in Thurso Square by a tourist looking rather confused. She had a wee map with a walking tour of Thurso, and wanted confirmation of one of the landmarks. In the five years I lived in Wick, I never saw anything like a walking tour for the area (but I'm certain someone will correct me on this!). It's just one of the things I would expect to have available to me if I was a tourist here.
Dreadnought
23-Sep-06, 20:22
If you DIDN'T live up here, what would bring you to the area?
Great question!
Points of historical interest, scenery, architecture, local culture, unspoiled traditional friendly pubs, etc.
What would definitely NOT attract me would be retail parks and supermarkets.
Naefearjustbeer
23-Sep-06, 21:09
Great question!
Points of historical interest, scenery, architecture, local culture, unspoiled traditional friendly pubs, etc.
What would definitely NOT attract me would be retail parks and supermarkets.
So how easy are they to find for a tourist passing through wick? Its alright for locals to say what about the herring history etc but is it easy for a tourist to know that the heritage centre even exists. Any hotel or touristy type place that I have been in has leaflets for all sorts of attractions in the highlands. The only ones I regulary see for caithness atractions is the wildlife/jet boat tours from groats and for the distillery in wick. We have lots to offer but noboby bothers to advertise very well. This may be the tourist boards fault I dont know. Imean why on earth does the Weigh Motel have leaflets for the landmark centre. Yes landmark is great place but why should caithness advertise it when we dont advertise our own stuff first.
I agree with part of his letter but the thing that annoys me is that he doesn't even live here. If it was someone who lived in Wick then I wouldn't mind so much. Somehow I don't think his letter is going to change much so pointless writing it unless he was just wanting to insult Wick.
It is a bit insulting but its his opinion. we have all been to places we dont like.
rockchick
23-Sep-06, 21:34
I agree with part of his letter but the thing that annoys me is that he doesn't even live here. If it was someone who lived in Wick then I wouldn't mind so much. Somehow I don't think his letter is going to change much so pointless writing it unless he was just wanting to insult Wick.
If he lived in Wick, then his letter would be pointless...his letter was from the point of view of a tourist!
pultneytooner
23-Sep-06, 21:35
It is a bit insulting but its his opinion. we have all been to places we dont like.
True obiron but we dinnae go bumpin' oor gums till e' newspapers.:D
thats very true pultneytooner. we just blether at home about which places we prefer.
pultneytooner
23-Sep-06, 21:40
If he lived in Wick, then his letter would be pointless...his letter was from the point of view of a tourist!
Lots of people who come to wick whether travelling through or staying for a holiday have nothing but praise for the town.
What the guy said whilst not being as bad as portrayed, he was hardly constructive in his criticism, I mean comeon, thurso has wider streets and a promenade, big wow, and a hotel and bistro another big wow.[lol]
Dreadnought
23-Sep-06, 21:41
It is no dafter than people who go to say, the Caribbean, get caught in a hurricane ande then say, "Terrible place to go, they have hurricanes! They should do something about that it ruined my holiday!"
To me, one person saying 'drab, dreary and very lifeless', could be someone else saying 'unspoiled, peaceful and quiet', which is definitely an attraction for me.
One big issue is that Caithness, not just Wick, has never promoted its history and archeology. Most tourists still pass through here on their way to Orkney even thought Caithness has more Neolithic sites. Caithness has a lot to offer but it not actively promoted.
For all the history in Wick it is not accessible.
Wick has the Heritage Centre which is a fantastic resource but it is not supported by the council and they have to put a lot of work in to keep it running.
The town has a lot to offer but at a first glance to a tourist it is not, as rockchick, said “twee”
pultneytooner
23-Sep-06, 21:45
I think Robert Louis Stevenson felt the same about wick.
R. STEVENSON.
Letter: TO MRS. THOMAS STEVENSON
WICK, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1868.
MY DEAR MOTHER, - . . . Wick lies at the end or elbow of an open triangular bay, hemmed on either side by shores, either cliff or steep earth-bank, of no great height. The grey houses of Pulteney extend along the southerly shore almost to the cape; and it is about half-way down this shore - no, six-sevenths way down - that the new breakwater extends athwart the bay.
Certainly Wick in itself possesses no beauty: bare, grey shores, grim grey houses, grim grey sea; not even the gleam of red tiles; not even the greenness of a tree. The southerly heights, when I came here, were black with people, fishers waiting on wind and night. Now all the S.Y.S. (Stornoway boats) have beaten out of the bay, and the Wick men stay indoors or wrangle on the quays with dissatisfied fish-curers, knee-high in brine, mud, and herring refuse. The day when the boats put out to go home to the Hebrides, the girl here told me there was 'a black wind'; and on going out, I found the epithet as justifiable as it was picturesque. A cold, BLACK southerly wind, with occasional rising showers of rain; it was a fine sight to see the boats beat out a-teeth of it.
In Wick I have never heard any one greet his neighbour with the usual 'Fine day' or 'Good morning.' Both come shaking their heads, and both say, 'Breezy, breezy!' And such is the atrocious quality of the climate, that the remark is almost invariably justified by the fact.
The streets are full of the Highland fishers, lubberly, stupid, inconceivably lazy and heavy to move. You bruise against them, tumble over them, elbow them against the wall - all to no purpose; they will not budge; and you are forced to leave the pavement every step.
To the south, however, is as fine a piece of coast scenery as I ever saw. Great black chasms, huge black cliffs, rugged and over- hung gullies, natural arches, and deep green pools below them, almost too deep to let you see the gleam of sand among the darker weed: there are deep caves too. In one of these lives a tribe of gipsies. The men are ALWAYS drunk, simply and truthfully always. From morning to evening the great villainous-looking fellows are either sleeping off the last debauch, or hulking about the cove 'in the horrors.' The cave is deep, high, and airy, and might be made comfortable enough.
connieb19
23-Sep-06, 21:45
Ive found an interesting website about Wick, people, places and things to do. Some funny comments but some swear words so i can't post the link. :( LMAO at the comments about the pubs though, it says the Camps is best, rampant girls in the Blackstairs and not to chance any local girls in the Waterfront if you value your life. I wont say what it says about the camps Carpark toilets. :eek:
pultneytooner
23-Sep-06, 21:47
Ive found an interesting website about Wick, people, places and things to do. Some funny comments but some swear words so i can't post the link. :( LMAO at the comments about the pubs though, it says the Camps is best, rampant girls in the Blackstairs and not to chance any local girls in the Waterfront if you value your life. I wont say what it says about the camps Carpark toilets. :eek:
Please gimme e' link in pm, lol. I need a good laugh.
If he lived in Wick, then his letter would be pointless...his letter was from the point of view of a tourist!
The fact that he's a tourist won't change anything either. What is so wonderful about wide streets? They are surley wide enough for him to walk through, isn't that "wide enough." Poor person probably didn't want to make us annoyed but you can complain all you like because nothing will change.
..wasn't there a programme on once called tourists from hell? Maybe he is one :-D...
The fact that he's a tourist won't change anything either. What is so wonderful about wide streets? They are surley wide enough for him to walk through, isn't that "wide enough." Poor person probably didn't want to make us annoyed but you can complain all you like because nothing will change.
Why would nothing change? Can Wick not reclaim some of its heritage;recreate itself as a tourist destination. Steps are in place: The Heritage Gates etc. Why can it not promote what is good about itself? Or have I misread your last comment?
Royster1911
23-Sep-06, 22:06
I remember all the banter ( fights ) between the guys from Thurso and Wick a long time past. Most of it started because of the derogitary remarks made between one town and the other. Wick was always classed as a dull place with dirty (dirdy) buildings. The buildings have not changed but the town has. It is more vibrant than Thurso and the staff in MOST shops are more pleasant than their counterparts in Thurso. Long live Wickers. Lots of love
a Thursa Loon:Razz
pultneytooner
23-Sep-06, 22:23
On Thurso:
the circuit. the men drive round the circuit, beeping horns at the girls who walk round the circuit. it is not at all primal but in fact a very developed mating ritual. Men are especially successful if they have a) loud tunes, like techno and def leppard b) a fido dido or kenwood sticker on back window c) a much better looking friend to riding shotgun. Girls are successful if they a) wear cordouroy ski pants with the knees and butt worn away b) crop tops that show an expanse of grubby pale flesh. ymmm. c) giggle inanely with friends every time chosen car passes. Which will be at least twenty times in one hour since there is nowhere else to drive except the 'stainland' road which lots of people die on.
I live even further south that the letter writer who has riled so many and have also penned a letter or two to "The Groats."
Fortunately as a frequent visitor I have had the oppurtunity to explore the place over a period of years and whilst I would agree that first impressions are usually the lasting ones, Wick does have some charms.
The walks along the river especially when the daffs are in bloom and out to Trinkie and the old castle are a couple of favourites. Mooching round the harbour to check what vessels are there and the road out to Papigoe.Just sitting on the river wall when the tide is in watching the waterbirds.
I would pick up on the fact that we have been to The Heritage Centre on at least four occasions and found it closed much to our disapointment.
On well better pour another glass of "Pulteney" now that is the jewel in the crown!
Kaishowing
23-Sep-06, 22:25
I have in-laws from the South of England who visit frequently, and apart from one sister-in-law who's a shopaholic, all love the area. Apart from the raw beauty of the place, the pace of life is the attraction.
It IS a pity that some buildings are left empty, but given the building work being done in the area, sooner or later those abandoned buildings will become perhaps good investments for someone willing to take a chance on an area that seems to be enjoying a minor renaissance.;)
Why would nothing change? Can Wick not reclaim some of its heritage;recreate itself as a tourist destination. Steps are in place: The Heritage Gates etc. Why can it not promote what is good about itself? Or have I misread your last comment?
Wick is Wick, it will take a long time to make it look better. Nothing will change because of what this person has said.
I think Robert Louis Stevenson felt the same about wick.
I can quite understand RLS's disgust. You Highland Savages still haven't learned to tug your forelocks and grovel apologetically at the approach of a Gentleman.
Shame on you for not knowing your place in the Order of Things! :roll:
It's odd, but there were some bits of his letter I could identify with.:roll: I widna agree with him though because I'm sure it says more about him than it does about Wick.
Brokencross, thanks for the link to the letter. What the writer says I can well understand, it is something I have said on many occassions and sometimes on the Board.
Wick has a "run-down" look about it which is quite inexcusable. Before anybody from Wick grabs their blunderbus to retaliate :D just try standing outside Boots and look at the view towards the Council Buildings which glare at you if, as a tourist, you approach Wick from JoG. They give every impression of being abandonned and derelict.
Does anybody know when they last had a paintbrush within 50 yards of them? Or a Window Cleaner for that matter?
The stonework of the Courts and old Police Station remind me of the Mill Town Grime of over 50 years ago which was a left over from the Victorian Era. Wick could be made to look far more attractive without a great deal expenditure but by engaging in a little thought and effort.
I must confess, were I a tourist seeing Wick for the first time I would probably keep going too, it has a shabby, unwanted look about it's centre.
You couldn't get me out of Caithness now, but I hate the idea that it is treated as some sort of "necessary evil" which should have a few crumbs thrown it's way to keep the locals quiet and under control.
well im from London folks and i live here, if he can write letters on one visit and say the things he did then its down to him, but to make an assumption on one visit is rude, come back "dave Bassett" during gala wick or at xmas u will see a huge difference. As to where he lives SW17 in London. Now that is what i call a dive of a place, at least our streets are clean.
I love Wick and its people it was why i moved here in the first place. Take no notice of the guy, clearly he is trying to upset people based on ONE visit which is unfair. You have one fan from the south ......ME
Mister Squiggle
24-Sep-06, 11:20
Having just checked out big Dave's spitty little letter to the local paper, I note that he says he has (and I quote) "found some excellent websites" so that he could keep in touch with local news.
So look on the bright side, folks! He's hopefully found this one and can read "with great interest" all these comments about his woeful letter. Perhaps he might like to join the Org so he can post some comments? Wouldn't that be a hoot? :D
And anyway, I can't honestly say that wide streets and a bistro conjure up immediate thoughts of tourist mecca to me. I mean, having a good promenade hardly makes Thuso sound like the French Riviera, does it?
Dreadnought
24-Sep-06, 11:26
Aren't people being a little oversensitive here? It was one, not particularly strongly worded, letter in a local paper.
How many here have never criticised places they've been to? I read regularly, in the national press, very strong criticisms of my home town, but I, like everyone else here, ignore them. I know what it is like to live here, they don't.
I've been to Wick and I've been to London and I certainly know which I think is the better place and all I have to say about which one I prefer is that I am glad I am 700 miles from the dump, I only wish it were further away.
Mister Squiggle
24-Sep-06, 11:57
(I keep hitting the wrong button in excitement, so this is about the 3rd time I've typed this up ...)
You're probably right, Dreadnought, we are all getting oversensitive and a tad hysterical, but I stilll say, let's get out the pitchforks and burning brands and storm Dave's castle!!
Only kidding, but I did think there was something a touch inflammatory about his letter, sending it as he did to our local rag. It also seemed a bit, I don't know ... discourteous. I've travelled all over the place and never once felt compelled to write a letter afterwards implying "your town is a God-forsaken cess pit". I might have thought it, but manners forbid. You can always find a positive, as my Nanna used to say, even if it's just that you got out alive and with your underwear intact.
And anyway, there's nothing better than getting into a hissy when someone sledges your town. It brings out the inner-rabid dog people! So, on that note, onwards to the castle! [evil]
I arrived in Wick 2 years ago ( OMG time flies, has it been that long) and can remember very clearly exactly what my first impression was. I pulled into Sommerfields car park ( it was Morrisons at the time, thought, facing the river and looking down towards the islands and fields. I called the Human resources manager for my company staight wawy and said I loved it and it was beautiful. The next free day was spent exploring the town. At the time my thoughts were ( and still are) what a pity that Wick did not take greater pride in it's heritage and natural beauty like other small towns and villages in Scotland. So much more could be made of these to bring more tourists (and to tempt Orkney tourists into stopping for more than a place to sleep on their way north. This is a beautiful place and I love being here. I have probably seen more of Caithness than many born and bred Caithnessians. You owe nothing to places like Orkney, Fife or Mull. But we all do owe alot to Wick to make it the place it is supposed to be and to make people proud to be dirdy wickers.
Mister Squiggle
24-Sep-06, 12:04
Sorry, that should have read "the inner rabid dog in people" - I'm just so all of a dither that I pressed the wrong key. One whinging tourist seems to have wrecked my inner peace, serenity and the ability to put together a cohesive sentence.:D
brokencross
24-Sep-06, 12:19
Well said Ju.
Having a greater pride is the key, only problem is that this pride will involve a bit of financial investment from the public and private sectors. The Wick folks are friendly, it is the town centre and "gateway" sites that need sprucing up.
Bobinovich
24-Sep-06, 16:03
What I've noticed is that, while there are plenty of individual groups who are promoting their own little attractions, there does not appear to be a single definitive tourist guide to Caithness.
I would have thought that there was a great opportunity for CASE, HIE, VisitScotland, etc. or even just a conglomeration of local stakeholder groups & businesses to get together and produce such a guide.
It would have to promote not only the historic past of the area, but sections with places to stay, activities, walks, cycle routes, transport - it could encompass pretty much everything which Caithness has to offer.
Any takers?
gothlife420
24-Sep-06, 18:03
well said dr.evil i am just a teenager but i still agree with you people cant come up and judge us we are nice and freindly i would like to know were this guy stayed realy dont u agree cause oppinoins will vary from were u stay :mad:
rockchick
24-Sep-06, 18:09
His address was attached to the letter he wrote. Check out the link posted earlier.
Well I for one ............Love wick, grotty grubby or plain dull i love it and im a southerner.! jan x
cuddlepop
24-Sep-06, 21:41
First impressions are not brilliant but the people are the friendliest we've met.
When we first went up to Wick i was sceptical as to whether or not we could live there now we love the place.Granted it lacks colour to the buildings but it grows on you.Cant put it into words but there's a pull to get you to go back.:D
percy toboggan
24-Sep-06, 21:53
I found Wick to be rather drab. Dour too. Entirely what I expected because I had researched the town and its history. At best it was only ever functional in design and construction. Was Wick ever meant to be pretty? Its location is what makes it special. A far flung outpost as remote as they come in Britain. I like its dourness and its robust, stoney facade. It shines for me because it looks resillient and declares it doesn't give a fig for what ignorant southerners think.
It need not always be so dour though and I hear it is on the up. Good news. Though never let it lose the essential character which makes it so special.
I've only been the once by the way but Wick remains in my mental filing cabinet, under 'd' for different. Long may it remain so. Prospering yet unique.
As with everything in life: you either love it or hate it (or maybe something inbetween) :)
He is entitled to his views, the letter was not that bad.
http://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/781/Wick_has_stolen_a_march_on_Thurso.html
This seems to me like fair commentary
It seems to me that the inhabitants of caithness are never happier than when they are in a rage. If we could anly harness the amount of hot air and expostulation from the Caithness Org we could take off for outer space...
well said dr.evil i am just a teenager but i still agree with you people cant come up and judge us we are nice and freindly i would like to know were this guy stayed realy dont u agree cause oppinoins will vary from were u stay :mad:
like you i am a teenager as well i just think that it is about time more of started speaking up and started to defend the town. I spend most of my time living outside glasgow but travel around with work and when people ask me where i come form i tell them and they all seem to be very intrested as to most it seems like a perfect ''getaway'' for some peace. i travel home every weekend that it is psooible for me to just to get away from the big city's and all the people that seem to be in a hurry to go no where then i come home only to glad to get to the quieter streets and nice people that actually want to speak to you!!!
Rich, hot air i think not, I like to call it pride, do u have none?????
If someone puts down which you love or represent, in my eyes you have just cause to defend it. I repeat its called PRIDE and not hot air
well im from London folks and i live here, if he can write letters on one visit and say the things he did then its down to him, but to make an assumption on one visit is rude, come back "dave Bassett" during gala wick or at xmas u will see a huge difference. As to where he lives SW17 in London. Now that is what i call a dive of a place, at least our streets are clean.
I love Wick and its people it was why i moved here in the first place. Take no notice of the guy, clearly he is trying to upset people based on ONE visit which is unfair. You have one fan from the south ......MENo you have two me i love living in wick and would never go back south if it were not for having my family there there is nothing wrong with wick london in places is a dimp.
cullbucket
27-Sep-06, 00:51
Unfortunately Wick doesn't shine as a twee small town, which is what most tourists are looking for. It's main streets ARE rather drab, and it's only those fortunate enough to have the time to explore further that can really get an idea of what Wick is really about.
The new shopping mall and Tescos coming soon are good for bringing shoppers here, but if we want to attract tourists, well that requires something else. Caithness Glass used to provide that bit of panache, but now that that's gone, what is there to replace it. If you DIDN'T live up here, what would bring you to the area?
As a contrast, just yesterday I was stopped in Thurso Square by a tourist looking rather confused. She had a wee map with a walking tour of Thurso, and wanted confirmation of one of the landmarks. In the five years I lived in Wick, I never saw anything like a walking tour for the area (but I'm certain someone will correct me on this!). It's just one of the things I would expect to have available to me if I was a tourist here.
I can tell you the history of the walking guides in Thurso - if they are still the same ones I am thinking of.
I wrote some of them while I was in 4th year High school (20 years ago) - my geography teacher sent us out with the route map and got us to write what we saw....
I remember writing about the old brewery beside the co-op car park that it was "quite frankly a carbuncle on the face of Thurso" I never thought it would get published, but either the editing wasn't great of the teacher agreed, because when I saw the published copies that the tourist board were putting out, there it was in black and white.
I dont think the letter was bad at all - but then I'm from Thurso and we have light heartedly been joking about these things with our week freendys for centuries I guess..... now if he was to bad mooth Thurso - thats a different story.
I must be honest,i visited Wick in the mid 80ies & it was a hive of activity compared to Thurso,then in 2002 i took my family up there & felt it had died a death as far as tourisom was concerned,but its still a place thats worth putting on the map,if just for historical value,So the guy might have done you a favoure:)
cuddlepop
27-Sep-06, 13:55
Well they do say any publicity is good publicity. You just have to wait and see if more tourists come to see if Wick really is as bad as he says.Me for one will be back sooner rather than later.:D
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