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Give us a Spitfire to help the city lift-off!
9:01am Thursday 4th October 2007
Comments (61)TODAY the Daily Echo nails its colours to the mast and calls for the city of Southampton to get its tribute to the Spitfire.
Since we revealed how plans for a Spitfire memorial had been axed in favour of a £120,000 model of the city, we have been inundated with comments from readers.
We say, thank goodness those who built and flew the Spitfire aimed high. It is time we did the same.
From the response it is obvious the majority of you want to see any new WOW factor for the city to be created around the memory of the famous fighter that was built here.
Now we are adding our voice to a campaign to bring what we believe is common sense to the whole debate and call for a Spitfire memorial on a grand scale to become a city priority.
The Daily Echo first revealed the search for the city's WOW factor has a £230,000 pot provided by government regeneration body SEEDA.
We explained how the first vision for spending that taxpayers' cash was the plan to shoot laser beams from the clock tower of the Civic Centre. This proposal, although imaginative, failed to win favour with many in the city and was dropped by the in-coming Tory administration.
Then it looked as though the cash would be spent on a replica of a Spitfire to be placed on the traffic island outside the De Vere hotel at the waterfront. This proposal found favour with the city council and many readers who thoughy it fitting for a city so identified with the famous aircraft. Many also recalled how Southampton workers at the Supermarine factory at Woolston where the Spitfire was built died when the plant was bombed by the Germans. How fitting this tribute would be.
However, Southampton Partnership, the body who has control over the decision as to how the cash should be spent thought otherwise. The unelected group of business and community representatives vetoed the Spitfire plan. They have now come forward with the proposal to spend £120,000 on a scale model of the city - to be housed beneath the stairs in the city Art Gallery - and £25,000 of new road signs. They have not decided how to spend the remaining £85,000.
We say enough is enough.
Few if any can be found who want the model plan. But the Spitfire proposal is almost universally welcomed by all age groups.
It is time, we say, to think again. But we want more.
We are calling for a complete rethink of this project. A replica model would be nice, but a large-scale sculpture that would be a real landmark at one of the entrances to the city would be far better. It would leave everyone in no doubt that this was the birthplace of the finest fighting aircraft the world has known - the plane that saved Britain in the time of its darkest hour.
Such a plan would be a fitting tribute to "The Few" who fought and died.
The city council has not abandoned hope of its own Spitfire. It aims to raise the cash itself if the SEEDA money is not available.
We say, why not combine both? With the £230,000 from SEEDA - a similar amount raised through the council that would create a real chance to build a truly fitting memorial.
We say, thank goodness those who built and flew the Spitfire aimed high. It is time we did the same.
Your Say YourDaily Echo
Adrian Smith, says...
9:12am Thu 4 Oct 07
Such a plan reminds us of the part the Polish airmen (and others) played in WW2 alongside the British. But it isn't inclusive enough for the 21st century. That is the real reason a Spitfire isn't welcomed.
But a detailed scale model of the city - well that could be put to all sorts of useful purposes. It's inclusive because it represents the modern city. I just hope they include small amounts of chewing gum on the pavements, wheelie bins everywhere and thousands of parked cars.
hmm, says...
9:25am Thu 4 Oct 07
Reg Mitchell wrote:oh god not this AGAIN
"We say, thank goodness those who built and flew the Spitfire aimed high. It is time we did the same." - And the Echo is offering to donate how much to start the appeal?
Expat, says...
9:27am Thu 4 Oct 07
Spitting Feathers, says...
9:36am Thu 4 Oct 07
Don't stick it on a roundabout, people are (should be) too busy driving to pay attention.
If there is anywhere where lots of people have time on their hands and could read some history whilst looking at the statue, then its in the middle of West Quay shopping centre or in the precinct rightoutside the main entrance. But no doubt the late night drunks will ruin it there.
Tony, southampton says...
9:37am Thu 4 Oct 07
Whilst it pains me to draw comparsons with Pompey and even tho the Spinnaker Tower has its many faults, at least you can see the **** thing for miles around! at least it is a visitor attraction that people want to go to and simply look at - even if it is just whilst they are at Gunwharf SPENDING MONEY!
I am a sales rep and travel all over the UK and often have conversations about SOuthampton and it is very hard to describe ANY positive points about the City today. The builing that is going on is slowly strangling the city - too many flats and non-family based housing means that we will lose all solidity in the city as most of it inhabitants will become transient and not set down roots here. The crime and social dysfunction is on the increase and all we get from the council are these crackpot schemes about how to recover a magic that lifts the city up. IT AINT GONNA HAPPEN WITH MODELS, SCULPTURES OR FREAKIN' LASER BEAMS!!!
There is a golden opportunity on the horizon with the development of the old Vospers site in Woolston. If that area could be transfomred into a social, retail and business success with some form of transport connection to the other side of the city then that would truly have a transforming effect on the city as a whole. Woolston could then be THE place to go and live.
The council need a kick up the @rse - i am sick and tired of all these hairbrained ideas taking up valuable time of the council officials when we cant even get the basics right like law and order and decent family-based housing.
Forget the Spitfire, the model and any other pathetic 5 minute wonder, flag waving exercise and get back to the job of making Southampton a better city to live, work and play.
Spitting Feathers, says...
9:42am Thu 4 Oct 07
It's already 18 months late and the original hi-quality architectural plans by Sir Norman Foster have been dropped for yet more bog standard boring buildings.
They have also reduced the height of the towers, so they won't be an impressive landmark for the city.
They may not even build most of the development as they only have funding for a small section thus far so all the community facilities will be the last to be built and at the earliest, will be 2012 or so.
In other words, its yet another Southampton damp squid.
hmm, says...
9:44am Thu 4 Oct 07
Tony wrote:I think what he means is we want a monorail that shoots laser beams, that goes to the luxury apartments that will be built at the vospers site, with views of Kutis pier if possible
This obsession of WOW factor has got to stop! Whilst i agree that a sculpture of the Spitfire is a far better idea than the ridiculous model, WOW factor it aint!
Whilst it pains me to draw comparsons with Pompey and even tho the Spinnaker Tower has its many faults, at least you can see the **** thing for miles around! at least it is a visitor attraction that people want to go to and simply look at - even if it is just whilst they are at Gunwharf SPENDING MONEY!
I am a sales rep and travel all over the UK and often have conversations about SOuthampton and it is very hard to describe ANY positive points about the City today. The builing that is going on is slowly strangling the city - too many flats and non-family based housing means that we will lose all solidity in the city as most of it inhabitants will become transient and not set down roots here. The crime and social dysfunction is on the increase and all we get from the council are these crackpot schemes about how to recover a magic that lifts the city up. IT AINT GONNA HAPPEN WITH MODELS, SCULPTURES OR FREAKIN' LASER BEAMS!!!
There is a golden opportunity on the horizon with the development of the old Vospers site in Woolston. If that area could be transfomred into a social, retail and business success with some form of transport connection to the other side of the city then that would truly have a transforming effect on the city as a whole. Woolston could then be THE place to go and live.
The council need a kick up the @rse - i am sick and tired of all these hairbrained ideas taking up valuable time of the council officials when we cant even get the basics right like law and order and decent family-based housing.
Forget the Spitfire, the model and any other pathetic 5 minute wonder, flag waving exercise and get back to the job of making Southampton a better city to live, work and play.
Tony, Southampton says...
9:53am Thu 4 Oct 07
LOL - that would be cool!!! as daft and flippant as you may think it is, isnt that exactly the sort of thing that would inject some enthusiasm into the City (all bar the luxury apartments bit - we dont want it being simply the add-on to Ocean Village)
Joking aside tho, surely a monorail over the river connecting a modern living space with recogntion of the Heritage of Woolston with visitor centres and perhaps night life attractions (well away from the family homes tho) is a better solution than a model? - be it of the city itself or the Sptifire...
Len Viaduct, says...
9:59am Thu 4 Oct 07
peter, Bridlington says...
10:21am Thu 4 Oct 07
Toxteth O'Grady, southampton says...
10:26am Thu 4 Oct 07
Do you have ever have anything interesting to say ??
Seen various messages across different stories & all your posts are boring & add nothing to the debate...so why bother ?
workin, havant says...
10:29am Thu 4 Oct 07
A select few people with poor understanding of the area they represent - sitting in a room having great ideas is never to the benefit of the community. Look at the Selsey WAVE sculpture. 60k spent on a replica Tsunmai placed on the outskirts of vulnerable to the sea - a greta reminder of dread and worry to its residents. The spitfire will remind people of the sense of achievement ad pride in the community. Beats a giant indulgent Airfix model which symbolises the ego of Council and not a celebration of history and national spirit.
No Fuss, Soton where else says...
10:30am Thu 4 Oct 07
Tony wrote:I Think you hit the nail on the head !!!
This obsession of WOW factor has got to stop! Whilst i agree that a sculpture of the Spitfire is a far better idea than the ridiculous model, WOW factor it aint! Whilst it pains me to draw comparsons with Pompey and even tho the Spinnaker Tower has its many faults, at least you can see the **** thing for miles around! at least it is a visitor attraction that people want to go to and simply look at - even if it is just whilst they are at Gunwharf SPENDING MONEY! I am a sales rep and travel all over the UK and often have conversations about SOuthampton and it is very hard to describe ANY positive points about the City today. The builing that is going on is slowly strangling the city - too many flats and non-family based housing means that we will lose all solidity in the city as most of it inhabitants will become transient and not set down roots here. The crime and social dysfunction is on the increase and all we get from the council are these crackpot schemes about how to recover a magic that lifts the city up. IT AINT GONNA HAPPEN WITH MODELS, SCULPTURES OR FREAKIN' LASER BEAMS!!! There is a golden opportunity on the horizon with the development of the old Vospers site in Woolston. If that area could be transfomred into a social, retail and business success with some form of transport connection to the other side of the city then that would truly have a transforming effect on the city as a whole. Woolston could then be THE place to go and live. The council need a kick up the @rse - i am sick and tired of all these hairbrained ideas taking up valuable time of the council officials when we cant even get the basics right like law and order and decent family-based housing. Forget the Spitfire, the model and any other pathetic 5 minute wonder, flag waving exercise and get back to the job of making Southampton a better city to live, work and play.
Ian, Turkey says...
10:44am Thu 4 Oct 07
Gladstone, Southampton says...
10:55am Thu 4 Oct 07
I'd support this plan only if it were entirely paid for by private donations. If people want it enough, surely the cash will come rolling in. Especially if the Echo kicks off with a donation of, oh I don't know, £50,000?
mangobean, Eastleigh says...
10:59am Thu 4 Oct 07
In order for it to have any WOW factor it would need to be of similar proportions to the Angel of the North or the Spinnaker Tower and not a piddley little thing as displayed on the Wide Lane roundabout (outside the German car sales centre).
k turner, southampton says...
11:01am Thu 4 Oct 07
So ugly!
Nothing changes, Southampton says...
11:02am Thu 4 Oct 07
karlos, totton says...
11:14am Thu 4 Oct 07
hmm, says...
11:28am Thu 4 Oct 07
Ian wrote:Can one of the wheels be an entrance to a tesco express please
Could we not build an ice rink around a sculpture of the the Spitfire. That ,it seems, would keep most of the Southampton population happy.
Southampron Resident, Southampton says...
11:43am Thu 4 Oct 07
If the council want a 'wow' factor that really makes a difference, cut the council tax, get rid of half the traffic lights, and sort the roads out. Some of the roads are a disgrace and, if they can waste money on London Road, let them do roads that really need doing. All widening the pavements in London road will do is give more room to illegal and anti-social pavement cyclists.
Long in the tooth, groundhog day says...
11:52am Thu 4 Oct 07
The idea of a Spitfire MONUMENT is a good one - full size replica with acknowledgement of all who built it and flew it. This should be positioned at the centre of a Southampton heritage centre at Mayflower Park - no need to encroach on the green space, build it out from the waterfront. This should also contain a life size replica of the Mayflower, the flying boats and a relocated Maritime Museum that celebrates Southampton's maritime heritage.
The Heritage centre could then be the start point of tours to include the town walls, the Bargate and the Red Lion pub - all key parts of Southampton's history.
Takes some effort - but you only get out what you put in.
Lucy, southampton says...
11:57am Thu 4 Oct 07
buy a scanner or something for the local hospital and stop wasting money!
Lorraine Barter, Southampton says...
12:18pm Thu 4 Oct 07
Why not just take tourists on night time tours of our vomit, urine /litter covered, crime filled streets at bar closing time and show them round the red light district, these are the things that Southampton is becoming famous for.
Rich, hedge end says...
12:22pm Thu 4 Oct 07
James, Southampton says...
12:24pm Thu 4 Oct 07
Mark, Winchester says...
12:25pm Thu 4 Oct 07
They cost about £25,000 + VAT.
I think one of these, mounted in a suitable place, would be a fitting tribute to an important piece of British history, and the people of Southampton that helped create them.
The rest of the money could then be spent on "improving" the city.
How it works, says...
12:30pm Thu 4 Oct 07
Any company would use underspends in areas to prop up other overspending areas etc. But that is common sense and we are talking about Councils here, where common sense just does not exist.
Julie, Southampton says...
12:33pm Thu 4 Oct 07
R J Mitchell's house was eventually moved to Australia. It is no wonder that people keep harping on about reducing Council Tax. We would all like that, but this town has nothing. Mitchell, Benny Hill, Tommy Cooper, and the Titanic all started in Southampton. Isn't time we remembered them.
p.j, MANSBRIDGE says...
12:51pm Thu 4 Oct 07
As with every new structure you take notice for a while but there is no way that have a model of a spitfire will bring people to soton or give it the wow factor
Rusty, Southampton says...
12:57pm Thu 4 Oct 07
No, bring back the Lufwaffe. A bit of carpet bombing is just what the city needs.
Toxteth O'Grady, southampton says...
1:04pm Thu 4 Oct 07
wontee, soton says...
1:14pm Thu 4 Oct 07
The Titanic's out as it wasn't built here and didn't sink here.
The Spitfire's out as a northerner designed it, and it first flew from Eastliegh.
The Mayflower's out as it left umpteen English ports en route to it's destination, and Southampton wasn't the last one.
Local roundabouts seem to be a favorite location for any sort erection, and the only roundabout in the country situated in the middle of a motorway is on the M271.
Plenty of room there for statues of Ted Bates, Benny Hill and Craig David.
stevie wonder, livin in the city says...
1:28pm Thu 4 Oct 07
[ove2n2rf[02u203 o
sorry about that ,i am mr wonders typist and i caught him on my key board, he thought it was his piano.
toxtheth o'grady, southampton says...
1:40pm Thu 4 Oct 07
stevie wonder wrote:isn't your lunch break over.....back to school laddie & brush up on your comedy skills!!
zkcs j kc;opo0lk [ove2n2rf[02u203 o sorry about that ,i am mr wonders typist and i caught him on my key board, he thought it was his piano.
Jo, Soton says...
2:19pm Thu 4 Oct 07
Spinnaker Tower Wow Factor
Angel of the North Wow Factor
Spitfire in the middle of a roundabout?? I think not
Might I suggest that before you launch a campaign of this nature youre sure that you have public support behind you? Reading many of the comments on this thread, it seems you have it badly wrong!
Nothing changes, Southampton says...
2:24pm Thu 4 Oct 07
rob, eastleigh says...
2:37pm Thu 4 Oct 07
dave, southampton says...
2:52pm Thu 4 Oct 07
This is the way forward to the 'WOW'factor.
Eastleigh Girl, Eastleigh says...
3:23pm Thu 4 Oct 07
Eastleigh also named a road after Benny Hill.
The airport used to be called Eastleigh Airport, not Southampton airport. So the Spitfire actually flew from Eastleigh...
A different plea from the Echo should be to stop Southampton stealing ideas from Eastleigh and get their own!!
., Southampton says...
4:02pm Thu 4 Oct 07
Glyn Strugnell, Southampton says...
4:33pm Thu 4 Oct 07
Why not let the Aircraft Museum, currently out of the way near Ocean Village, have a prime site in the centre of Southampton and have a full size replica of a Spitfire (alang with a statue of R. J.Mitchell, its designer) prominently displayed on it's forecourt.
L.Knight, says...
5:15pm Thu 4 Oct 07
How about suggesting that Southampton and Eastleigh get together and build a super-duper skating rink on the old railway works site?
chucklebrother, eastleigh says...
5:29pm Thu 4 Oct 07
Robert, says...
6:00pm Thu 4 Oct 07
It will bring no sense of jingoism, the glorification of war or hostility to other cultures.
It will be an indirect celebration of those who designed and built it in grim times for this land, so it might introduce a slight note of patriotism but nothing more negative.
Angry Soton resident, says...
6:01pm Thu 4 Oct 07
Robert, says...
6:12pm Thu 4 Oct 07
Without the Spitfire, that could have happened to Britain too. Let us not forget how we were spared the horrors of fascism.
David Turner, Port Solent says...
6:29pm Thu 4 Oct 07
What I do believe is that Southampton should be very proud of the part it played in defending this island. Spitfire design and development was a fortunate outcome of some intelligent & wealth people (not politicians)who saw war coming and how inadequately prepared for it we were.
I wonder if they, and the young men who willingly gave their lives in this, and many other types of WWII aircraft, would be proud if they could see the state of the city (and country) today.
Educate the now and protect our future - maybe by some sort of modern "living history" place where schools can take their pupils to understand more about the horrors of war.
Angry Soton resident, Sholing says...
6:30pm Thu 4 Oct 07
Robert wrote:Obviously the councillors don't see this very poignant part of history to which Southampton played a very large part.
People hanging from gallows, branches of trees etc all over British towns is undoubtedly what we would have seen if the Nazi menace has been allowed to do its worse, as in Poland, for example. We've all seen footage of that, taken at the time, and a grim sight it is too. Without the Spitfire, that could have happened to Britain too. Let us not forget how we were spared the horrors of fascism.
Patrick, says...
6:49pm Thu 4 Oct 07
Urgh, urgh says...
9:15pm Thu 4 Oct 07
sfhsdlh, To the Idiots (Sorry, Councillors) of Southampton says...
9:21pm Thu 4 Oct 07
Make the area behind West Quay more interesting that "a car park". There is a road next to the castle walls which has the markings of a boat. What boat you say? The Mayflower. Doesnt have a very good marker does it. The Titanic may have been made in Ireland but its internationally reknowned for the last journey from Southampton. See the film: Titanic.
The Red Lion pub in the Lower Bargate still holds the original court of Henry. Could do with a spruce, which im sure the landlord would happily put into it. A nice big sign to show it would be good too. The ruins of the church nearly next door to it could also do with a bit more sprucing. Maybe a tourist tour. Get Southampton on the map, give the tourism board load of cash to advertise the town. TV tends to work well. That was several good ideas, use one.
gorf, soton says...
9:42pm Thu 4 Oct 07
watersidewoman, waterside says...
9:58pm Thu 4 Oct 07
WOW factor 2, Southampton says...
11:35pm Thu 4 Oct 07
ds like the spinnaker tower in gunkey wharf !!!. Our council does not have one person on it with any ambition at all, so nothing will happen any time soon.
John, Sydenham says...
12:00am Fri 5 Oct 07
An, Southampton says...
12:29am Fri 5 Oct 07
Si, Cornwall says...
1:34am Fri 5 Oct 07
Robert, says...
7:00am Fri 5 Oct 07
>>I promised the girlfriend I'd take her out dogging tonight. What's the scene like up Farley Mount way these days?<<
Well, I am reliably informed that a large number of genetically modified dogs (and ****) have been released up there from a rogue laboratory somewhere in Portsmouth.
Already, a number of punters, having uncovered their vent area to receive the dogger, have seen their man unceremoniously repulsed then replaced by a vigorous, sex-hungry dog. They're trying to cover it up. One victim said she never wanted a man again.
King Mush, Woolston says...
1:45pm Fri 5 Oct 07
An wrote:lol
Why cant we have a speedway track and dog raceing, Now that would bring people to Southampton. or how about a statue of H. R. H. Princess Diane
We have a Speedway track - it's called West Quay Road (Soton Boy Racers Club)
Dog racing? Just watch the lads pursuing drunken birds along Above Bar on a Saturday night
Diana statue? Yeah - get the same Ted Bates sculptor to knock it out! End up looking like a Smurf
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Reg Mitchell, says...
9:11am Thu 4 Oct 07