Menopause Matters Forum

General Discussion => This 'n' That => Topic started by: CLKD on October 19, 2015, 12:28:30 PM

Title: Big Ben
Post by: CLKD on October 19, 2015, 12:28:30 PM
…….. is due to be silenced due to requiring maintenance which is likely to cost £s ……… apparently the whole of Westminster is at risk  :o hopefully the Tide won't come in as well  ::)
Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: CLKD on October 19, 2015, 12:44:01 PM
Why safely  ;D
Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: CLKD on October 19, 2015, 01:44:35 PM
 :rofl:

I wonder how much tourism Big Ben attracts ?
Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: Joyce on October 19, 2015, 03:46:36 PM
In order to save money, why don't they use an electronic BONG? They could maybe restore bell & put in a museum or such. The whole building is in need of restoration for many more millions.
Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: CLKD on October 19, 2015, 03:49:17 PM
Why should they  :-\ ………. it's 1 building in the UK that ought to be maintained as it was  ;)
Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: Joyce on October 19, 2015, 05:33:13 PM
http://news.sky.com/story/1504140/bill-for-crumbling-parliament-could-hit-7-1bn

A lotta, lotta money.  Plus £40million for Big Ben.

It's an impressive building for sure, don't get me wrong.

Wonder if ongoing repairs would have been better in the long run, rather than wait for it all to fall to bits.
Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: CLKD on October 19, 2015, 06:04:15 PM
Perhaps they hoped that the Tide would come in first  ::)

Whilst I don't agree with the NT for example doing patch tests and then paying thousands£ for matching furnishings, because properties evolve as fashions arrive; the outside of buildings usually remain as designed even though they might have bits lobbed on over the Centuries. 
Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: honeybun on October 19, 2015, 06:47:52 PM
Think how much the NHS and the elderly in this country would benefit from that amount of money.


Honeybun
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Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: CLKD on October 19, 2015, 06:53:25 PM
Different Budget Honeybun …….. same argument for allowing migrants in to housing here.  Our NHS could benefit ….

London brings in Tourism which is HUGE in the UK  ;)
Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: honeybun on October 19, 2015, 07:01:47 PM
We have the carbuncle known as Holyrood.

It's ugly, it very ugly, it's full of SNP  ::)


Honeybun
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Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: Joyce on October 19, 2015, 07:35:47 PM
 ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: honeybun on October 19, 2015, 07:39:42 PM
You can tell I'm a fan  ::)

It's an eyesore and wasn't even designed by a British person. It was hugely over budget and is now starting to fall down.....what is there to like  ;D


Honeybun
X
Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: Joyce on October 19, 2015, 07:53:54 PM
My brother found a building, whilst on a trip to Melbourne, which looked very like Holyrood & equally as ugly. As he said, only thing which gave it away was bright blue skies!  ;D
Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: Scampi on October 20, 2015, 07:01:32 AM
In order to save money, why don't they use an electronic BONG? They could maybe restore bell & put in a museum or such. The whole building is in need of restoration for many more millions.

It's not Big Ben (the bell) that's the issue - it's the crack in Big Ben that gives it the characteristic bong.  It's the clock mechanism, the faces and the structure of St Peter's Tower itself that needs the work.  And it would be worth every penny simply for the tourism income it generates.  Making sure our historic buildings and landmarks are maintained is vital expenditure.
Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: littleminnie on October 20, 2015, 07:56:17 AM
Tourism brings in mega money to the UK. It's one of our major invisible exports. The money should be spent. The Trevi Fountain in Rome has been closed for over a year due to maintenance.
Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: Winterose on October 20, 2015, 10:16:40 AM
Tourism is incalculable to London, any time you visit its full of visiting Chinese, Japanese etc all spending their money and aiding the economy so I feel money well spent, agree with Honey bun over Holyrood, with so many beautiful buildings in Edinburgh why did they chose to build a monstrosity that costs the tax payer s a fortune ( cant recall the figures) each month in repairs.  Also allowing another ugly hotel to go up in centre of city ,  designed by foreigners, makes me tremble to think what the SNP will do when they get their independence.  Disappear I suppose,  once they get what they stand for and leave someone else to clear up the mess.
Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: CLKD on October 20, 2015, 01:09:55 PM
 :thankyou:  Scampi, so well put whereas I ramble along knowing what I mean  ::)

There are many buildings in the UK that looked OK initially - but soon 'date'.  There is a new build locally (Council Offices) which in five year's time will look awful, they are completely 'out of place' architecturally.  Had a member of the public wanted to build something similar they would have been advised that the "Plans are not in keeping" ……. OK have a brand new building inside but at least face it with something 'local'  >:(.  Now the same Council wants to put car parking on flood plain ….

Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: honeybun on October 20, 2015, 02:34:15 PM
Councils only apply rules to others and not to themselves.

We currently have two massive offshore wind turbines being trialled along the coast from us. The council initially said there were to be no structures over a certain size to be build in keeping with local planning regs. Then they changed the regulations to accommodate these bloody great monstrosities.
I think it all comes down to money and who has a councillor in their back pocket.

Cynical.....who me  ::)

Honeybun
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Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: Joyce on October 20, 2015, 02:52:59 PM
We are about to get a carbuncle built in town. Public protests & objections have fallen on deaf ears. It's being built, end of.  Millions being spent on project. Most wanted open space, which would have given our City the defined centre it's been craving. There is a beautiful building which would have attracted tourists, instead it's going to be hidden yet again.
Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: CLKD on October 20, 2015, 03:24:40 PM
Don't get me started on wind turbines  :bang: :bang: :bang:
Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: Dulciana on October 20, 2015, 06:20:42 PM
and is now starting to fall down.....Honeybun X

Is it?? :o
Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: honeybun on October 20, 2015, 06:22:52 PM
Yes it is....at one point part of a ceiling came down.

Wind turbines CLKD.....they are small compared to these...these can be seen from the ruddy moon.


Honeybun
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Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: CLKD on October 20, 2015, 06:24:39 PM
Made of concrete for starters  :bang: :bang: :bang: …….. and transported from Germany in most cases - so not green then?
Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: Joyce on October 20, 2015, 09:26:43 PM
Mr Trump has been moaning about turbines up here for ages. Might spoil view from his golf course. What about the poor locals who have had to put up with him digging up land, without so much as a by your leave!

Sorry moan over!
Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: Dulciana on October 21, 2015, 08:46:43 AM
Mr. Trump.......... >:(    Personally,  I think it's all wrong that someone from overseas comes here and throws his weight about so much.
Title: Re: Big Ben
Post by: Joyce on October 21, 2015, 09:47:43 AM
I agree totally Dulciana! He's quite obnoxious!!!