These are my personal choices. Please feel free to disagree and add your own categories.
Nicest Shopkeeper : Javid Konscious from Kost Konscious
Comdey Shop Name : Mike's Tackle Shop
Weirdest New Shop : Edinburgh Shamanic Centre
Biggest Disappointment : the "soon to be thai takeaway" sign in mike's sandwich bar never holding true to its promise
Best Live Act : the nice old lady who spoke at the "Campaign Against The Supermarket" meeting who talked about Portobello history and made us all laugh
Worst Live Act : Lawrence Marshall's turn at the "Campaign Against The Supermarket" when he wouldn't shut up and didn't realise that he had lost his audience
"Siamese Twin" award for the two shops doing the same thing managing to exist very close to each other : Joint award to
1) Global / Blockbusters video shops
2) Boots / the green chemist
Most ad-hoc new shop : the minicab / red indian souvenir shop currently holed-up inside the old travel agents
Worst Shop Name : the now defunct "Tan Your Hide" tanning booth
2003 Portobello Awards
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Guest
Nicest Shopkeeper : Friendly service is one of the main reasons why people prefer to shop locally. It's the personal touch that you don't get in a superstore. Lots of contenders here. I'm always impressed by the staff in the hardware store, the friendliness and efficiency of Joe and his team in Findlays, the guy at the 108. The list goes on.
Biggest Disappointment : I think we were all disappointed when Cafe Oop closed and more so when Mamma's deal to take it over fell through. Even worse was the Scottish Executive's decision to grant planning permission for the building at the foot of Bath Street, against the express wishes of local people and politicians.
Best Live Act The CATS meeting was a great expression of commuity spirit and exemplified what living in Portobello is about. It was a year of great 'live acts'. We had the 'Golden Days' event, the POD events and the Portobello Triathlon to name but three.
Worst Live Act : Have to disagree there. Perhaps Lawrence could have been more concise, but he was attempting to explain the background to the meeting, the reason for his involvement and the planning process itself and how local people can influence it. I thought the chair was very rude and could have handled the situation much better.
Shop You Would Most Like to See Disappear : My award goes to Johnny's Amusements. Enough said.
Biggest Disappointment : I think we were all disappointed when Cafe Oop closed and more so when Mamma's deal to take it over fell through. Even worse was the Scottish Executive's decision to grant planning permission for the building at the foot of Bath Street, against the express wishes of local people and politicians.
Best Live Act The CATS meeting was a great expression of commuity spirit and exemplified what living in Portobello is about. It was a year of great 'live acts'. We had the 'Golden Days' event, the POD events and the Portobello Triathlon to name but three.
Worst Live Act : Have to disagree there. Perhaps Lawrence could have been more concise, but he was attempting to explain the background to the meeting, the reason for his involvement and the planning process itself and how local people can influence it. I thought the chair was very rude and could have handled the situation much better.
Shop You Would Most Like to See Disappear : My award goes to Johnny's Amusements. Enough said.
People and events in Porty
Can't remember the categories above so here goes:
Best Event: CATS meeting against the superstore - Porty people excelled ourselves coming out in droves at 7.29pm (were you all hiding around the corner waiting to come in!)...our fab campaign goes on....
Best Live Act: I hate to name anyone in a good way in case they get slated so lets keep to good comments please - it would have been a v boring meeting without a few disagreements, and as we seemed all against the superstore, the spat between Lawrence and those of us who were organising it, added to our history a bit....I believe we are all speaking again and the best of comrades in terms of campaigning against the superstore anyway! My vote is for the people (no names but one in part) who did a fab act of churning out an extra 200 chairs in about 5 mins flat to accommodate us all, and with such good humour...
Best Festival: slightly biased here as I was a little involved - the Peace Festival, which sadly I didn't realise until after, features on this forum, was a great event, and managed to have a steady stream of people from all walks of life, to visit, show their support for peace activities, and talk, pick up info and just hang out listening to the great music, workshops, drink tea etc
Best food: again biased, but the Ever Green cafe at the Peace Festival produced fab organic food, and with a lot of care for people - the shop just adds such a unique place in Porty - local art, great organic food, second hand clothes and nic nacks etc etc
Best beach in a City that I know of - Porty ofcourse! happy & peaceful and Porty-artistic 2004, C
Best Event: CATS meeting against the superstore - Porty people excelled ourselves coming out in droves at 7.29pm (were you all hiding around the corner waiting to come in!)...our fab campaign goes on....
Best Live Act: I hate to name anyone in a good way in case they get slated so lets keep to good comments please - it would have been a v boring meeting without a few disagreements, and as we seemed all against the superstore, the spat between Lawrence and those of us who were organising it, added to our history a bit....I believe we are all speaking again and the best of comrades in terms of campaigning against the superstore anyway! My vote is for the people (no names but one in part) who did a fab act of churning out an extra 200 chairs in about 5 mins flat to accommodate us all, and with such good humour...
Best Festival: slightly biased here as I was a little involved - the Peace Festival, which sadly I didn't realise until after, features on this forum, was a great event, and managed to have a steady stream of people from all walks of life, to visit, show their support for peace activities, and talk, pick up info and just hang out listening to the great music, workshops, drink tea etc
Best food: again biased, but the Ever Green cafe at the Peace Festival produced fab organic food, and with a lot of care for people - the shop just adds such a unique place in Porty - local art, great organic food, second hand clothes and nic nacks etc etc
Best beach in a City that I know of - Porty ofcourse! happy & peaceful and Porty-artistic 2004, C
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Guest
Agree with all that's been said so far. My awards go to Acorn Pet Centre - always friendly - and DB Photopgraphy - a great service at a fraction of the price I paid at Venture a few months later.
I was sad to see the closure of the ME Charity Shop, which always had a great selection of vinyl (albeit at a higher price than anywhere else!).
I was sad to see the closure of the ME Charity Shop, which always had a great selection of vinyl (albeit at a higher price than anywhere else!).