The Promenade was a topic that came up during Monday's Community Council meeting. Most of you will be aware that there have been some small scale improvements in the last year or so, including new benches, litter bins, lamp posts repainted, old railings replaced with new bollards etc and some of this work is still continuing. In addition, there are plans for the Paddling Pool site, which we hope will come to fruition before long.
Grannie's Attic was a setback, but we're stuck with it now. There is still a big question over the future of the Ghost Train site. There are rumours about the possible re-location of the Pitz. We can't agree on cycling.
John Stewart, chair of PAS and a member of Portobello Community Council, now suggests that what we need is a 'community plan' for the Promenade, something against which all future development can be measured. As we have seen, conservation area status in itself is not sufficienct to stop unwanted development and, moreover, this is about what we DO want.
I think we should ALL have a say in what we want from the Promenade. I know that John monitors the forum, so let's use this opportunity to publish our wish list. What's your vision for a 21st century Promenade?
Community plan for the Promenade
rusty railings
Less rusty railings - sorry to bring it down to what we don't want, but that would be a good start - actually there are no railings just a gap before the sea in one particularly bleak bit towards the Dog and Cat Home.....I'm told the Council is going to put some sort of temporary barrier there which is better than none, as at present, but it is a bit worrying that the railings broken in 2 places at the Harry Lauder Roundabout have been tied together with string and a temporary barrier for months - again I look forward to hearing they are going to be fixed which I am advised they will be now - sorry to be a grump but we need to get what's wrong dealt with speedily too - will revisit with imaginative suggestions for the Prom when I have them! Glad to hear Porty CCouncil are taking this up 
C
CHow about some picnic tables at the wide bits? Like the ones they have in the Bedford, which seem popular. Subject to approval by immediate residents, of course. The seat outside my house was taken away "for repair" some years ago & never replaced, which is a pity in a way, but also a good thing as I don't now get drunken yobs sitting outside swearing & breaking bottles. 
ideas for the prom plan
The present patched paving looks poor, and causes small son to fall off his bike. Re-paving the whole area is the best idea. The drains need a clean out too. A wall with climbing plants at the west end of the prom would hide the industrial sites.
Access to the beach could be improved for visitors - a parkland area linking High Street to Prom for pedestrians would be attractive and "Green" and give back a view down to the beach.
For more interest to visitors on the prom, "penny telescopes" , a new pier (it need not be an expensive one, simply a walkway) and perhaps picnic tables and some permanent play features. Have seen a brilliant play feature in Camperdown park utilising sand: a scoop bucket that could be filled with sand, hoisted up a few feet, and moved to another site (like a construction toy). Kids played with it for ages. Finishing the paddling pool site is urgent - could any sponsorship money for it come from a commercial benefactor as part of the whole Promenade Plan?
The cyclist problem is difficult; a cycle lane might encourage the speed cyclists, so it may be better to allow "Careful Cyclists only".
Access to the beach could be improved for visitors - a parkland area linking High Street to Prom for pedestrians would be attractive and "Green" and give back a view down to the beach.
For more interest to visitors on the prom, "penny telescopes" , a new pier (it need not be an expensive one, simply a walkway) and perhaps picnic tables and some permanent play features. Have seen a brilliant play feature in Camperdown park utilising sand: a scoop bucket that could be filled with sand, hoisted up a few feet, and moved to another site (like a construction toy). Kids played with it for ages. Finishing the paddling pool site is urgent - could any sponsorship money for it come from a commercial benefactor as part of the whole Promenade Plan?
The cyclist problem is difficult; a cycle lane might encourage the speed cyclists, so it may be better to allow "Careful Cyclists only".
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Brian McCrow
- Posts: 224
- Joined: 16 Sep 2003, 12:11
- Location: Portobello
Promenade
I think we should lift our horizon and specify what we would like in terms of new housing, offices, new developments. Portobello seems to be the poor relation with regard to City funding for improvements.
I've recently visited Cardiff and its dock area where the transformation is incredible.
Let's plan for a combination of affordable housing (for young and old) and high value housing with super sea views, funding the development of a quality Boardwalk/Promenade with cafes and restaurants.
How about making Portobello High Street one way traffic allowing cafes/pubs and restaurants to spill onto the enlargend pavements for alfresco drinking and dining, making Portobello an alternative to Leith as well as attracting business from East Lothian.
Let's have the proposed Superstore location made into a village for affordable housing.
Within this type of high level planning we should still set about short term improvements for the poor quality of pavements, tired/derelict shop fronts.
Some money should be made available to home owners for self improvement, including encouragement to paint houses and walls with bright colours to make it look more like a seaside resort e.g. Tobermory.
We need a long term plan in order to attract inward investment but let's attack this with vigour. Let's see more about Edinburgh's Seaside being advertised for residents and tourists. I don't understand why a new tram line isn't in the plan.
I've recently visited Cardiff and its dock area where the transformation is incredible.
Let's plan for a combination of affordable housing (for young and old) and high value housing with super sea views, funding the development of a quality Boardwalk/Promenade with cafes and restaurants.
How about making Portobello High Street one way traffic allowing cafes/pubs and restaurants to spill onto the enlargend pavements for alfresco drinking and dining, making Portobello an alternative to Leith as well as attracting business from East Lothian.
Let's have the proposed Superstore location made into a village for affordable housing.
Within this type of high level planning we should still set about short term improvements for the poor quality of pavements, tired/derelict shop fronts.
Some money should be made available to home owners for self improvement, including encouragement to paint houses and walls with bright colours to make it look more like a seaside resort e.g. Tobermory.
We need a long term plan in order to attract inward investment but let's attack this with vigour. Let's see more about Edinburgh's Seaside being advertised for residents and tourists. I don't understand why a new tram line isn't in the plan.
Pavement cafe tables would be super on the sunny side, & get the pesky pupils out of the bus shelter! but where would the through traffic go?
A new pier would be great too, I could spend my dotage fishing off it.
I'd also love to get my dismal cement facade painted, was looking at the Terrace from the bus stop & the takeaway looks nice. Some houses still have good stone fronts, others not so lucky could be pink, blue, terracotta etc, yes, lets! Do I need permission?
The new asphalt pavement on Joppa road is a big improvement on cracked & uneven slabs, I would welcome more like that. Hope it gets finished soon.
A new pier would be great too, I could spend my dotage fishing off it.
I'd also love to get my dismal cement facade painted, was looking at the Terrace from the bus stop & the takeaway looks nice. Some houses still have good stone fronts, others not so lucky could be pink, blue, terracotta etc, yes, lets! Do I need permission?
The new asphalt pavement on Joppa road is a big improvement on cracked & uneven slabs, I would welcome more like that. Hope it gets finished soon.
It would be great to have Portobello looking like a real tourist mecca but as was previously said we are the poor relations. We've been let down with things so many times. Look at the mess of the pavements and the promenade after the cable TV lot had had their wicked way. The Council should have done something about that (there's not one straight line in any street ) They've let our Paddling Pool go to ruin, the swing park is a disgrace, we have no tennis court or putting green, the crazy golf gave way to a bit of grass and what is that THING at the bottom of Marlborough Street? They've imposed horrendous wheely bins, a skyscraper and canary yellow shops and woe betide you if you want to paint your house a nice seaside colour!! Portobello was once a shopping centre (like Musselburgh) and look at it now. There is no incentive for anybody passing through to stop because apart from a walk along what used to be a famous pink promenade, there's nothing to do and little to see. They didn't even bother putting the Xmas lights on the trees in the High Street this year.
) They've let our Paddling Pool go to ruin, the swing park is a disgrace, we have no tennis court or putting green, the crazy golf gave way to a bit of grass and what is that THING at the bottom of Marlborough Street? They've imposed horrendous wheely bins, a skyscraper and canary yellow shops and woe betide you if you want to paint your house a nice seaside colour!! Portobello was once a shopping centre (like Musselburgh) and look at it now. There is no incentive for anybody passing through to stop because apart from a walk along what used to be a famous pink promenade, there's nothing to do and little to see. They didn't even bother putting the Xmas lights on the trees in the High Street this year.
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Guest
All sounds a bit negative Epykat! No tennis courts? Don't the courts at Joppa count? There are plans for the paddling pool to be re-developed as a seaside garden/recreational area. Isn't crazy golf a bit naff anyway? Aren't the wheely bins preferable to the mounds of black bin liners that were a more or less permanent feature on our narrow pavements, the contents often strewn everywhere? It isn't all doom and gloom, things are slowly improving. So what WOULD you like to see?
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Brian McCrow
- Posts: 224
- Joined: 16 Sep 2003, 12:11
- Location: Portobello
All through traffic should be diverted via Milton Road, the bypass and the Kings Road roundabout.
Local Portobello traffic could be one way going East from Kings Road and up Brighton Place while local traffic from the East would also be diverted up Brighton Place.
Traffic restricting and speed bumps would dissuade through traffic from driving via the High Street.
The North side i.e sunny part of the High Street could be extended to support the cafes/restaurants/pubs with pavement seating.
Local Portobello traffic could be one way going East from Kings Road and up Brighton Place while local traffic from the East would also be diverted up Brighton Place.
Traffic restricting and speed bumps would dissuade through traffic from driving via the High Street.
The North side i.e sunny part of the High Street could be extended to support the cafes/restaurants/pubs with pavement seating.
It all is a bit negative Bob! Yes the courts at Joppa count but so did the courts at Rosefield! The plans for the paddling pool wouldn't have been needed if they had upkept what was there (okay, so I know the liability argument!). Crazy golf and putting might be a bit naff to you but for people here for a day out they're a great way to pass the time. No, wheely bins aren't preferable to black bags. I take it you don't have one right outside your door? They're a cop out by the Council to get them off having to find and prosecute the people who were putting their bags out on the wrong days, and they weren't so great when Marlborough Street was shut off and the lorries couldn't get down to empty them! I WOULD like to see Porty return to the days when we could do almost all our shopping here, not just book a holiday or get our hair done, get some decent pubs, an upgraded promenade with some cafes, no wheely bins outside my window and some recreation space put to good use (like tennis courts, putting greens and crazy golf!) rather than them being left to become dog toilets (and before I get shouted down on that I am a dog owner too!Bob wrote:All sounds a bit negative Epykat! No tennis courts? Don't the courts at Joppa count? There are plans for the paddling pool to be re-developed as a seaside garden/recreational area. Isn't crazy golf a bit naff anyway? Aren't the wheely bins preferable to the mounds of black bin liners that were a more or less permanent feature on our narrow pavements, the contents often strewn everywhere? It isn't all doom and gloom, things are slowly improving. So what WOULD you like to see?
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