Walking..out here..without him

BruceC said:
Remember the show finished a long time ago, with zero chance of being re-run.. Also theres only a small %age of people who are still fans of it.

The person who is building the new place mentioned in the first post may never have heard of the show or not realizing the significance... not defending it but as time goes on and the show fades into memories it will disappear more like 100's of shows in the past and will happen in the future...
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All very valid points, sadly.

I have Google alerts set for Last of the Summer wine and now and then what it flags actually is about the show. More often than not it is an article using the show as a reference or example and the connotation is not positive. I get the impression that there are those that view association with the show as embarrassing or old fashioned or in the very least, not forward looking and perhaps some of those people would like to play it down deliberately. I think that is a shame. Fandom aside, the show most certainly must have been a fantastic financial boost to the area for over 30 years filming there, not to mention the tourism that has continued since. A plaque or two just by way of saying thanks shouldn't be too much to expect. It's sort of like remembering where you came from.
 
The post I made about the Stan Laurel plaque in North Shields is perhaps a contrast to Holmfirth's reaction to LOTSW. He wasn't born there, he lived there for 4 years yet not only is there a plaque there is also a wonderful statue . I also did a walking tour in the area and the site of the Theatre where his father was the manager is also identified and marked with a citation even though it was demolished some years ago. North Tyneside council celebrate their heritage and offer support to many areas in that region and there are story boards and plaques dotted all over that give a potted history of the significance of many landmarks and buildings.

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Eithne said:
All very valid points, sadly.

I have Google alerts set for Last of the Summer wine and now and then what it flags actually is about the show. More often than not it is an article using the show as a reference or example and the connotation is not positive. I get the impression that there are those that view association with the show as embarrassing or old fashioned or in the very least, not forward looking and perhaps some of those people would like to play it down deliberately. I think that is a shame. Fandom aside, the show most certainly must have been a fantastic financial boost to the area for over 30 years filming there, not to mention the tourism that has continued since. A plaque or two just by way of saying thanks shouldn't be too much to expect. It's sort of like remembering where you came from.
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Agree entirely Eithne,the show gave the town a huge financial boost and put it on the map,if you look at the very early episodes you can see what a dump the town actually was,not just the buildings but the general run down and unkempt appearance of it,it was at the time just another Yorkshire mill town that had lost its main employment for the people of the town,I read an interview once,and I’m sure it was Peter Sallis who said it,that when they first started filming there he thought what a dump it was,look carefully again at the first few series and the state of weeds growing in the gutter and dirty unpainted doors on public buildings,I know a lot of industrial towns were like that,and some have never really recovered to this day,but a huge change of fortune happened to the town when Summer Wine came along,it’s a lovely,clean and thriving place to visit now,and although they are a small but very loud minority,there are people in the town who are embarrassed by the towns association with the show,and I just can’t understand that,it’s a lovely gentle show that did the town proud and so they should be proud,but apart from the obvious landmarks like Sid’s cafe and Nora’s house,there is no information and no plaques at all anywhere in the town or the other towns where they filmed.
During the series they kept using a fake bench,although they used plenty of real ones too,and I think it would have been a lovely idea to leave these benches at various beauty spots and famous places,where they could,and just have a small discreet brass plaque on it,saying We filmed here,as a gift to the town,before I joined this forum I once read a post by captain suggesting the same thing and thought what a great idea it was,but sadly there is nothing,and it’s only our fond memories that keep these places special to us,to others,like possibly the owner of the new property at the Walking here without him scene,it probably means nothing at all and not even aware,and just wanted the broken wall taken down,but while ever there are people like us on this site and others around the world who love the show,they will continue to be treasured places,I believe in the UK the repeats of Summer Wine continues to be the most watched repeat,so hopefully the show will continue to grow new fans.
Chuffer x
 
captain clutterbuck said:
The post I made about the Stan Laurel plaque in North Shields is perhaps a contrast to Holmfirth's reaction to LOTSW. He wasn't born there, he lived there for 4 years yet not only is there a plaque there is also a wonderful statue . I also did a walking tour in the area and the site of the Theatre where his father was the manager is also identified and marked with a citation even though it was demolished some years ago. North Tyneside council celebrate their heritage and offer support to many areas in that region and there are story boards and plaques dotted all over that give a potted history of the significance of many landmarks and buildings.

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Well done to them Captain,that’s a place I always wanted to visit,along with the Laurel and Hardy museum in Ulverston.
 
That is a really nice statue Captain. I think it's important for a town, village, or city to develop a sense of continuity, embrace the past and continue to progress as well. To take your example, even if people aren't fans of Laurel and Hardy or little kids don't have a clue who that funny looking bloke is, they still develop a sense of place which is the first step in developing a sense of pride in a community and then a sense of pride in oneself by association. Sort of a spatial identity. You would think it would in the long run lower crime because people would hopefully care more. To have a sense of history somewhere is to feel you belong there, and hopefully have some obligation to its care.

Chuffer, you bring up a really good point. They could have dedicated benches or something of that sort and gifted them to the town. It does go both ways and it shouldn't all fall on the town. I'm sure filming did cause a certain level of disruption and it would only have been good manners to say thank you in some way. Especially since the show did go on an unusually long time.
 
I know there are plans afoot for the 50th anniversary next year. Still no sign of Compos statue/plinth being erected though. No one wants to foot the not inconsiderable bill or decide on its location in the town. Come on Kirklees JUST DO IT.
 
Too much money but they ought to put a life size statue of Foggy,Compo and Clegg in the square where Sid’s cafe is,other cities and places seem to be able to do it,and they are often a tourist attractions in their own right,like the Fred Dibnah one in Bolton,there are loads of statues in Liverpool (I know they have more money probably) and people are always gathering round them,the Beatles one on the Dock front always has a queue wanting a photo with it,as I’m sure MoodyBlue will testify,I’m not comparing our wonderful trio with the Beatles of course,just making a point that people love statues and will travel to see them,I went all the way to Seaham to see the crestfallen Tommy statue,and to Morecambe to see the Eric Morecambe one,and I want to go to Ulverston just for a photo with the Laurel and Hardy one,I went to Bolton just to see the Fred Dibnah one,they could even crowdfund it or ask for public donations,it won’t happen though,the piece of stone with Compo’s face on it has been left in a quarry yard for years,there were plans to put it in the Memorial park across from Bamfords and Tom was going to unveil it but yet again nothing happened,was never really too keen on that to be honest,just the bust carved into the stone of just Compo,it ought to have been a proper statue,and not just of Compo.
 
The nearest official blue plaque to me is one for Alan Turin, about 2 miles away.
I like the musical ones that pop up here and there. I drive past one every other day that is for the house where Sad Cafe member Paul Young lived.
I feel like making a couple for our village, one for bassist Peter Hook who I can sometimes hear practicing in his garden studio and another for Joy Division vocalist Ian Curtis who used to frequent the local Chinese restaurant.
I m sure we’ve discussed favourite statues before and the old classics like Eric Morecambe and Les Dawson are great examples. The Fred Dibnah one not so much.
A great one I pass regularly is Frank Sidebottom… it is, it really is :)
 
captain clutterbuck said:
Whatever happened to this monstrosity that was carved back in 2016 wasn't it supposed to be put on the streets of Holmfirth hopefully someone saw sense and agreed it was not a fitting tribute.

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Awful isn’t it captain,that’s the one I was referring to that was supposed to be going in the memorial park across from Bamforths and has spent the last five years stored in a quarry yard.
 
ferret said:
The nearest official blue plaque to me is one for Alan Turin, about 2 miles away.
I like the musical ones that pop up here and there. I drive past one every other day that is for the house where Sad Cafe member Paul Young lived.
I feel like making a couple for our village, one for bassist Peter Hook who I can sometimes hear practicing in his garden studio and another for Joy Division vocalist Ian Curtis who used to frequent the local Chinese restaurant.
I m sure we’ve discussed favourite statues before and the old classics like Eric Morecambe and Les Dawson are great examples. The Fred Dibnah one not so much.
A great one I pass regularly is Frank Sidebottom… it is, it really is :)
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Sounds like a great place to live where you are ferret.
 
Must admit the Fred Dibnah one is not a great statue,to me it looks more like Timmy Mallet,I loved the man and his programmes though,some statues are really lifelike and I would love one of those in Holmfirth,but if they can’t get the Compo monstrosity erected after five years I don’t think there’s much chance
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Yes that one^^^^^is bobbins. I went to see it and couldn’t believe how bad it was. I went up the road to visit his house and then next door to view his grave instead.
Douglas Enwright said:
Must admit the Fred Dibnah one is not a great statue,to me it looks more like Timmy Mallet,I loved the man and his programmes though,some statues are really lifelike and I would love one of those in Holmfirth,but if they can’t get the Compo monstrosity erected after five years I don’t think there’s much chance
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In Tynemouth on the coast near me there is an infamous Fish and Chip Shop called Marshalls where everyone goes for food when visiting the coast [well they did until another shop Longsands opened up the street and took some of their trade] . Marshalls has a blue plaque for Jimi Hendrix who visited there after playing at a famous club in Newcastle. He was taken there by his later to be Manager Chas Chandler then of the Animals who regularly played at the club . Unfortunately the jury are out on the validity of the visit and the plaque, sceptics think the Restaurant told the tale for publicity . For me I hope it was true .

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Often look at railcams favourite line is West Somerset Railways some lovely scenes and stations like Blue Anchor and Crowcombe Heathfield . The visual charm of the latter and surroundings has caught the eye of several TV and film directors leading to scenes being shot at Crowcombe Heathfield for 'The Flockton Flyer', 'The Lion,The Witch and the Wardrobe', 'Land Girls' and The Beatles 'A Hard Day's Night . I would hope there is some sort of plaque to identify that it was used in those productions.

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Not really a statue, more in line with Captain's railway stations, I grew up with one of the biggest commemorative landmarks, The Arch in St. Louis. My school had a perverse obsession with getting us to walk up the stairs inside it once a year. Normally you take a lift which is round, with seats, and feels like you are inside the drum of a washing machine.

As for statues, the New Wallace and Gromit statue in Preston looks nice.
 
That sounds exciting Eithne,and I forgot about the recent Wallace and Gromit one,that’s really good and again,draws in the visitors.
In 2009 Kirklees council donated £200,000 towards this life size sculpture of Compo,and even chose a sculptor,John Alder,it was Tom Owen that was behind it all,it was going to be life size and made of bronze,much much better than that bit of rock they later went with,no one has mentioned this bronze one since,how great would this look in the centre of Holmfirth,bettered only by Foggy and Clegg leaning on the wall with him (no disrespect to Blamire,Seymour or Truly)
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