Tuesday 29 November 2005

Port Glasgow

I noticed this gushing story at the weekend:
Port Glasgow is taking a leaf out of New York’s book, where buyers adore the character of industrial buildings converted into apartments. Rhiannon Batten reports
Yes, I'm glad that the Gourock Ropeworks Building is being preserved and converted into flats. The views over the Clyde to the hills beyond will be wonderful, but I have a nagging feeling that living over there would be slightly different from here in central Edinburgh. Now, what could it be?

Here's a clue:

Robert Street is a five-minute walk from the prestigious loft-living soon to be offered in the Ropeworks.

Nine years ago, the street was named by the Scottish Office as among the worst 10% in Scotland for deprivation. Little has changed.

The site remains one of the cheapest and most deprived streets in the country, with house prices having fallen by about two-thirds in 15 years.

In June, a one-bedroom flat sold for £6000; the year before, a similar home went for £2000 less. The average price of 14 properties sold in the past two years is £11,110.

With nearly half of the street's 420 flats empty, about 40% of those occupied are in the private rented sector. There are about seven main landlords; one has about 50 properties, two or three each have 20 to 30. Nearly all flats are in a poor state of repair. The stair lighting in many has been wired illegally to provide electricity for flats.

Most tenants claim housing benefit, and many suffer from drug or alcohol addictions.

And Right for Scotland tells us about a little incident involving some of the local welfare recipients:
These people have no vested interest in improving themselves as they have become comfortable on state handouts. They have a house that allows them to deal drugs out of the rain and they can afford to keep dogs to beat. They can have as much casual sex as they like secure in the knowledge that the government will keep their bastard offspring in the manner they have become accustomed to so that in 20 years time my children can witness their children bottling someone in the Vango sale queue.
I think that I'll say "no" to the Ropeworks lifestyle. Good luck to those who do purchase flats in that wonderful building, but I fear that they may be in for a quick lesson in how the welfare state has corrupted large parts of Britain.

Such a pity: the views will be fantastic.

2 comments:

David Farrer said...

Comments made on previous template:

portonian
You really should know someting about the area and subject matter before you go running at the mouth with ill informed information. 
The BBC are using the building right now and all bar one apartment has been sold.

10 October 2007, 09:47:42 GMT+01:00
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triticale
Here in Wisconsin, the Clinton-era mandate for "welfare reform" has worked out pretty well. Subsidised job training and subsidised child care instead of subsidised life have started generating a work ethic in only a decade. There may have been more, but I've only heard the activists whine about one woman who wound up destitute thru not having advanced herself by the time the supplemental subsidies ran out.

15 December 2005, 06:49:20 GMT
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Robert Seaton
Right for Scotland say:  
 
"These people have ... become comfortable on state handouts. They have a house that allows them to deal drugs out of the rain and they can afford to keep dogs to beat. They can have as much casual sex as they like secure in the knowledge that the government will keep their bastard offspring in the manner they have become accustomed to so that in 20 years time my children can witness their children bottling someone in the Vango sale queue." 
 
Does anyone else think that Right for Scotland sound just a wee bit jealous?

6 December 2005, 18:44:48 GMT
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Gordon
How is Sean Fein? I for one have never understood how you can be an enthnic marxist.

5 December 2005, 11:37:14 GMT
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Ragnar Danashold
"Tell the Marxist to keep posting. Anyone who still believes that farrago of Jewish claptrap needs some place to practice what he rote-learned from the Yids." 
 
What the hell? Anti-Semite trash. I find my support of Free Speech fully gets tested by these Nazi assholes. 
 
"Celtic independence? I don't think that entirely makes sense." 
 
You know...the Scottish Republic...Sean Fein...whatnot? 
 
"I've said it before Ragnar but for a Marxist that is a refreshingly individual rather than class based remark." 
 
Thanks, but it is class-based. If it helps the Working Class (which includes Small Businessmen and the Poor, I might add), it's good, and I think that welfare needs to be reformed for the sake of the people.

3 December 2005, 15:15:17 GMT
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Neil Craig
"We've got to make Welfare something that does help get people back on their feet" 
 
Absolutely. 
 
I've said it before Ragnar but for a Marxist that is a refreshingly individual rather than class based remark.

2 December 2005, 21:31:02 GMT
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Gordon
These flats will never sell I believe it wasn't to far from here that the slash and run incidents occured. Slashing motorists that were stationary at the lights for a laugh. Delightful for any yuppies. I guess it will be the tower block for the customers and loft living for the dealers. 
 
Celtic independence? I guess yes they should be an independent football club (I always thought they were).

1 December 2005, 17:15:23 GMT
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Kenny McCormack
1: Not everyone on welfare is trying to fuck the system. It's the system that needs reforming, anyway. We've got to make Welfare something that does help get people back on their feet. 
 
Quite true, but you above statement dies concede that some people do try to (ahem) "fuck the system". However there is also a element of people who "fuck the system", but are otherwise perfectly well behaved and follow the basic tenants of civility. It is the feral children that are a greater cause of concern. 
 
2: This is off topic, but does GB/Scotland have an active Libertarian party? And what are their views on Celtic Independance? 
 
The answer is no, there are no libertarian parties in Scotland or GB, at least not any that come close to being elected. 
 
Celtic independence? I don't think that entirely makes sense.

30 November 2005, 19:49:39 GMT
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David Farrer said...



David Farrer
The comment that Andrew referred to has been removed.

30 November 2005, 17:06:24 GMT
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Andrew Ian Dodge
Tell the Marxist to keep posting. Anyone who still believes that farrago of Jewish claptrap needs some place to practice what he rote-learned from the Yids. 
 
Nice bit of Jew hatred there...you must be proud of yourself you judenhass scumbag.

30 November 2005, 13:17:42 GMT
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Julius
p.s. how do you "deliver" a house?

30 November 2005, 11:58:44 GMT
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Julius
The Times Report has this: 
 
"the Riverside Inverclyde partnership (formed between Inverclyde council, Scottish Enterprise Renfrewshire, Communities Scotland and the landowner Clydeport) plans to deliver 2,500 new homes over the next 10-15 years" 
 
Somewhere buried in this Blair-speak you can be sure that tax money is being used to pay for house building. Council housing by the back door, methinks.

30 November 2005, 11:58:09 GMT
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Julius
Bit late in the year for flies isn't it?

30 November 2005, 11:51:46 GMT
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Ragnar Danashold
BTW, I hope you arn't too pissed off about having a Marxist post on here. 
 
Just ask, and I'll stop.

29 November 2005, 22:50:40 GMT
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Ragnar Danashold
1: Not everyone on welfare is trying to fuck the system. It's the system that needs reforming, anyway. We've got to make Welfare something that does help get people back on their feet. 
2: This is off topic, but does GB/Scotland have an active Libertarian party? And what are their views on Celtic Independance? Speaking of which, what are yours?

29 November 2005, 22:50:08 GMT