Campbeltowns Changing Fortunes

[petewick]

With things apparently on the up for the toon, why not invite Paddy Wivell back to film that inspite of overwhelming odds, Campbeltown is a great place and has ridden the storm, all down to the resilience and strength of character which is unique to the true people of Kintyre.
Let him show the good,genuine people of our lovely peninsula, rather than a minority of individuals who dragged the town into the gutter.

Petewick

[The Scouder]

With things apparently on the up for the toon, why not invite Paddy Wivell back to film that inspite of overwhelming odds, Campbeltown is a great place and has ridden the storm, all down to the resilience and strength of character which is unique to the true people of Kintyre.
Let him show the good,genuine people of our lovely peninsula, rather than a minority of individuals who dragged the town into the gutter.

Petewick

Petewick

I think your missing the point about Paddy's intentions. He had miles of footage that would have shown the town up in an exemplary light - probably about 95% of what he shot ended up on the cutting room floor because it would have made a nonsense of the pitch he sold to the BBC.

He'll never set foot in the town again unless he has cosmetic surgery so as he is not recognised. If by some small misfortune he does, he will probably need cosmetic surgery afterwards!

[petewick]

Hullo Scouder,

I agree with what you are saying to an extent, and I think that you have missed the point I tried to make.
If he or his cronies want to regain any journalistic credibility, they should bear in mind that to make another programme would highlight the way that a community can change in a short space of time if the population are given practical assistance and advice etc and not the usual drivel we are fed from Kilmory.
I am exiled in Oban and left Campbeltown due to there being no jobs.
This was at approx the same time Paddy Wivell was making his film and the situation in the town was grim.
Today, I feel great buzz of how things used to be in the toon, the people have their heads up and the crack is bangin'.
I was even offered two jobs this week.

[The Scouder]

Petewick

There are two issues here.
Firstly Paddy is pariah who peddles misery and off-kilter visions in his work (check out earlier postings for other examples). In the circles he operates, a "nice" film about Campbeltown would destroy his credibility for good. At no time has he expressed any remorse for the film he made here nor is he ever likely to.

However, I agree with you that a film showing the continuing upturn in Campbeltown's fortunes would be a good thing, only this time under the direction of a wise and symapthetic film-maker. Surely the BBC owe us that much!

Hope you get a chance to come back and work here

[petewick]

Cheers Scouder

[Wee Toon Ajax]

I might be wrong here but was the point of the documentary not about teenagers growing up in a rural community and not about Campbletown itself, as such, so why would he even need to do a follow up. Think the whole subject should be dropped now anyway, was over a year ago it was made and think that lessons should have been learned about allowing documentary film makers access.

But on the other point raised, yes, I do agree that the town is showing signs of regeneration and is looking a far better place. Long may it continue and good luck to all those who have worked hard to start this process.

[Malky]

was the point of the documentary not about teenagers growing up in a rural community and not about Campbletown itself

Indeed it was And from that point of view it was fairly accurate. I don't think it would have mattered which rural town Paddy had picked, the story would have been the same.

Of course he did set out with an agenda and that's where good (or perhaps bad) editing can make all the difference
And the Scouder is right, he had to sell the documentary to the BBC.

Malky

[petewick]

Hullo Ajax and Malky,

Points you made are very valid, thankyou.
The programme did reflect accurately the plight of teenagers in Campbeltown, but it did portray the town as being more cut off than it actually is by showing the Carradale road as the main road in/out of Campbeltown.
I can get to Vancouver from Glasgow in the equivalent time it takes on a day return to Glasgow by bus.
Additionally, there are lot of young people, myself included , who are returning, or are aspiring to return to Campbeltown.
I agree that this correspondence should end today, but thanks all for your input.
Petewick

[Wee Toon Ajax]

Petewick,

You have now raised an even more interesting topic and something I was thinking about earlier actually.

I have been out the town for 20 years myself and have never thought about returning to live in that time, although for retirement purposes it holds a definite pull for me.

But just out of interest what would be the reasons that make you want to return to Campbeltown - would they be personal eg family, maybe even economic or just simply had enough of the outside world. It would be interesting to find out other ex-wee toonies views on this too - what would make you return home. Intersting to hear from people who have had the opportunity to leave but decided to wait, what the reasons were.

I have to say, that if what you are saying is true and people are thinking about returning then it can only be of long term benefit to the town. Here is hoping that the knowledge and experience gained by these people whilst living outside of Campbeltown can be used to benefit the area in general.

PS Actually when saying earlier about ending the corresponence about Mr Weasel, i feel it only brought up ground covered probably in every bar and home in the town at the time. In fact if you type his name and campbeltown into google on the same line this board pops up as the first 3 entries - will make his ego feel better.

[Ship called Dignity]

I have been dying for this topic to get started and no way can it be ended..

Post more later tonight!

[Wee Toon Ajax]

What topic - the reasons for people staying in the town or leaving or coming back.

What is yours Davie - having to stay with a horrible brother when you left the town

[petewick]

Ajax

I was made redundant from Jaeger 4 years ago, a real blow to the area.
I went on to work in retail, social work etc, some of that time in these jobs based in Campbeltown, but mostly away.
I am based in Oban now but I would love to return to the toon on a full time basis.
Oban is nice but there is no community spirit, most of my friends up there are from outwith the area, the indigenous Obanites don't really want to mix with non Obanites, esp toonies.
This stems from a deep rooted jealousy they have of the Campbeltown people. They are very complacent because they are at the hub of Scottish tourism and don't need to make an effort to encourage visitors.
The toon is so welcoming to tourists, for example was watching the Scotland / Belarus match the other night in Whisky Mac's, when 4 young lads from south of the border came in.
The mad squad in the bar invited them into the conversation, crack was fab and not a sober one among us, was treble banked for a while.
That would simply not happen in Oban.
So, there ye' are now.
Petewick

YOU CAN LEAD A HORSE TO WATER BUT A PENCIL MUST BE LEAD!

[linda]

petewick

What you say is very true. As you know we have a shop in Oban and if we ever need cover the boys from Oban come down here. The manager from Oban loves it here as he cannot believe how we pull together as a community.He says Oban gets too much money easily as they are the gateway to the Highlands.

He was on about the way we have Coffee Mornings every week and The Music Festival and the amount of fundraising that we do. Also how friendly the people of the wee toon are.

[John S]

Check out the Oban forum page - older that this one and dead as a dodo, The second forum to start on this site was - (forum heading) "Post Here" - (first posting) " If you hate Campbeltown"
That is a measure of where we are in the eyes of some of our cousins


http://www.oban.ws/phpBB2/viewforum.php ... c0f0185c1e

[Malky]

Well I just posted to their 'extremely busy' site

Malky