Old Bushmills Distillery - in an Alcohol Free Area

A friend drew my attention to this curious juxtaposition in Upper Main Street, Bushmills!

Northern Ireland - FixMyStreet

Hello NALIL!

I'm writing from the not-for-profit mySociety. I thought your readers might be interested to know that our website FixMyStreet.com now covers Northern Ireland - so the residents of North Antrim can now report potholes, faulty street lights, and any other street problem through the site, and it will go to the right contact in the local council.

FixMyStreet launched in 2007, covering Great Britain only, due to conditions of the funding that helped pay for it. But with those restrictions in the past, the only impediment to spreading across the whole of the UK was time and resources. It had long been on our own wishlist to do so, but time was scarce. Fortunately, a project we undertook for Channel 4 last year used very similar code to FixMyStreet, and has allowed our developer Matthew Somerville to repurpose it and finally bring NI onto FixMyStreet.

The idea behind the site is a simple one: people don't always know who to contact when they experience a problem like fly tipping, graffiti or broken paving. With FixMyStreet all they have to do is pinpoint the issue on a map - or allow the site to automatically geolocate them - and their message is sent off to the right place. FixMyStreet covers all 26 local NI councils and the central Roads Service, and works quite happily on a mobile browser or desktop. Users' reports are also published online, meaning that other local people can read, discuss and advise on what's been reported in their own area.

With Northern Ireland having been added only at the end of last week, their pages are looking strangely sparse, but we're sure that's not because there's nothing to report! If your readers would like to give the site a go, they should visit FixMyStreet.com and enter their own postcode. This will bring up the local map where any reported issues can be viewed, or a new one created.

Giant's Causeway Visitor Experience - A Glitch

How Not To Win Friends

Tourism Board chiefs, in the background, 

miss out on Royal line-up in June 2010

AN APOLOGY

The absence of the NITB chiefs was not down to NT. 

The line-up for the Royal handshake was arranged by others.

The Coffee Experience

The Judicial Review

The Board Member Resignation

AND NOW

The Toilet Experience

New Giant's Causeway Visitor Centre

A friend told me that the toilets are part of the £8.50 Experience in the new multi-million pound Giant's Causeway Visitor Centre - so I thought I'd check it out. I entered the centre and asked one of the receptionists if I could use the toilet facilities. She inquired if I had a ticket and when I said I had none she directed me back out to the car-park where another member of staff helpfully pointed me to the side entrance just before the tunnel. "But there are no signs", says I; "There wouldn't be", says he, "They want visitors to go into the centre".

I probably could also have had a free view of the exhibition! Who is responsible for this elementary blunder? The same curious approach applies to the shop and the cafe; I doubt if it will ever be used by other businesses seeking customers!

Free entry to toilets via unmarked door on left**

[Added August 11. I was told that the three free toilets are on the left as you face the doors in the photo. I checked one of them today - it's so small you almost need to reverse in!!]

This blunder has also created a bit of a nuisance for the Causeway Hotel staff. A notice has now been fixed to their toilets pointing out that the facilities are for hotel customers only.

These steps link the Visitor Centre car-park to the Causeway School Museum. Walking on angled steps is an experience - once you've adjusted to anti-trip mode :L

Added August 21

“Is the current pricing structure in line with the figures provided for the business plan, if not what has changed?

“What Government support is available if, due to adverse publicity, the numbers attending the site drop below a sustainable level?

“There is a responsibility on both Government Ministers to immediately intervene to promote tourism on the North Coast given the adverse publicity generated in the past few days,” said Assemblyman Swann. .. Ballymoney and Moyle Times

Moyle District Council - Return to the Sand Rodden

Support the Emergency Services

Ensure Quick and Easy Access Wherever Possible

It was the second visit for the emergency services this week down the narrow rough Sand Rodden that runs from Runkerry Road to the eastern end of Bushfoot Strand, the only road access for their vehicles. This time the reported incident involved a broken ankle.

The narrow track is in need of repair

The padlock has not been replaced on the bollard

The 3 o'clock to Bushmills approaching the Sand Rodden

Access to the strand would need to be kept clear of large boulders

The return to Runkerry Road

Added July 21

Moyle District Council Agenda for Monday, July 23:

1. Removal of bollard blocking access to Runkerry Beach along the Sandy Rodden.

(Requested by Councillor P McShane).

All such signs should face strand users, not be sideways on.

I'm told that this and other gates on the road down to White Park Bay strand are usually kept locked via padlock and key. They are a barrier to quick and easy access for emergency service vehicles.

Added July 23

A padlocked bollard and, sometimes, a heavy chain and padlock can prevent emergency service vehicles getting even as far as this lower crossing-gate on the Sand Rodden; the lane leads to the eastern end of Bushfoot Strand.

Added November 7

The Moyle Council report is at odds with the accounts of witnesses recorded here on NALIL blog. The report makes no reference to the 30 minute toing and froing between Portballintrae and the Sand Rodden by the rapid response ambulance in the company of two coastguard vehicles; there's no mention of the family-size black hatchback car that appears to have been associated with rescue attempts. Moyle Council officials read NALIL blogs yet they apparently decided to ignore the accounts of independent witnesses. Why did the expressions of concern by some councillors at the time of the tragedy evaporate?

Report on Safety and Access to Runkerry Beach [DOC file]

Following on from Council’s meeting on 23rd July 2012 a review of safety at Runkerry Beach was undertaken.  A full report was circulated.

After discussion 

Councillor P McShane proposed,

Seconded by Councillor McAllister and resolved,

“That Council approve the recommendations in the report on safety and access to Runkerry Beach and that an Action Plan be prepared for their implementation.”