Bignews Margate has frequently commented on Parking in Thanet and Margate in particular, according to today's Gazette Mill Lane car park will be free during a three month experiment, I've been accused of being a moaner etc. and I'm pleased that something is finally being done to encourage people into Margate at the weekend. I think it would be fair to say that I have given this topic a frequent airing, more so than tradition news outlets. (click here to bring up search results from this website referring to parking inc this item)
I make no apology for frequently focusing on controversial topics, I've been called a few things since this blog started, middle aged moaner (fair comment), W*nker, and F**kwit, people are entitled to their opinion.
I shall not be blogging for a day or two, I have to consider whether I can carry on this blog, with the implied threat from a powerful organisation. Since I believe the letter I received from these people actually referred to things that I have never mentioned.
My gut feeling is that this organisation is being heavy handed, bullying, and unreasonable but what they do have is money and I imagine lots of it.
I do not wish to have some unreasonable legal Juggernaut bearing down on me.
Here is one simple definition of defamation "A false accusation of an offence or a malicious misrepresentation of someones words or actions" am I guilty, I think not, discuss, because I still allow comment.
I have no wish to be sued into a cardboard box, so I shall, give it a break, to consider my options, which will please quite a few politicians whose commitment to free speech is just an illusion.
Finally to in answer to the person who initiated this strand, I allow anonymous comments because I believe in free speech!
Tony, I'd be very disappointed to see you stop blogging. I disagree with a lot of what all of you say, but Thanet NEEDS people like you, Bertie, Richard & Michael (& threats of litigation happens to people who just take photos too...).
ReplyDeleteTo get back on-topic, I agree that the free parking is a start, but I also agree with a comment in the Gazette that this experient should be tried in ALL of Thanet's towns & at all times of year.
If theyve nothing to hold against you then dont consider shutting the blog down. Dont let the bastards get you down.
ReplyDeleteHere is another hoping you don't close your blog. I have never read any of your comments being threatening of anyone to warrant such action. I suppose there are always people that are so thin skinned that they can take no criticism.
ReplyDeleteYou are not a lone voice in the wilderness I can assure you.You speak for many. The world would be a poorer place without the local blog.
First a note of support Tony Nil illegitimo in desperandum carborundum and all that. With the parking what they are actually offering is free parking for 3 hours only on Saturdays for a trial period of 3 months. Frankly looking at Margate an emergency measure of some sort on the Dreamland site is the only thing I can think of that could pull things round. I don’t even know if such a thing is possible, I know I am seeing a considerable number of new customers in Ramsgate who have stopped using Margate town centre. Unfortunately this is pretty much offset by the ones that have stopped using Ramsgate in favour of WC. We have boycotted out of town shopping since November and with one exception last Thursday for a pair of shoes that were ordered in Ramsgate but didn’t turn up, we have supported the businesses in the Thanet towns, I would urge you to do the same and to urge your friends to do also.
ReplyDeleteTony, it would be a great shame if you stopped blogging. You are one of most honest, intelligent bloggers around. Stay strong.
ReplyDeleteIf it is just Mill Hill that is free, then the experiment will fail.Other carparks such as College walk also need to be free. One does note that the free parking is not on a working day. Mill hill carpark is always empty on the weekends, as is College Walk lower deck with just a handful of cars. During the week it is full of permit holders, employed by the council.
ReplyDeleteCripes! cannot think for the life of me , who you have upset, Tony. Please feel free to send me an e-mial via Michael or ECR if I can be of help. I had better stand-by for the mail myself on Monday!
ReplyDeleteStick with the Blogging Tony, we may not always agree, but it would be a sad old world if everyone had to keep their 'gobs' shut,(much like a certain state run by a chap called Mugabe.
ReplyDeleteDon't be scared off. It is a bluff.
ReplyDeleteTdc appears at last to have noticed all the shops shutting down round HQ. Who ever decided to put up the parking charges to thier current level, simply does not understand the effect it is having on our town centres. And surely it just diminishes revenue as less cars park. A blanket 30p an hour across all town centre carparks on a saturday would make sense, raising revenue and encouraging people back to the town. But as somebody said there are few shops left worth visiting, so Tdc has probably done too little and also left it all too late, as the damaage has already been done.
ReplyDeleteTony. I hardly think any big organisation would go for the juggular without first asking you take down any offending article or comment. It will cost them money to launch libel action (if thats what we're talking of) and libel is not an easy one to crack. Then consider the amount of damages they'd seek. No point in suing someone with no money (no disrespect intended, it would most likely be a sum far and above you and most people could find). Pro Bono Lawyers are a good source of free advice if required: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2006/jun/05/law.world. In the end, if you have a letter from someone bullying you you're free to publish it and show them for what they might be.
ReplyDeleteTony
ReplyDeleteI will be blunt. You have long since signalled your vulnerablity to this sort of procedure (which is probably all wind and piss) by the way you have kittens about hypothetical libel litigants. Your demeanour invites a bully bluff.
If it were me. I would want to know their case. To consider it and judge whether their case has merit. If so to make remedy if not to fight em all the way to hell IF THE POINT AT ISSUE IS WORTH A SH-T. If their point is not worth a sh-t then ignore them and carry on as if they had never communicated. I do that all the time ... IGNORE THANET WANKERS.
In my case the public interest matters I consider are worth a shite are Deal Barracks bombing and whether it was preventable if Kent Police had done their duty, sabotage consistent with Stage 3 of the IRA Garland Plan, discharging a duty charged to me as a constable for which justice has not yet been secured.
I ignore any other flak. If I beat the f-ck (either physically or by litigation) out of every no account wanker to slag me off I would never have time to get my allotment dug
Some things have to matter and other things you have to let go.
I suggest that you are making them feel very important by dancing to their tune.
Get in there man. What's their beef. What can you do to put it right if their case has merit. And stop trembling in anticipation of a what is probably a non existent fight.
is the communication from their solicitors ?
email me if you want my take on it. In my time I have f-cked off a local boxing club and a councillor and a police authority all of whom started off "Libel carp carp"
But remember if their cause has merit then put it right. But my money is on the party is trying to bully you into silence.
Tony has always been at pains to avoid publishing anything derogatory let alone defamatory. But I did not expect that his scrupulous standards would signal to bullies that he is an easy touch to push around.
ReplyDeletemany regular bloggers (some evident on this thread) appear confident in his blogging publication standards.
Indeed and I would endorse the respect Michael Child and other regular bloggers have for Tony's standards.
ReplyDeleteI cannot even guess who has taken umbrage.
And since apparently no one else can even guess either then the situation would not appear to be at all helpful to a prospective defammation litigant.
Not another SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation). I've just started documenting a case in America where an expat from Russia carried out a paid review for a company and was flooded with negative comments about the company - it all turned sour and the company that had hired him started getting nasty. There were even some Character assassination attempts against the blogger linked somewhat to the CEO of the company and when the blogger (Vlad) attempted to defend himself they filed suit against him. It's 99% likely to fail but that's not going to stop it costing the guy 5K at least.
ReplyDeleteThere is a silver lining to this and that is that other bloggers have started to drag the companies name through the mud (so the point that they might want to fold) and some leading a-listers have started a fund to pay the blogger's legal costs.
The short story is that before the company even get their day in court they have not only lost the battle but the war and all their customers too.
For all that is worthy please do not let these bullies frighten you. Twice in all my blogging history I was faced with threats of this nature and once with actual violence. In the face of threats (from a local councillor no less) I backed down just once and have regretted it every time I recall doing so. In every other case I've stood my ground and aside from one (alleged) "council subcontractor" taking maters into his own hands the storm blew over and I felt an important point had been scored for freedom of expression (not to mention publicity for the truth).
Feel free to email me (matthew at thanetstar.com) because frankly I'd love to know what post(s) they feel so strongly about. What would they do if we all started saying whatever "it" is - not even Bill Gates himself (third richest man in the world) could sue us all and not commit business suicide.
If they want to come after you then they have to come after me too.
Well back to free parking.It's good tdc have introduced limited free parking. As a trader, Margate has declined very fast in the last 12 months, and little has been done to help existing business. The monthly business rates bill currently is not good value for money, with the overall local current management of the town.
ReplyDeleteI might be tempted to publish the letter and allow everyone to see what kind of people they are. Like me, you seem happy to issue an apology when and if an apology is due, so if they really are upset about something you've written, publishing their letter would also act as a clarification. They surely couldn't ask for more, especially from an individual blogger of limited means who is just expressing an opinion, and it would save them an awful lot of money in legal fees. After all, the Gazunder prints apologies all the time, and they're part of the Daily Mail group and presumably take out libel insurance, so they're eminently suable. My point being they seem to be able to persuade most people that an apology or clarification on the letters page is sufficient. If it's good enough for them it must be good enough for you!
ReplyDeleteIf, that is, you feel you have anything to apologise about.
Free parking tomorrow, where is the publcity informing the public. No notices in around Margate College sq, High st etc informing the public of the free parking, yet shops are given signs from Tdc to advertise the beach volley ball last weekend. The free parking is looking like a PR exercise, but is not actively encouraged as it may reduce revenues fron weekend empty carparks?
ReplyDelete