Forum Topic

Sonic Recycler @ Watermans

Well I missed it. :(

Philippa Bond ● 6226d17 Comments

When?

Philippa Bond ● 6194d

bert jansch was at the watermans

Robert A Field ● 6194d

I too wasn't sure about the timings for anything other than the music in the evening which we nearly booked for.  It is just too far for us to walk and drop in to find out...  Was it fully booked or might we have had a chance?  We've been very busy so haven't booked anything much recently.  We took the chance on Monday night and turned up at the Jazz Cafe on the off chance we could get in to see/hear Bert Jansch and were successful but usually prefer to know beforehand before travelling!

Philippa Bond ● 6194d

what comedy at the watermans it never has been for many years for local people and yes i remember the air raid shelters at burford house am that local the watermans needs to look at the local area and start again or loose it's funding

Robert A Field ● 6195d

Leigh, I think that we are extremely lucky to have Watermans here in Brentford. We particularly enjoy the cinema and comedy, but it looks like the only current theatre offerings are for children. It's great that you are proud of what Watermans offers, but surely you can see that changes could be made. I have just had a look at previous posts and see that in September 2007 you invited people to come for a chat to share their comments and ideas for improvement. What was the outcome? Have things changed?

Holly Hodges ● 6195d

i used to bring my daughter to the watermans most weekends and being a single dad unusausal but the watermans these days are not for local people as you may be able to see my daughter is now 22 and yes we went down there since she was young and yes had a great time down there but this is hounslow

Robert A Field ● 6195d

Robert, I'm not sure that all the people who come to the Cinema or bring their children to the theatre on Sundays would agree with you

Leigh Stops ● 6195d

local people have been let down by the watermans now for many years it has nothing of interest there for local people a few weeks ago someone from there was on local radio i don't think he has ever been in there for a few years i used to enjoy the sunday music there but now it seems a big indian food eatery

Robert A Field ● 6197d

Virginia, I feel like I should apologise. I didn't mean that the FOE stall itself wasn't a worthwhile endeavour. It's just that I turned up between 5 and 6 - not very late in the day by usual weekend standards - expecting a lively event with music, stalls, barbeque and all the things advertised on the posters and found a virtually empty bar and just the FOE left. Well done to all who participated. It's a shame that it wasn't well-promoted and was consequently poorly attended. Even the staff didn't know about the barbeque which was an advertised part of the event.Leigh, isn't it important to promote an event not only to the people who have already expressed an interest - those who will visit this and the Watermans sites - but also to a wider audience? I don't see how extra paper is an issue. I think that one of the problems is that more people need to know about Watermans and how accessible it is by public transport. Another issue is to get locals back. When people feel let down, they are less likely to return.

Holly Hodges ● 6197d

I think you will find that the website www.watermans.org.uk always has everything that is on, Brentford TW8 do  a stirling job of promoting Watermans including Sonic Recycler and anyone interested can sign up for e-mails which provide a constant flow of information about what is happening. In the current environment, Watermans like many other venues is tryig to use as little paper a possible

Leigh Stops ● 6198d

I think the event needed a bit more explanation.  Looking at the numbers on the end of it I presume that it has been happening year after year but unless you have attended you won't know...

Philippa Bond ● 6198d

BRAG did have a stall, as did Hounslow Recycling Team,Sophie Allen the jeweller, and Seed Swap Hounslow, but the stalls were not intended to carry on into the evening. Friends of the Earth's "sad little stall" (it wasn't sad all the time but actually quite jolly with a selection of second hand books, vintage postcards and information leaflets)remained because some of us had tickets for the music in the theatre so weren't packing up till that had finished. Incidentally the music was really good and it was a great pity that not more people attended. I am sure that if it had been at a different venue it would have been packed out.I really don't know why Watermans has such problems with advertising. I have several times suggested some kind of information boards outside so that passers by could see what's on. The cinema offering is very good, I think, and if people knew what was being shown I'm sure there would be better audiences. At the moment it doesn't even say it's a cinema as they are promoting the restaurant instead!

Virginia Fassnidge ● 6200d

I couldn't work out what was on at what time apart from the music in the evening which I understood better.I thought that BRAG were to have a stall and a jeweller making jewellery out of recycled materials...Has politics demotivated this?

Philippa Bond ● 6223d

Why are they unprofessional?Is there a management committee or similar, and if so who is on it, and who appoints them?

Dan Filson ● 6223d

It might not be everything you want but as I recall the cinema and theatre are now licensed and you can take drinks in (albeit in plastic containers).

Matt Harmer ● 6223d

We didn't have tickets for the performances, but dropped in around 5 or 6 to see what was happening in the bar area and found it a bit sparse. No dj (there were only a couple of sets in the afternoon) and one sad little FOE stall. We thought we'd get a bite to eat and looked for the barbeque which was being advertised on the posters. We asked a woman in the box office who knew nothing about it and conveyed this by shrugging her shoulders and saying "No idea. There's a restaurant downstairs." Returned after dinner to have a drink in the deserted bar where we were ignored by staff loudly manhandling sound equipment and chatting next to our table.We spent the rest of the evening discussing how we love Waterman's cinema and location and how we hate how unprofessional it is and how it seems like they will never be capable of making a profit. Have lost count of the times we arrived on time for a film that started late and once turned up on time for a film which had started early. Drinks aren't allowed in the cinema, but the bar will certainly be closed or closing as the later film finishes, so no opportunity to enjoy a drink and a chat about the film.Sorry to sound a bit grouchy but it was disappointing. I would like them to try harder.

Holly Hodges ● 6224d

Did nobody go who can tell us about it?

Philippa Bond ● 6224d