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Is council trying to force Comets out?

7:51am Thursday 24th January 2008

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A Croydon steel band said it intends to "fight the council to the death" after claims the town hall is trying to silence it.

The Comets Community project provides a variety of musical and artistic activities for children and aims to prevent vulnerable youngsters from falling into crime.

“Morale has hit rock bottom. I am just so frustrated because it is not only hampering my teaching but it is having an adverse affect on the band and it is getting worse.”

David Wellecomme

But at the end of last year Croydon Council began to look for alternative accommodation for the group after they claimed they had received countless complaints from neighbours about noise.

However at a later meeting the council informed the Comets it had only received five complaints.

The Comets are currently allowed to practice in a pavilion at a recreation ground off Aukland Road in South Norwood from 7pm to 9.30pm on Mondays and Thursdays.

But the council has rearranged the practice hours and denied them access to the pavilion at weekends.

The band had already had it practicing hours cut and lost 40 members last year. Its musical director, David Wellecomme, said: "We asked the council for an extra hour on top of our bi-weekly practice sessions simply so we could have a turnaround of the two groups and we were told it shouldn't be a problem. So when we received an email this week to say that not only had this been denied but the hours were brought back to an hour earlier we were furious.

The Comets Community Project has been using the Auckland Road pavilion for almost six years."

The group has spent £25,000 improving the facilities and the building and they do not want to start all over again.

David added: "Morale has hit rock bottom. I am just so frustrated because it is not only hampering my teaching but it is having an adverse affect on the band and it is getting worse."

And project manager Gina Sheridan said: "I feel like we are going round in circles with the council, they are being so obstructive. It is absolutely outrageous to do this to these kids."

In a letter to the group Anjli Gupta, senior property and regeneration consultant for Croydon Council, said: "The council wants you to note that the pavilion should not be regarded as a permanent home for the Comets. However, the council is fully supportive of the Comets Community project in helping channel local young people into positive activities and congratulate your achievements to date.

"In order to assist in the longer term the council is investigating the possibility of your requirements being met through a current or future school building programme."

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Your Say YourCroydon Guardian

Disgusted, Croydon says...
8:56am Thu 24 Jan 08

The question is, 'What do this council really want the Pavilion for'.
For 6 years they have allowed this band to use and indeed completely renovate a totally delapidated building, yet only now there have been complaints. Strange to say the least. Stranger still is the fact that the main complainant doesn't even live right next to the building but quite a way down the road. Supersensitive hearing? Perhaps he has to get up early for work.
I have two questions to ask the council.
1. What are you going to use this building for if you do manage to push the Comets out. 2. Are you going to recompense the managers for the amount of building work and renovation which they have done for you?
Perhaps Ms Gupta will be good enoogh to reply as I am sure that she reads these articles avidly.

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Mrs R Bartlett, South Norwood says...
12:23pm Thu 24 Jan 08

I would like to clarify one thing contained in this story if I may,we were informed on the 17th December last year during a meeting with the council that the complaints totaled five, I do hope that everyone will be in agreement with me when I say five does not equal "countless". Also the public may like to know that when asked what would happen to the building if we were forced to leave we were told by a councilor in that meeting that the council would probably leave it empty, or bull doze it. It is our belief that now the council know we have re decorated one of the changing rooms to a high standard, at our own cost, that they will seize the opportunity to begin hiring this out to the local Harris school and the Sunday league teams, after the football season finishes they would be approaching the cricket teams no doubt. The council have done nothing to help maintain this building in the past six years, the Comets have brought the building back from the brink, spending vast amounts of money, not to mentioned the time and hard work, these people have poured their heart and soul into this project, to help teach the local children something constructive, all the council can see is pound signs.

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ARABELLA HAMILTON FORTESCUE, SOMEWHERE says...
1:20pm Thu 24 Jan 08

We are in England, after all. If I travel to Spain, I want to hear Flamenco. In Peru I expect panpipes. In the Caribbean a steel band. In Croydon, however, I expect to see English morris dancers and to hear English folk music. Why not teach the children these? Steel bands are horribly loud!!

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Local resident, Auckland Road says...
1:52pm Thu 24 Jan 08

Isn't there forum somewhere who's one troll short?

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Bob Peel, Croydon says...
3:09pm Thu 24 Jan 08

ARABELLA HAMILTON FORTESCUE wrote:
We are in England, after all. If I travel to Spain, I want to hear Flamenco. In Peru I expect panpipes. In the Caribbean a steel band. In Croydon, however, I expect to see English morris dancers and to hear English folk music. Why not teach the children these? Steel bands are horribly loud!!
Steel bands are well vibrant - excellent stuff.
There is also the other matter that the support of these bands gives those who participate an interest, so AHF, let's not be quite so narrow minded.

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southgirl, south norwood says...
4:51pm Thu 24 Jan 08

quote
We are in England, after all. If I travel to Spain, I want to hear Flamenco. In Peru I expect panpipes. In the Caribbean a steel band. In Croydon, however, I expect to see English morris dancers and to hear English folk music. Why not teach the children these? Steel bands are horribly loud!!

Excuse you!!! Who are you to say anything? Always trying to get your little three pence in! You complain that there is too much crime on the street so here is a starting solution. i live right by this and would rather hear a steel band with ambition that some street rats smashing a car. It has nothing to do with the English culture or carribean, we are a multi cultural society are we not?? Music has diversity all over the world and these kids are part of that. Id rather them hold a couple of drums that a knife or a gun. So dont talk about them being too loud because the sound of little scum bag kids on the streets with no direction or ambition in life is a much worse noise. Dont you think.. or are you to narrow minded to believe that.

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Alison, T/ heath says...
5:55pm Thu 24 Jan 08

As a parent of a child in the band, I am astounded by the ease in which Croydon council say one thing and do something different. The band played for the council in Croydon high street on Saturday Dec 22nd, which meant accessing the pavilion to load the drums. Now they say we cannot enter the pavilion at weekends. ultimately making any further gigs a difficult propsect. Look at you tube and you will see just how good these children are. Comets steel playing war of the worlds or firestorm. So Croydon Council don't make token statements. Your actions speak far louder than your words. To date you have not been able to find us a suitable venue as an alternative, and you are squeezing our hours making the kids feel demoralised. these cjildren are good and should be celebrated.

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Mattthew Fullerton, London says...
6:16pm Thu 24 Jan 08

Croydon Council should be ashamed of their unbelievable hypocrisy. How can they tell the Comets that they are fully supportive of the project when they have been nothing if not obstructive and obtuse at every stage of the journey?

Furthermore, I suppose Ms Fortescue who writes above would rather that we did not have Indian restaurants because they smell different to 'English' food or colourful celebrations of Chinese New Year were banned for being an eyesore. I can only hope her outdated bigotry represents a miniscule percentage of society but sadly Croydon Council's actions lead me to suspect otherwise.

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Local Resident, Auckland Road, South Norwood says...
6:43pm Thu 24 Jan 08

Please do not bother to reply to Hamilton, it's a Troll.

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paul, New Addington says...
6:56pm Thu 24 Jan 08

Local Resident, Auckland Road wrote:
Please do not bother to reply to Hamilton, it's a Troll.
Probably looks and smells like one as well.


Good luck Comets, there are a lot of people backing you all the way, even those who are involved with other steel bands.

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Disgusted, Croydon says...
6:59pm Thu 24 Jan 08

ARABELLA HAMILTON FORTESCUE wrote:
We are in England, after all. If I travel to Spain, I want to hear Flamenco. In Peru I expect panpipes. In the Caribbean a steel band. In Croydon, however, I expect to see English morris dancers and to hear English folk music. Why not teach the children these? Steel bands are horribly loud!!

Such a small mind.
Are we not a multicultural nation which allows anyone to have freedom of speech (and action as long as it is within the law)?
If we were not then I very much doubt that Ms Gupta would have been able to rise to the dizzy heights within the council which she now occupies.
As for AFH's comments, how small minded!!! Music is the true universal language. You don't have to know anything about a country to enjoy the music which originates from it, just an open ear and mind, something which she obviously isn't blessed with.

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Tony, says...
7:29pm Thu 24 Jan 08

I thought that I had heard almost all the uneducated comments that were possible.That is until I read the most uneducated piece of drivel ever from "lady" Arabella whats its name.
I feel that her comments smack of racial undertones and feel pretty disgusted that she should make such daft comments.
Does that mean we should only eat roast beef and yorkshire pudding or fish and chips in England????
Before she makes such stupid comments, she ought to find out a bit more about the history and very hard work and dedication that goes into Pan.
Wake up silly woman and enter the REAL WORLD.

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Tony, New Addington says...
8:06pm Thu 24 Jan 08

As a follow uo to my earlier comment.
"Lady" Arabella, could you please enlighten us as to what your taste in music is please.
I am sure many of us are awaiting the answer with baited breath.

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Local Resident,Auckland Road, South Norwood says...
9:08pm Thu 24 Jan 08

http://en.wikipedia.
org/wiki/Internet_tr
oll
Please access the above link, and lets get back to business, don't let Trolls waste your time.

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TEENIE BOKO, SOUTH CROYDON says...
10:26pm Thu 24 Jan 08

Steel bands are great, but in Croydon we never hear English folk music. How about the Watersons, the Albion Band, Home Service, etc.? We do have a folk club here, but anything public in Croydon seems to be only steel bands - if we are going to be multicultural, let's not leave English music out!

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parent, norbury says...
10:36pm Thu 24 Jan 08

Perhaps the council would prefer it the pavillion to become what it was before then the miserable tiny minded people who are trying to spoil these childrens ambitions and chances of doing something with thier lives would only have themselves to blame leave the comes where they are they are not doing anybody any harm i believe we should get the enviromental people down they make less noise than the nieghbours from where i live with there stereos but the council dont move them on so please leave our kids alone and let them do what they enjoy doing without causing anybody any harm at all these kids are not commitimng a crime .

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Uncle Boko, Selsdon says...
10:51pm Thu 24 Jan 08

Why are the children not encouraged to perform the rich heritage of English Folk Music. OK, there is no harm in a steel band but in this country I am yet to hear one rise above being hideously out of tune. But I suppose in Croydon - music for the mob! It pleases the multicultural obsessives to the point of excluding anything English.

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Mrs R Bartlett, South Norwood says...
11:35pm Thu 24 Jan 08

If you believe that all stel pan music is "hideously out of tune" maybe I could persuade you to visit You Tube and type in comets steel into the search box, you may like to listen to two of the boys playing "Rondo alla Turca" a piece of Mozart, and then consider whether you think those two boys have not achieved anything. But I suppose you will take offence that the composer was not an Englishman.

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The Musical Director, Comets Community Project says...
11:45pm Thu 24 Jan 08

TO: Teenie Boko, Uncle Boko, AND Arabella Hamilton Fortesque.......
My name is David Wellecomme, and I am the Musical Director for the Comets Community Project. Firstly, Uncle Boko, please feel free to contact a man called Pepe Francis at the British Association of Steelbands (www.panpodium.com) and tell him what you said here about steel bands being hideously out of tune. I am sure he would be very pleased to hear this as HIS steelband, Ebony Steel Orchestra, are 15 times National and 2 times European Champions. You do not get titles like that by playing "hideously out of tune". I rest my case here.
To "teenie boko".... I thank you for not being so negative as, whom I presume to be your "Uncle", whatever, but, I am in full agreeance with you with regards to hearing more English music. However, in todays youth culture, if you were to play a piece of traditional folk music to a 12-15 year old, they would more than likely laugh at you. Unfortunately, this is the way the world is changing, with folk and jazz music being replaced by garage and techno. Even the word R&B has a completely different meaning from what it did 30 years ago. The reason we are a Steel Orchestra and not a folk group is because the youth of today see the Steel Pan as something somewhat out of the ordinary, a challenge in some respects. Above all, and you could ask any Pan player this question, if you were to ask "what is the best thing about playing a Steel Pan?", they would say THE EXCITEMENT.
This next paragraph goes out to all three of the above mentioned.
Steel bands not only in this country, but ALL OVER THE WORLD, are not narrow minded enough to think that they can only play calypso. I know I do, along with many others like me, make sure that our repetoires cater for as many styles as physically possible. For instance, my proposed repetiore for th coming year, yes, will include calypso, but it also contains rock, ballads, JAZZ, SWING, BIG BAND, and even a FULLY ORCHESTRATED CLASSICAL PIECE. A steel band is more than capable to cater for all of these, and I really wish people would open their eyes, wipe away the dust, push away the big neon signs that say "STEELBANDS ARE FOR THE CARIBBEAN" and realise that this is a truly magical instrument that is widely popular among our MULTI-CULTURAL SOCIETY that is the United Kingdom today.
I urge people reading this to e-mail me if you wish to discuss this matter, as I have no intention of hiding in a corner. I am proud of what I, the Comets Community Project, and every Steelband in the world does as our contribution to the universal language of the world, MUSIC. If anybody wishes to contact me please e-mail me at david@cometscommunit
yproject.co.uk.

Many Thanks
David Wellecomme (23)
Musical Director
Comets Community Project

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ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
8:58am Fri 25 Jan 08

What a fantastic explanation! I was glad to note that you cover all different types of music with your band. I am a folk singer - my husband plays guitar and I was in a folk band for 15 years. We met and married as a result of being involved in playing music to a Croydon morris group. But we do feel sad that folk music isn't taught in schools - there are now University courses in folk music. Also - many of the professional musicians we know DO teach folk music in schools, and many children perform. But I think children in Croydon don't even know what it is - would they really laugh at it? Perhaps someone should try. I am knocking steel bands, though - I love them!

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ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
8:59am Fri 25 Jan 08

Correction: I am NOT knocking steel bands!!!

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The Musical Director, Comets Community Project says...
9:23am Fri 25 Jan 08

Anne Giles, thank you. I would love it if you were to get in touch with me at some point, because aside from steel band, this is the sort of thing that we encourage at our project, to open our childrens eyes to all types of culture. We are not, as a minority of people seem to think, a band hell bent on making a racket, we are a community project, and that means working WITH the community. Please feel free to contact me at david@cometscommunit
yproject.co.uk as I am sure that our children would benefit from people like yourselves who have a gift to offer.
Thank you for your comment.

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ANNE GILES, selsdon says...
2:48pm Fri 25 Jan 08

Great stuff, David. I will e-mail you within the next few days.

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Alan, London says...
3:00pm Fri 25 Jan 08

The Comets have gone and Pavilion due to be renamed the Croydon Smack House.
The neighbours will be able glance out there windows watching hoodies helping themselves to the contents of there cars.
The constant flow of deliveries of extra stock to help support the local community.

The good kids (yes there is such a thing) will all disband and the Evil element will come back.
As we all know the good kids get nothing! No help regardless of race, or creed.
Yet if someone gets shot or stabbed there all labelled the same and we are all told itÂ’s because they have got nothing to do, yet to walk the streets.
Hmm! I know lets keep these kids off the streets and keep there Pan yard and maybe, yes maybe we can do something right for a change.

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Local resident,Auckland Road,, South Norwood says...
8:02pm Fri 25 Jan 08

Cheers Alan! The residents(or is there really only one complaining,he knows who he is) seem to forget what this building used to look like before the Comets took it over, I don't think we would ever see the council re painting and repainting every time the local kids did their graffiti, and challenging the yobs who have tried to take the park over at night would this resident like to go out and challenge them? These kids are free to roam our parks and streets at night, I don't suppose that their parents know or care where they are. I've spoken to the Comets parents when they have been in the car park area during the summer last year, they all seem to me to be very open and welcoming, and even offered a cup of tea or coffee! These people care about their kids, and at the same time seemed only too willing to make sure that I was happy with what they were doing, and that they weren't causing me any nuisance. If we had more groups like this in Croydon then it would be a happier and safer place!

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ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
10:23pm Mon 28 Jan 08

Yes - the local Morris team is Northwood Morris and they play throughout the summer months, May Day, Boxing Day, etc. My husband and I met when we were their musicians. Now, if you want folk clubs, there is the Sunday night Folk & Blues Club and the Monday night folk club at Ruskin House.

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ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
10:26pm Mon 28 Jan 08

Yes - Croydon has a Morris team - Northwood Morris, and they play throughout the summer, May Day, Boxing Day, etc. My husband and I met when we were musicians for that group. If you want folk clubs, there are two at Ruskin House, Monday nights and a Folk & Blues one on a Sunday.

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Andrew Silk, Croydon says...
10:51pm Tue 29 Jan 08

As a member of the Comets community Project, firstly, I feel that the council are being absolutely outrageous. I mean, the council are always trying to find ways of getting youths off of the streets and doing something constructive and now that someone has actually put in their own time and alot of hard work and effort to do so, the council are trying to wreck it. i'm sure that the so called "countless" neighbours that have been complaining will then be complaining about youths hanging around the streets if this project goes down the drain and it will partly their fault.

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trevor spencer, morden surrey says...
7:45pm Mon 16 Jun 08

I'm totally shocked by the bad comments and the way that the council are reacting to such a fantastic sound. A steel bad is without a doubt one of the greatest sounds. There isn't anywhere that people can learn these complicated but beautiful sounding instruments. To combine instrument learning with a comunity project is an inovation.
I was at a recent summer fair in wimbledon, where i heard the comets. I was compelled to find out more. I would love to be involved in this project and found it totally beneficial, worthwile and above all fun!!!

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Comments are closed on this article.

Blazing row: The Comets Community Project has had its practice hours cut by the council Deadlinepix CR18930 Blazing row: The Comets Community Project has had its practice hours cut by the council Deadlinepix CR18930

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