Airdrie is Blogging

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2012-09-09T18:27:00.000+01:00

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THE BEST CHIPPY IN THE WORLD (Airdrie)

2012-02-18T18:27:00.001+00:00

The quest to find a replacement for the Cafe La Fiesta (Zamboninis) as the beat chip shop in Airdrie will commence in January.

The full list of Chip Shops is below, any to add then let us know ASAP.

The Chippy will change to Red when they have been reviewed.

AN OVERALL WINNER WILL BE DECIDED WHEN ALL ARE TASTED.

May the best CHIP win !!!!!

Senor's
Roberto's
Sizzlers
Pacific
Ferri's
TJ Fryers
Amo's

Golden Fry
Pizza Nico
Benny's

Best Chippy in Airdrie 6

2012-02-16T22:22:00.002+00:00

Airdrie's best chippy

Ferri's

Fantastic & wrapped in newspaper, ya dancer !!!

Chips £1.50

Very tasty and a great portion.
Smart and friendly staff in a very clean well stocked chippy.
Excellent value and well worth the drive to Chapelhall.
Give Ferri's a try you wont be disappointed.

Fantastic and Newspaper....brilliant !!!!

Save The Airdrie Art Centre

2012-02-04T15:42:00.002+00:00

Why has Airdrie Art Centre closed ?

The council apparently have told the Art Centre comittee that cost was the issue.

Is this true ?

North Lanarkshire Council see the newly refurbished Town Hall as the replacement facilities for everything the Art Centre offered to the town.

Well I dont agree.

I spoke to an Art Centre volunteer, who has supported our town for over 70years, and on the evidence given by them and several others in town the art centre is irreplacable.

Small productions, social cafe and community spirit were some of the priceless services the art centre provided for the Airdrie people.

Some elderly residents had there only daily meals in the centre and most elderly towns folk welcomed this social and friendly meeting place in the town.

The campaign to "save" the Airdrie Art Centre should now be replaced by "get the Art Centre open NOW"
What do our Elected officials think about the closure ?

We have an MP and MSP candidate that claim to know what the Airdrie people want, well lets ask them.

MP Nash & MSP Neil:-

what do you think about the Art Centre closure ?

What facilities has Airdrie got that replicates the Art centre ?

Is the Art Centre building in the listed classification ?

Whats the plans for the Art Centre Building ?

Keeping in mind that the Orrs and Bingo properties have been empty for years and are falling beyond repair.
It is a sad tale,

The Art Centre was the centre of LIFE for some Airdrie residents, especially those of an age that made Airdrie a once great town.

Lets make Community spirit a priority in Airdrie.

Has Airdrie dragged MacD's down ?

2012-01-27T20:28:00.001+00:00

Anybody been to the McD's in Airdrie recently ??

The last time i was there it was clean and tidy and very professionally run, oh how the recession has lowered the standard of the world's biggest restaurant chain, or is it just dropping to Airdrie's standards ?

McD's car park should have thrown up the warning signs, it was full of rubbish, the bins were overflowing with crushed McD's items scattered everywhere.

Inside wasn't much better, the floor was filthy, the serving counter was covered in rubbish. The worst area was around the milkshake area, several broken cones sat on the unit and the floor was covered in chips.

Loads of staff but no one seemed to care about the mess around the paying customers.

McD's is a fantastic family favourite and popular with all age groups, it will remain busy regardless of market conditions therefore is it taking it's customers for granted ?

If Airdrie is to improve as a town we have to get together and highlight all it's failings.

This McD's experiance may have been a one off, man i hope so, only you will know the truth......well ?

Was it a one off or is Airdrie's McD's standards slipping the same as the rest of the town ??

Let's work together as a community to get Airdrie back in shape !

Airdries best chippy No 6

2012-01-26T16:41:00.002+00:00

Best Chippy in Airdrie - number 6

SENOR'S

First class, excellent !!

Chips - £1.50

Humongous portion, top drawer tasty chips.
Served in paper and not greasy, quite a firm chip brilliantly cooked and presented.
Friendly uniformed staff in a well stocked chip shop.
Well worth a visit superb.
So far Airdrie has not disappointed in the quality of its chips, it will be tough to judge .

AIRDRIE IS CHIPTASTIC

Financial battles ahead to keep Golf in Airdrie

2012-01-22T16:30:00.000+00:00

Can local Golf Clubs Survive the Financial Meltdown ?

Golf clubs throughout Scotland never mind locally are fighting for survival as they battle it out to attract new members at a time when the number of people playing the game is suffering a spectacular crash.

Our two local clubs, Airdrie and Easter Moffat, are not immune from the economic crisis that is picking of business on a daily basis.

Can our local clubs ride it out and keep the wolf from the door ?

Scotland has long been heralded as the “home of Golf”, this fact compounded the belief that the game of golf in Scotland was immune to the financial epidemic gripping the world.

The last decade has saw the game open its doors to countless new participants, fussy snooty nosed committee members interviewed for membership with an authority normally reserved for royalty.

Not that long ago if you were to walk into your local golf club and ask about joining, you would be shown the door if you didn’t produce several exceptional references.

Even with the proper credentials you would still be told in no uncertain terms that you would go on a waiting list but should not expect a call for at least five years.

Wealthy, powerful businessmen would sweat it out as the men in blazers made them squirm to prove they were worthy of membership.

Not that long ago the power of the golf club committee member was something to behold in the local community, terrified members would rather feel the wrath of the Police than that of the Captain of their golf club.

Before the well documented global financial meltdown Private Golf clubs had enough members to cover costs and healthy waiting lists that provided the stable security of guaranteed new members when others died or left.

But, as golf continues to suffer from the recession – in Scotland alone club membership levels are reportedly down 10 per cent in the men's game and 25 per cent in the women's game – these same men in blazers are having to climb down from their ivory towers.

As the dark financial clouds get ever denser around communities and business the committes are swiftly finding out that every home has tough financial decisions to make on a daily basis.

Members take home pay is slashed and household bills rocket therefore golf club membership is reassessed and the value of their membership slips down the houshold priority list.

Family essentials are rightly prioritised.

A mixture of stubbornness and pride delayed Golf committees from the inevitable humble pie eating but the financial reality of plummeting membership figures and thousands of pounds disappearing from the balance sheets soon brought about a stiff state of realism.

As most clubs are non profit making every penny is a prisoner, member resignations mean cut backs and the threat of extinction for clubs calls for tough decisions to be made. The alternative is club closure.

Waiting lists have disappeared with the snobbery membership exclusiveness faster than a downhill left to righter at Augusta, the market reality for Golf is that if you can pay you can play.

The humble approach by the committees hasn’t been extended to discarding the blazers and old school ties for denims and hoodies but a more low brow approach has gripped the golfing fraternity.

Survival has a knack of uncovering class equality.

The closure of the local Golf club will spark little sympathy from those not part of the club. As outlined above the ancestral snobbery alienates large sections of the community, for these reasons Golfing Committees have their work cut out if they are to survive.

At substantial costs clubs like Airdrie and Easter Moffat have been forced to take out press ads and put up banners in prominent positions on the course to advertise memberships, they have held Open Days to let potential members see what's on offer and they have even reduced or suspended their joining fees.

Getting new members through the doors is a tough enough task, explaining the joining incentives to the existing members is mission impossible.

It is unfair that the existing members paid a £500 joining fee, the reality is though if this fee is continued their club will die.

Cutbacks are taking place but the balance is tough, the course has to be perfect to encourage players however green keeping staff don’t come cheap.

Golf club committees are volunteers from normal working environments few can boast at having members that are economists or business development managers, what chance have they got if the Alistair Darling’s and George Osborne’s can’t bring about financial growth with a countries resources at their disposal.

The tunnel is dark with no glimmers of light at the end of it, clubs will need to be imaginative to survive.

Do you sympathise with the Golf Clubs plight ?

Whats your thoughts on financial priorities in these tough times ?

Is Membership at Airdrie or Easter Moffat Golf Club good value ?

Why should anyone join a Golf Club ?

Airdrie Band "The Big Dish" Concert Review by Airdrie man David Fagan

2012-01-22T14:55:00.002+00:00

The Big Dish Served Up a Treat

Around 29 years ago, I found myself in a large, draughty room in a building on Blythswood Square. It was part of a building that served as an annex to Glasgow School of Art, which I had just started.

I started chatting with the guy next to me, who it transpired, was like me, in a band. I guess the lecture wasn’t too exciting as we got chatting about the music we liked.

I asked him where he lived.

“Airdrie” he replied.

“Really? I live in Airdrie too. Which part of Airdrie?

“Petersburn.” He replied.

“Jeeze, I stay in Petersburn too. Where in Petersburn?

“Mull.”

“You’re taking the pish! Someone has told you that’s where I live, haven’t they?

“No really, I’m from Mull”.

This was my opening conversation with Steven Lindsay. We went on to become good friends and for a time anyway, shared a common career path in music.

Steven’s band, The Big Dish, were signed to Virgin in 1984, when we were both in second year in the Drawing and Painting Department of GSA. Later my band, Wild River Apples would sign to Chrysalis.

During this time I also met Brian McFie, who was three years ahead of Steven and me and also studying drawing and painting. Brian was from Glenmavis and was (and remains) a very talented painter and also a wonderful guitar player. At the time he was playing with his own band, Valerie and the Week of Wonders. He would go on to become the guitarist in The Big Dish (incidentally, the name comes from the family name for Steven’s dad’s famous soup).

Move forward 29 years.

The Big Dish comeback tour. Well, actually, more of a comeback gig at the ABC on Sauchiehall Street. The venue couldn’t have been more apt, being immediately in front of the Art School.

Clearly Big Dish fans are passionate and loyal. Even 15 years or so after their break up, they managed to sell out the ABC, which was packed with forty and fifty something couples.

The question was, would The Big Dish live up to these fans heightened expectations. Fans needn’t have worried. From the opening chords of a beautifully pared down Prospect Street, it was clear that The Big Dish had lost none of their appeal and in particular, Steven’s voice remained one of the greatest pop voices ever to have come out of Scotland.

The crowd were clearly in the mood to show their love for the band, reliving the memories associated with each of Steven’s wonderfully crafted songs.

Brian rocked like only Brian can, caressing his big, fat Gretch, coaxing beautiful melodic lines which complemented Steven’s vocals. Alan Dumberck (on keyboards) and Raymond Docherty (on bass), who had both played in early Big Dish line ups, ensured that the sonic experience of the albums were recreated. Ross McFarlane, who hadn’t been part of the original Big Dish line up and who had played in The Loved Ones along with me and Stuart MacLeod, was sensational on drums. He provided a solid and exciting rhythmic foundation for the rest of the band.

But above all this, were the songs. For some reason, Steven and The Big Dish never quite made it into the big time. However, many people agree that he is one of Scotland’s greatest songwriters.

Highlights last night were a beautiful semi-acoustic version of Jealous, a song which explores the vulnerability and fragility of love; a sing along version of the best song ever written about sex, Slide; and a plaintive and sublime version of one of Steven’s solo songs, Breakdown.

By the time the band played Bowie’s ‘All the Young Dudes’ the crowd (including me) were singing along and hoping the night wouldn’t end.

I am sure that they all shared my view that this comeback gig, should be followed by a comeback tour and a comeback album.

The Big Dish, Airdrie’s finest - well, after Wild river apples ;)

Airdrie's Best Chippy Number 5

2012-01-20T22:26:00.001+00:00

SIZZLERS

Excellent
Top Quality Chippy
Chips £1.50
Friendly atmosphere, clean and tidy chip shop.
Tasty chips in paper !!

I have to say the best yet!!!

Sit in or take away get in and try some great chips!!

Airdries Best Chippy - Number 4 Pacific Chip Shop

2012-01-17T19:02:00.002+00:00

Pacific Chip Shop

Pretty tasty!!!!

Chips - £1.45

Super clean Chippy with a warm friendly welcome from the staff.
Cracking size portion, really tasty, all round excellent chips!!
Disappointedly served in a box, paper makes a difference.
Well worth a visit you wont be disappointed.

Airdrie chippies are proving to be pretty good quality !!!

Tough Times for Everyone ???

2012-01-17T16:43:00.000+00:00

Tough times are upon us all …….. Or are they ??

Airdrie is no different from any town in Scotland at present, shops are closing, loose change is non existent and morale is low through the community.

All the towns’ folk are working harder and paying more just to survive the endemic financial down turn.

Or are they?

Is everyone enduring the same daily toil just to make ends meet?

Following the success of the “Hit” TV series the Scheme we are continually subjected to the exploits of several of its cast members.

These so called celebrities would do well to dismiss the car crash journalism that seeks out their misfortune.

Some residents of this show, filmed in the village of Onthank , Kilmarnock, will be replicated in communities throughout Scotland , unfortunately including Airdrie.

The show highlighted loads of unpleasant and unsavoury aspects of Scottish life, reality can be hard to stomach but without it we can’t rectify or improve.

If the show did one good thing it was to highlight our flaws as a society. We should all do more to make sure every person has a chance in life.

The explosive topic of benefit entitlement has dogged the show.

Over the past few days the press have reported on the Motability scheme being used by one of the families.

This is where the benefits controversy rises, an imbalance with working hard families feeling the pinch and those in the community that currently survive contributing nothing for their keep appears with alarming ease.

There is no allegations that any cheating or law breaking has occurred, however the goings within the programme have encouraged numerous investigations and countless criticism of the benefits distribution programme.

Over the past few days it has been reported that “Star” of the Scheme Annie Cunningham has been bragging to her family and friends about the imminent delivery of her new car, posting on Facebook "Just been and picked my new car, a white Seat Leon. It's got built-in sat nav, black alloys and all the fancy stuff. Get it in seven to ten days!"

Nobody can be denied getting a new car, however if you can’t drive, "I'll have my L plates up and pass my test, as I've been driving for 18 years." Or the reason for a new car is that your son stole and smashed your last Motability car, flipped over a Bentley causing £30,000 of damage, surely tax payer’s money could be used more wisely.

Like Millions of others the Cunningham family may have the unfortunate circumstances that require the use of the Motability service.

Benefits are required by the people within our communities that need them most, maybe the circumstances for the Cunningham family are different than portrayed by both the press and TV.

Maybe they genuinely need all the benefits they can get, how else could they afford a summer holiday to Benidorm?

Should these types of services be a priority when so many are struggling to heat their house or feed the family?

What do you think about situations like this?

Can we reverse the communities dependence on benefits?

As times get harder is there much benefit in working for a living?

Best Chippy in Airdrie number 3

2012-01-10T20:47:00.003+00:00

Roberto's
Fantastic, absolutly superb !!
Chips £1.50
The best so far, top quality proper chip shop. Pleasent friendly staff in an old skool chip shop environment.
Chips in a poke!!!! No plastic or card just chippy paper.
Good portion size and very very tasty.
Top of the leader board so far, get down to Gartlea and give them a try. You wont be disappointed.
Michelin star CHIPS !!

Airdrie's best Chippy Number 2

2012-01-07T22:26:00.002+00:00

Taster number 2
Amo's
Not the best smell when you enter, more kebab shop than chippy.
Chips - £1.40
Friendly service, atmosphere a bit dingy though.
Chips were fantastic, once away from the kebab smell, really tasty and good ild fashioned chipy taste with just enough salt and vinegar.
Served in a box....don't like that!! Pizza comes in a box, chips are ment for paper!!
Overall a great value tasty portion of chips.
Give it a go and dont be discouraged by the 3 in 1 style smells.

AIRDRIE'S Crazy Residents !!!!!

2012-01-07T20:03:00.000+00:00

Ok " Airdrie is Blogging" has been up and running for a couple of weeks now, time for everyone to join in and bring Airdrie to the web.

Lets get some crazy images of our Airdrie folk, young or old, out and about within our boundaries.

All the photos will appear as they are posted but lets go for a top five that will be on the site indefinitely, they will be replaced when someone posts a crazier image.

The rules, simple, someone from Airdrie has to be in it and it has to be taken in Airdrie, not in your house, get out and showcase the town. See if we can spot the local attractions in the photos.

You can use your own name, very brave if u do, or a nickname, pose individually or in a group but have FUN.

Come on lets get Airdrie laughing!!!!!!!!

You can follow us on TWITTER and get your images on that way just follow @airdrieblogging

Best Chippy in Airdrie - Week 1

2012-01-06T21:03:00.002+00:00

TJ Fryers
Good start!!!!
Pleasent staff, smiling and laughing, very friendly service.
Chips £1.50
Not greasy and very tasty, traditional potato taste, proper old skool bag of chips.
Portion could have been bigger, i wanted more!!!
Recomend a visit, top of the leader board after week 1.

Welcome to Airdrie

2011-12-30T10:04:00.000+00:00

So for the first "Blog" lets discuss the centre of our Universe, Airdrie.
If tourists were to step from the platform of our new world linking train line what would they find?
The town has possibly the greatest collection of Sun bed facilities, charity stores, fast food from around the globe and cheapest and best budget shopping in the western world.
These are exactly the reasons nobody will visit our town and the reasons that retailers will not invest.

It is now six months since the residents of Airdrie voted for change in the community.

It’s time for the SNP to step up to the plate and rescue Airdrie.

The Scottish election saw our country radically alter its political viewpoint and send shockwaves through the United Kingdom’s more traditionally successful parties.

Arguably for most commentators the biggest shock was the SNP victory in Airdrie, not a shock to me though as the demise of the town should have saw Labour ejected from power several elections ago.

The poor state of repair of the town centre, the not very welcoming variety of shopping or social points and more importantly the ever increasing level of anti social behaviour and crime are the major gripes for the Airdrie voters.

The past is the past and the complacent Labour governance has gone, but things are not getting better and our new MSP Alex Neil needs to get a grip fast.

The town centre is now a no go area after dark and the areas surrounding it are hazardous at all times.

Where are locals going for an evenings entertainment?

People often suggest that the youths of today have nothing to do, it may be correct that it is difficult to self entertain in a community where every activity has a cost, but it is no excuse for some to create mayhem.

Why is it that I can see gangs of youths parading about in there tellitubbie coloured tracksuits pestering people and openly drinking but the police can’t?

Come to think of it how come I can’t see the police, are they not wearing their high viz jackets anymore?

Lets here from the "youths" of Airdrie, what do you want from the town? and do you feel safe in the community?

Alex Neil is sitting with the First Minister as the new SNP government try to rectify the national economic balance within the UK and across Europe, these are not my priorities and not the issues that made Airdrie vote SNP, all locally elected members should sort their own constituencies before they embark on other agendas.

In your six months in Power Mr Neil what have you achieved that directly impacts on Airdrie?

The old John Orr's building and old Cinema are still empty and falling apart and local shops are closing on a weekly basis.

The new direct rail link to Edinburgh opened with a flurry of excitement with MP's risking injury with the constant back slapping.

The access Airdrie has to our countries capital is fantastic but did anyone consider the consequences?

Airdrie is now open to everybody.

Airdrie was never a tourist or travellers destination, we sit at the end of a line that only residents use, now though we are a central hub for travelers from Glasgow to Edinburgh and back, and yes this could include a large number of tourists.

Great, the town would benefit greatly from tourist and travelers cash, which should be the council and political view. Well, it would appear the local council and politicians don’t share this view.

Prior to the rail links completion, investment was not encouraged or expressed within the town leaving the current state of welcome to our town as pathetic.

Would you visit Airdrie?

An Airdrie guide book would make for interesting reading.

"currently if you walk around the town centre you will observe several charity shops, several sun bed shops, several bookmakers, several kebab shops, several opticians and over a hundred (slightly exaggerated) estate agents".

This suggests that the town is full of overweight, sun tanned, spectacle wearing gamblers that are always looking to move house. Not very appealing to passers through or tourists, then again it isn’t really appealing to the local residents either.

The rail link has brought an opportunity to get outsiders spending money in our community, this should allow for investment in our town and its facilities.

Calculated risks are required by the council to lure top retailers.

The investment should have happened anyway, it hasn't,the council and local MP’s have never shown any concern for the commercial or social appeal of our town, the promise of people visiting to spend money should change that.

There are people within our community that can help and have clearly got the visions that could help to market our town.

Alex Forrest of Friends of West End and Centenary Park group, what a difference he has made to the park areas around the cenotaph. The council should use people like Mr Forrest to freshen up the town.

Jon-Marc Creaney, take a look at the renovation work he has managed at the old Wellwynd church that is the style we should encourage throughout the town centre. Mr Creaney has highlighted the lack of innovation within the council planning department for their "big white medicine cabinet" that is to be the focal point of the town centre, yes we need a new medical centre but should it be the towns best feature?

They used to say “Build it and they will come” if we can’t manage that then maybe we can try “Tidy it and they will come”

The SNP promised a lot, Alex Neil set his campaign on local issues............the clock is ticking.

Can they deliver before it is too late?

Remember voters are watching and Labour may not be complacent next time.

Lets here you Airdrie, lets all work together for the community.

What is "Airdrie is Blogging" All about ???

2011-12-29T10:30:00.000+00:00

This Blog is intended to be a voice of opinion, on anything you like.

Inside or outside the boundaries of Airdrie.

Our town of Airdrie will be the main focus, whats the town centre like? whats the socialising like? are the schools up to scratch? the football team? vandalism? political party leader's? what is their for teenagers? etc etc etc

Young and old can express their opinions on anything.

Airdrie is Blogging will post a weekly topic to spark some debate about the Town. This will be full of opinions that will allow debate or even arguments to develop, however the main reason will be to benefit the Town.

Airdrie is a fantastic place, is it not?