NSPCC CHRISTMAS RAFFLE

The Navigation Point Businesses and Mandale Properties got together in December and organised a Christmas Raffle for the NSPCC by donating meal and drinks vouchers . Over £2100 have so far been raised.
Revellers were very keen to purchase raffle tickets to win a meal here, a bottle of Champagne there as well as help the NSPCC at Christmas and at a time when many charities are seeing their fundraising efforts thwarted by the economic downturn.

It is also refreshing to see businesses usually competing to attract the same clientele, come together for the sake of helping the local branch of the NSPCC.
As well as the Christmas Raffle, three events took place in December and despite the cold weather, a few children accompanied by parents and grandparents came to visit Santa's Grotto and received gifts.

A few members of The Northern School of Music sang Christmas Carols as Chinese Lanterns were let off into the skies over Navigation Point.

Further events are planned in the future to showcase the jewel in Hartlepool's crown, the Marina in general and Navigation Point in particular.

Since its inception in early 2000, the area has blossomed into a very popular leisure hub, with its various restaurants, cafés and bars. The Marina now attracts visitors from all over the North East and beyond.

Navigation Point Part 3

The last Saturday of the Navigation Point Christmas Events may not have been the busiest of the lot but those who attended had great fun.
Santa Claus handed out gifts to eager children while a few young members of the Northern School of Music provided a delightful rendition of the most popular Christmas carols.

Later, thanks to a windless evening, everyone present partook in the setting off of large Chinese lanterns. At one time, the skies above the Marina were filled with floating flickering lights.

The NSPCC Christmas Raffle is going great guns. All the Navigation Point businesses will be selling tickets until New Year's Eve. So far, our three restaurants alone have raised around £1200. Let's hope everyone else has had as much success as we have.

Best Christmas Wishes from Navigation Point...

Navigation Point Christmas Event Part Two

Despite the extreme cold, the second of Navigation Point Christmas Events saw the lighting of Chinese lanterns from the Marina office and more kids visiting Santa's Grotto.

Christmas music, a cup-and-saucer children's ride and a van providing fairground games helped create a jolly festive atmosphere.

Next Saturday, 18th December, the Northern School of Music will provide the entertainment with a Christmas Choir.

Santa will still be in his Grotto dishing out presents to children.

More Chinese lanterns will be set off from the Marina.

Come along and have a fun-filled evening from 5pm till 7pm...

Navigation Point Christmas Event

The first one of Navigation Point's Christmas Events went off with a bang.
At 5.30 Santa arrived on the Marina boat Adventure and followed by two elves he proceeded to his grotto situated in the car park next to a 30ft Christmas tree kindly donated by Mandale Properties.
Under the sound of festive tunes provided by Daniel Brobbel, an orderly queue of thirty to forty children formed in front of the Grotto. For £1 the children got to meet Santa and receive a present while the parents had their names entered in the NSPCC raffle organised by the Navigation Point Business Group, one of the prizes being a boat trip in the New Year.
The Mayor, Mr. Stuart Drummond arrived at 6pm to switch on the Christmas tree lights to loud cheers from the attendance.
Boat rides, walk-on-water and a cup-and-saucer ride provided further entertainment.
Some of the restaurants and bars joined in the fun, by selling such things as banana fritters, mulled wine, mince pies, roast chestnuts and hot chocolate laced with brandy to warm up the visitors.
Each business has pledged a prize towards the NSPCC raffle and so far, over £400 has been raised.
It is certainly heartwarming to see that despite the snowy conditions and very adverse financial crisis, Navigation Point businesses are coming together to help the NSPCC as well promote Hartlepool Marina.

Saturday 11th between 5pm and 7pm there will be more of the same.

Snow Business...

I love the snow.

I grew up in the Atlas Mountains and every winter without fail, it snowed, so much sometimes, that we could not go to schoool.

I remember those days when my mother made a hearty chickpea and cumin soup spiced up with Harissa and served with her own garlic bread made with beef dripping instead of butter.

Yet, these days snow worries me. It is not good for business. Last year, from 18th December until 10th January, the country nearly stood at a standstill. Our restaurants, along with every single one in the country suffered from cancellations, as customers could not make it through the snow and dangerous roads. Those in the countryside might as well have closed their doors till the end of January.

This year, the snow has reached us a lot earlier. A seventeen-year record, I hear. It has already caused us a lot of damage. Last night, the last Saturday of the month, usually a time when diners come out in their droves, only half braved the weather.

All of the other restaurants and bars along Navigation Point reported a reduced number of customers.

I do love the snow but man can't live by snow alone... especially in these crunch times...

Navigation Point Event

Businesses from Hartlepool's Navigation Point have come together to plan a series of events for December.
The lights on the Christmas tree donated by the landlords, Mandale will be switched on by our Mayor, Stuart Drummond on Saturday 4th December.

Daniel Brobbel from Norteast Sound and Light has promised to provide music and lights for the event.

Alyson Robinson of the eponymous School of Music will be bringing her choir to perform Christmas carols on Saturday 18th December between 5 and 7pm.

There will lots of things for the kids. As well as Santa dishing out presents to them, they will also be able to enjoy a walk on water on terra firma...

Businesses have donated vouchers for the NSPCC Christmas raffle.

Krimo's parking up the wrong tree...

Navigation Point's owners have decided to introduce parking charges. Nothing wrong with that. It is their land and they can do whatever they want with it.

In the beginning (over 10 years ago) was a vacant Marina. Vacant flats. Vacant shops. Vacant berths.
Then came businesses (Krimo's was the first) on that side of the Marina. One at a time. Shyly. Hesitantly. A few struggled but over the last six years, the area began to blossom.
Many boat owners left faraway havens to come and berth their floating weekend retreats in our Marina. There were now waiting lists for the apartments.
The Marina became fashionable. It even acquired a new name. The Jewel in the Crown... Of Hartlepool and Tees Valley.
It began attracting visitors from far and wide. The Lords of the Land were happy. The businesses were cautiously pleased. The residents ecstatic with everything on their doorstep. It seemed like the centre of the Universe. Especially on a sunny day.

And then came the crunch.
The high rents began to bite.
Midweek, customers became a rare sight.
Paid parking plans finally came to light.

The Mayor promised that, not if, but when the Council adopted the Marina, no parking meters would go up. According to a leak, a thorny point sank the inflated adoption plans.

Back to square one.
The meters came on Monday, followed by their maids.

Unfinished coffees.
Tables hurriedly vacated.
Scuffles over a few seconds past the first free half hour.
Worried workers. Worried employers.

A mile away, defeated Morrisons placed a hood on each parking meter as customers voted with their feet.
Down here we're left robbing Peter to pay Paul.

We need our customers. When are our landlords going to realise that they also need us?

(Photo courtesy of the Hartlepool Mail)

Hartlepool Marina Shines...

Saturday afternoon, Hartlepool Marina put on its best clothes for the benefit of the Sick Children Trust and showed how businesses can come together to help.
Christine Blakey worked very hard to ensure all the restaurants and cafés participated in this, hopefully first of many events on Navigation Point.

Each restaurants provided samples of dishes for the visitors to enjoy.
There was a lot of singing and dancing throughout the afternoon.