I agree. But people are blaming the council for not encouraging tourism because they haven't put up a beer tent, when actually any increase in tourism would be due to people leaving the beer tent and seeing what the City has to offer.
Its not just about beer tents its the whole attitude Terry Geraghty has towards football fans visiting Hull City that people are complaining about.
It's part of the same issue, the lack of action by HCC is a direct result of Geraghty being a clueless twat.
But increasing tourism is part of Geraghty's job supposedly. Or part of what he is portfolio holder for as they so pompously describe it. To be honest I agree with what someone wrote on the HDM comments. We don't need to put on these sort of things. Hull is a similar size to Ghent which quite easily copes with that sort of influx and we should be able to do the same. Although I would rather have a couple if nights in Ghent. More bars, more relaxed atmosphere, better and cheaper beer mostly with waitress service in bars open for the most part later than Hull. And, to be honest, a more attractive place. As it should be as at one time it was one of the richest cities in ?Europe.
Could not agree more. Passed a load of Lokeren fans this morning as I drove to work (near Hull Royal Infirmary). They were heading toward town in the rain and I thought it was pretty naff that there was no kind of welcome. I didn't make the away leg as skint but by all accounts, City fans were made more than welcome (until the trouble after the game). HCC could see/use this as a platform to increase tourism, particularly if we progress and have more visiting fans from Europe. Maybe us fans should organise something next time and maybe shame the council into getting their butts into gear?
Can't speak for other people but my in experience the warm welcome was from Lokeren fans and non-football supporting locals, nothing to do with the authorities. Like you say the responsibility falls on us to make them feel welcome.
Who put up the poster in the town square, on the town hall then welcoming Hull City fans to Lokeren ? No-one can excuse Geraghty ignorance. OK the council have no money but what would it cost to issue a welcoming statement to the visiting football supporters? You couldn't shut the **** up when we had 'world' darts at the City Hall.
Would a couple of banners have stopped this criticism of the council? I very much doubt it. I'm not defending them, I agree their useless. But I think its down to us fans and the people of Hull to make the impression, not any token gestures from the local authorities.
You are defending them, the effort involved in a marquee and some beer was tiny, there's absolutely no excuse for not sorting it. Lokeren made the effort to give us a focal point to all meet up, they made us feel welcome in their city, we should have done the same.
I'm not defending them, I agree with you, those things could and should have been done. Its not happening though, people need to get over it and take it upon themselves to make them feel welcome, after all most peoples memories of Lokeren are of the people they met not where they had a drink.
