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Misery of bank holiday visitors to Eden
FAMILIES visiting High Wycombe yesterday were left fuming after one of its biggest leisure attractions was forced to shut.
Those hoping for a bank holiday Monday at AMF Bowling were left disappointed following the weekend fire, which cut power to the alley.
The fire started in an electrical store room in the upstairs area at about 3.20pm on Saturday.
Crews forced their way into the room to tackle the small fire, which created a large amount of smoke, a spokesman for High Wycombe fire station said.
He said a fuse board caught fire in a store room which feeds into the alley, causing a power cut.
At the time of going to press phone calls to AMF Bowling were met with a recorded message which said "Thank you for calling AMF High Wycombe.
"Due to a power outage in the shopping centre we are unable to open until Wednesday the 7th of May. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause you."
A message on the centre's door promised that "bookings with deposits paid will be contacted as soon as possible to arrange a refund or alternative booking".
The bowling alley, cinema and two restaurants were closed for up to three hours while firefighters investigated.
The cinema and two restaurants re-opened Saturday.
High Wycombe dad Thomas Rose, who was taking his daughter bowling with friends, said: "We are local but we have arranged a family day out and turn up and there's no bowling so I'm very annoyed.
"It's very disappointing. They had their hopes up to go bowling."
Mum-of-two Nicky Gracey, from Ibstone, said: "We have driven 30 minutes to get here and I'm pretty annoyed really.
"We wanted to come here to do an activity with the children, not go shopping.
"We got here for 10am and its not open. There was no information on the website."
High Wycombe dad Jamie Small was visiting the alley with wife Dawn and their two children.
He said: "I think it's a joke. You come up here only to find it's closed. I have been promising our boy that we would go bowling for the whole weekend."
Diners in YO! Sushi - which only opened a day before - and Frankie and Benny's were also evacuated.
Cineworld duty manager Matt Fishwick said customers who were forced to leave the complex would be refunded cinema and food costs.
He said: "It's the first weekend of showing Iron Man which makes it difficult timing.
"Safety is paramount. I'm sure most customers would understand."
8:09am Tuesday 6th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: littlemiss, Wycombe on 11:57am Tue 6 May 08
"Diners in YO! Sushi - which only opened a day before - and Frankie and Benny's were also evacuated."
Umm Yo! Sushi opened on Thursday, I know because I went there! Get it right!
"Diners in YO! Sushi - which only opened a day before - and Frankie and Benny's were also evacuated."
Umm Yo! Sushi opened on Thursday, I know because I went there! Get it right!
Posted by: not-dave, high wycombe on 12:46pm Tue 6 May 08
its not the end of the world is it?
its not the end of the world is it?
Posted by: AJHW, High Wycombe on 12:48pm Tue 6 May 08
This story is getting a bit boring - do we really need the same one daily?
This story is getting a bit boring - do we really need the same one daily?
Posted by: Shelley, HIGH WYCOMBE on 1:03pm Tue 6 May 08
I think "angry" is a bit of an overreaction really! What do people expect? A national tv and radio announcement that the bowling alley in Wycombe is closed?!
Perspective, people!!
I think "angry" is a bit of an overreaction really! What do people expect? A national tv and radio announcement that the bowling alley in Wycombe is closed?!
Perspective, people!!
Posted by: LillyMoe, High Wycombe on 1:20pm Tue 6 May 08
Bet none of them called first, if you have not booked then its common sense to call to make sure they are not busy. Its not the only bowling alley around this area ! What is wrong with people today ? get over it.
Bet none of them called first, if you have not booked then its common sense to call to make sure they are not busy. Its not the only bowling alley around this area ! What is wrong with people today ? get over it.
Posted by: Marmite, HW on 2:08pm Tue 6 May 08
Serves them right. Bowling is an American sport. Which means it's crap
Serves them right. Bowling is an American sport. Which means it's crap
Posted by: littlemiss, Wycombe on 2:35pm Tue 6 May 08
Oh dear Marmite, are you sure that it's an american sport? I believe if you look into it, they reckon bowling originated in Germany, Ten Pin is a spin off. But I agree this is hardly news and doesn't warrant an article a day about it. So people didn't get to bowl, and traveled a whopping half an hour for the privilidge!
Oh dear Marmite, are you sure that it's an american sport? I believe if you look into it, they reckon bowling originated in Germany, Ten Pin is a spin off. But I agree this is hardly news and doesn't warrant an article a day about it. So people didn't get to bowl, and traveled a whopping half an hour for the privilidge!
Posted by: smokey, high wycombe on 3:09pm Tue 6 May 08
For goodness sake BFP - are you and Ivor in cahoots?
For goodness sake BFP - are you and Ivor in cahoots?
Posted by: Plus ça change..., Eden at last... on 5:32pm Tue 6 May 08
It's a case of the complex complex about the complex again..!
A new-fangled condition. Recently diagnosed in these revered & respected columns.
Must be a record number of articles in a short time about [italic][bold]one topic[/bold][/italic] by the [italic][bold]Freepressistas[/bold][/italic] ...
Come on BFP, please change the CD, the laser's stuck!
It's a case of the complex complex about the complex again..!
A new-fangled condition. Recently diagnosed in these revered & respected columns.
Must be a record number of articles in a short time about
one topic by the
Freepressistas ...
Come on BFP, please change the CD, the laser's stuck!
Posted by: Caroline, Tampa, Florida on 7:37pm Tue 6 May 08
Aw, the poor little precious dahling kiddies who couldn't get to bowl.
The fire brigade should have let them into the alley to bowl and spent their time painting the fire station doors instead of protecting life and property. Geez - when did people in Wycombe get so whiny?
Marmite's right - regardless of where bowling was originally invented in its basic form, bowling is an American sport. But it's actually quite fun - assuming there's no smoke coming up from underneath the pins.
Aw, the poor little precious dahling kiddies who couldn't get to bowl.
The fire brigade should have let them into the alley to bowl and spent their time painting the fire station doors instead of protecting life and property. Geez - when did people in Wycombe get so whiny?
Marmite's right - regardless of where bowling was originally invented in its basic form, bowling is an American sport. But it's actually quite fun - assuming there's no smoke coming up from underneath the pins.
Posted by: smokey, high wycombe on 7:42pm Tue 6 May 08
[quote][bold]Caroline[/bold] wrote:
Aw, the poor little precious dahling kiddies who couldn't get to bowl. The fire brigade should have let them into the alley to bowl and spent their time painting the fire station doors instead of protecting life and property. Geez - when did people in Wycombe get so whiny? Marmite's right - regardless of where bowling was originally invented in its basic form, bowling is an American sport. But it's actually quite fun - assuming there's no smoke coming up from underneath the pins. [/quote] hallo!
I think you will find that we only have one real whinger and the trouble is he is a bit deluded and thinks he speaks for the whole of High Wycombe - the poor fool.
And I agree - bowling is fun and I am glad that we have one ion High Wycombe along with everything else that is now on offer - I am afraid on occassion this website does appear to have a small town mentality.
Caroline wrote:
Aw, the poor little precious dahling kiddies who couldn't get to bowl. The fire brigade should have let them into the alley to bowl and spent their time painting the fire station doors instead of protecting life and property. Geez - when did people in Wycombe get so whiny? Marmite's right - regardless of where bowling was originally invented in its basic form, bowling is an American sport. But it's actually quite fun - assuming there's no smoke coming up from underneath the pins.
hallo!
I think you will find that we only have one real whinger and the trouble is he is a bit deluded and thinks he speaks for the whole of High Wycombe - the poor fool.
And I agree - bowling is fun and I am glad that we have one ion High Wycombe along with everything else that is now on offer - I am afraid on occassion this website does appear to have a small town mentality.
Posted by: Caroline, Tampa, Florida on 10:22pm Tue 6 May 08
Hallo Smokey,
You couldn't have put it better - "small town mentality". I lived in Wycombe most of my life - now live in the States. But love to check in on my dear old town through the BFP site. I wish more for self-respecting Wycombians (like my family who live there)than is reflected by poor journalism and posts that come from this site.
The whole world has access to what looks like a pretty sorry town. And I'm sure most of us don't believe it is.
I love coming "home" for my Summer hols. (Yes, I leave Tampa to come to HW for a couple of weeks). Can't wait to assess Eden for myself this Summer.
Hallo Smokey,
You couldn't have put it better - "small town mentality". I lived in Wycombe most of my life - now live in the States. But love to check in on my dear old town through the BFP site. I wish more for self-respecting Wycombians (like my family who live there)than is reflected by poor journalism and posts that come from this site.
The whole world has access to what looks like a pretty sorry town. And I'm sure most of us don't believe it is.
I love coming "home" for my Summer hols. (Yes, I leave Tampa to come to HW for a couple of weeks). Can't wait to assess Eden for myself this Summer.
Posted by: smokey, high wycombe on 10:41pm Tue 6 May 08
[quote][bold]Caroline[/bold] wrote:
Hallo Smokey, You couldn't have put it better - "small town mentality". I lived in Wycombe most of my life - now live in the States. But love to check in on my dear old town through the BFP site. I wish more for self-respecting Wycombians (like my family who live there)than is reflected by poor journalism and posts that come from this site. The whole world has access to what looks like a pretty sorry town. And I'm sure most of us don't believe it is. I love coming "home" for my Summer hols. (Yes, I leave Tampa to come to HW for a couple of weeks). Can't wait to assess Eden for myself this Summer. [/quote] It isn't a sorry town - it is a vibrant place with a council that tries so flipping hard . I grew up in wycombe and as a teenager there was absolutely nothing to do and only a few decent pubs. Now there is a theatre, cinema, bowling alley and a good selection of pubs and reataurants.
However there are miseries on here who can only see the doom and gloom in every situation.
We are also a university town with a growing population of students and despite what Ivor would have you believe, Wycombe is alive at night.
Caroline wrote:
Hallo Smokey, You couldn't have put it better - "small town mentality". I lived in Wycombe most of my life - now live in the States. But love to check in on my dear old town through the BFP site. I wish more for self-respecting Wycombians (like my family who live there)than is reflected by poor journalism and posts that come from this site. The whole world has access to what looks like a pretty sorry town. And I'm sure most of us don't believe it is. I love coming "home" for my Summer hols. (Yes, I leave Tampa to come to HW for a couple of weeks). Can't wait to assess Eden for myself this Summer.
It isn't a sorry town - it is a vibrant place with a council that tries so flipping hard . I grew up in wycombe and as a teenager there was absolutely nothing to do and only a few decent pubs. Now there is a theatre, cinema, bowling alley and a good selection of pubs and reataurants.
However there are miseries on here who can only see the doom and gloom in every situation.
We are also a university town with a growing population of students and despite what Ivor would have you believe, Wycombe is alive at night.
Posted by: Ivor on 11:51pm Tue 6 May 08
[quote][italic]smokey, high wycombe on 10:41pm:[/italic]
despite what Ivor would have you believe, Wycombe is alive at night[/quote]
Really? Two weeks ago when I was out and about at 11pm the town centre was as dead as a doornail. There wasn’t even much traffic on the roads. It’s all too easy for you to say the place is busy but sadly reality always wins out and the reality was that it was not that busy for a town that has just invested heavily in an entertainment complex.
smokey, high wycombe on 10:41pm:
despite what Ivor would have you believe, Wycombe is alive at night
Really? Two weeks ago when I was out and about at 11pm the town centre was as dead as a doornail. There wasn’t even much traffic on the roads. It’s all too easy for you to say the place is busy but sadly reality always wins out and the reality was that it was not that busy for a town that has just invested heavily in an entertainment complex.
Posted by: Feist the Heist, High Wycombe on 5:33pm Wed 7 May 08
[quote]I was out and about at 11pm[/quote]
Surely 11pm is WAY past your bedtime Ivor?
I was out and about at 11pm
Surely 11pm is WAY past your bedtime Ivor?
Posted by: smokey, high wycombe on 6:17pm Wed 7 May 08
[quote][bold]Ivor[/bold] wrote:
[quote][italic]smokey, high wycombe on 10:41pm:[/italic] despite what Ivor would have you believe, Wycombe is alive at night[/quote] Really? Two weeks ago when I was out and about at 11pm the town centre was as dead as a doornail. There wasn’t even much traffic on the roads. It’s all too easy for you to say the place is busy but sadly reality always wins out and the reality was that it was not that busy for a town that has just invested heavily in an entertainment complex.[/quote] well people you can either believe an anal retentive who cannot see further than his own nose, or you can beleive someone who actually does visit HW at night and whose daughters do too.
I think Ivor is making the assumption that because he cannot see people wandering the streets they are not there at all. I have already explained where the majority of them would be but he sticks his fingers in his ears and says "lalala - not listening". Cos at the end of the day - Ivor is always right!
Ivor wrote:
smokey, high wycombe on 10:41pm: despite what Ivor would have you believe, Wycombe is alive at night
Really? Two weeks ago when I was out and about at 11pm the town centre was as dead as a doornail. There wasn’t even much traffic on the roads. It’s all too easy for you to say the place is busy but sadly reality always wins out and the reality was that it was not that busy for a town that has just invested heavily in an entertainment complex.
well people you can either believe an anal retentive who cannot see further than his own nose, or you can beleive someone who actually does visit HW at night and whose daughters do too.
I think Ivor is making the assumption that because he cannot see people wandering the streets they are not there at all. I have already explained where the majority of them would be but he sticks his fingers in his ears and says "lalala - not listening". Cos at the end of the day - Ivor is always right!
Posted by: spotty, Holmer Green on 10:37pm Wed 7 May 08
BFP this sooo boring! I was actually in there bowling with my kids when it happened and it is still boring! There was no smoke in the public area! Anyway - BPF - get off your arse and find some decent, new, news!!
BFP this sooo boring! I was actually in there bowling with my kids when it happened and it is still boring! There was no smoke in the public area! Anyway - BPF - get off your arse and find some decent, new, news!!
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