23 Dec 2009

The Simon's Town Ice Cream Parlour And My Exclusion For Going Public

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What started as a Simon's Town Ice Cream Parlour Marketing Initiative has now also got me banned from receiving emails from a Simon's Town Civic Association Exec member. Because I am not supposed to make these emails public. 

Due to the latest email from this member I decide to share it with you all. This not done as a personal vendetta. No. This is done because this is a public issue. And the sooner we make these issues public the better for us all. And if I am banned from receiving any Simon's Town Civic Association emails then that's also good. Good but unfortunate. Because writing this is not as easy as you may think it is. It takes courage to go against the grain. And I don't have all that courage. Let me soften the blow and say I am doing what am doing because I believe it's the right thin g to do. Just as the others who are involved do.

The saga started when the Simon's Town Civic Association Exec Member sent the following email. I will not publish his name as he wanted to keep this civic issue private:

Last year we put a lot of effort into signage and what was appropriate for Simon's Town.
 
I now see that the ice cream parlour has a cartop advert on the vehicle parked outside the shop. I find this rather stupid as our Comminity Law Enforcement Officers are concentrating on local business members parking in the Main Road. Even the magistrates wife got a ticket!
Where do we stand on such advertising? Civic Association Exec Member sending this to the Civic Association

When I received this email I did not feel this to be a private matter, concerning only the Simon's Town Civic Association. Keeping it private or making it public was never a consideration..... My intention was to also share the information with Simon's Town businesses to get their view on the matter as it concerns them directly.

Here's my response to the original Civic Association Exec Group and a few Simon's Town businesses:  div amp;gt;

Hi 

The Law!?

All advertising should be good and acceptable.

This ice-cream guy can improve his ad but there's nothing wrong with his initiative.

Why not help the guy to make living and run profitable business?

This guy has a great idea but he has to advertise because he is new 
and obviously not making it. 

When some or other artist advertise on the main street using large orange banners at the entry to the library there's no comment.

Real Estate agents are being harassed by poorly defined advertising laws. They have to pay to 
have show boards for  24 hours over weekends. Their boards are being removed and they have to
pay more to get them back. Real estate agents should complain.  

We all should make our Simon's Town businesses profitable.

Or are we busy making it easier for businesses who we don't want to take over in Simon's Town.
 
I had a business in Sunnyside Pretoria. Go and check that out if you want to see what happens when traditional businesses leave.

Rather than throwing the book at battling businesses support them and ask them how you can help 
and make it better for all.

Next time an foreign navy ship arrive we all wonder what these sailors will do because there's nothing for them to do in Simon's Town.
Like exchanging foreign currency at some other doggy guy. 

The next day a Bank pack up and go and we believe they have a moral right to serve us.
They leave (have left) because they are not making money.

They day we have a profitable balance then we will have more businesses that we like.

Take your family to the ice cream guy and buy more than you should.

Tell your friends about the new guy and help him to make bags of money.

Please don't push him off the rails.    Johan Horak

A business person who received these emails responded with a private email to me (I am not sharing the name):

I have lived in Simon’s Town for 10 years.

I used to shop in Simon’s Town.

I went to the Bank, I had my photographs printed, I went to buy bread, electricity, the Post Office.  On my way I passed very interesting shops and often stopped to buy what I didn’t need but what caught my eye.  A present for someone.  An article of clothing that I thought might look nice next season etc.

 

Now –all the banks have left except for FNB, there is nowhere to process photographs, the bread – not much choice if it is available at all.  The result is I have to go to Long Beach for the above so I now do ALL my shopping there under one roof and don’t walk through Simon’s Town at all.  The Post Office and electricity vendors are still here and I would LIKE to support them but when I walk right passed the Post Office in Long Beach Mall, it takes some effort to make a special trip to stop in Simon’s Town.

 

I have only just realised that this has become the norm for me when I read the letter below.  I didn’t even know there was an ice cream shop and I LOVE ice cream.  At least that has given me a reason to stop in the Main Road.  Surely there are other people like me who are now not stopping or shopping in Simon’s Town.  I will make an effort in future but will others when there is not all that much to offer in Simon’s Town for the regular housewife?  When the tourists go home the shops in Simon’s Town must struggle. Concerned Simon's Town Business Person.

This ice cream business is now trying to make it big time. The other day I had a chat to a friend selling fancy and tasty stuff on Main Street. He told me that they sell less than halve a dozen fancy breads per week during winter. Have you thought what this Ice Cream guy will do during winter. He has not seen winter yet. I hope he makes it.

There were a few more emails one that stipulated the rules and the other from a business person. 

The most concerning email came from the originator of the Ice Cream Parlour saga (The Civic Association Exec Member):

The sign is illegal ito of municipal regulations and no sentiment can overide this no matter how 'noble' the argument. The owner is occupying a parking place all day - possibly he can afford the fines but is denying visitors a place to park and buy an ice cream.
 
I am not sure why he is 'obviously' not making it. I and my family go in and there are usually other clients there - I doubt that the sign on the car is the redeemer of the problem.
 
It is not STCA or any other organisation's (other than the Business Association) responsibility to 'help any guy make a living and run a responsible business' - we just make it possible and safe for anyone to operate in the town. What if all struggling shopkeepers decide to park outside their shops with signs? Will the business community be happy? Not those with ethics and who follow the legal process.
 
The inclusion of real estate problems to a simple specific question and your comment on making businesses profitable indicates a personal interest. Your unwarranted disclosure of an email to numerous other addressees is uncalled for and indicates that emails to you are not treated as within the STCA.
 
I will thus refrain from including you in any further correspondence and suggest that you take note of the regulations as expounded by Judy Hodson - they will be enforced. Having lived in Simon's Town for some time and being involved intimately with the town since 1965, I have no intention of allowing profit motives that break the law to distract from the historic beauty of the town.  (The Civic Association Exec Member)

 You must make up your own mind on this story.

I feel that the any Civic Association or related body should at all times communicate in public. Going public may be seen as a threat to some, but it will eventually bring us together.  

Then the law:

This sign being illegal as stated above.

Who made the law?

Do we hide behind the law because it's the easy way out? Let me remind you of extreme cases where man made laws were used and the consequences never considered:

  • Many years ago there was a law that saw many people being killed to protect that law.
  • The same law forced many people out of Simon's Town
  • Some or other authority decided to fell many beautiful and age old alien trees without considering the consequences.
  • When you want to trow the book at the Ice Cream Parlour have the courage to do it in the open and take note of the consequences.

Let me conclude and say to you; I want you to go and have a look at the mirror. The bad news is that you will see me there. And I have accepted the fact that I will see you in my mirror. We are the same. I am another you. We may vibrate on a different level but we all want the best for Simon's Town. 

But before we can agree we must go public with public issues. It will be painful. Some will see wounds opening. Get a plaster. It will get better. Then we can all work together. 

As the Mayans greet: 

In Lak'Ech: I am another you.

Johan Horak