Duke Street
Anon posted on the 23/07/2014 8:22:06 PM
bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04ck993
- 22 Replies :
#22 - anon _l replied on the 8/08/2014 8:39:17 AM
Russell, many thanks for posting and giving us a better understanding as to why you chose to use what you did.
#21 - Russell England - Director replied on the 7/08/2014 10:51:07 PM
I've been reading the Dennistoun website and blog with interest, as I did when we were researching the programme, as well as checking local facts when we were putting the programme together. I just want to take this opportunity to thank everyone in Dennistoun and along Duke Street for all their help with the making of the film. I'm glad that many of you enjoyed the finished programme, but also understand some of the comments posted above. As one of your correspondents has already noted, we could have made this programme twice over with the material we had - there is just so much history that has played out along Duke Street over the last century or so - and we do of course film a lot more material than we actually use. This is an inevitable consequence of filming, and my apologies to those who took the time and trouble to film with us, but who we couldn't include.
From the outset, I felt I wanted to make a film about the strong sense of community that I discovered along Duke Street. Although there were many more stories that have played out along the street, I felt the strongest story - and certainly the one that I found to be the most surprising - was that of the group of residents on the south side of the street, who held back the bulldozers and saved their homes. I also felt that it was a story that would strike a chord with people up and down the country, who care about where they live. While I apologise for not being able to include the shopkeepers, barbers, restauranteurs, church-goers and other residents I filmed with, I do hope the film was balanced and over-all reflected the spirit of Duke Street. Thank you again for letting us film your street.
#20 - anon_l replied on the 6/08/2014 10:37:14 AM
Concerned, no I don't think so. It's all boarded up. The BBC probably got permission.
#19 - Concerned replied on the 6/08/2014 10:31:04 AM
Can you still walk straight into the Gallowgate High Flats like that guy did?
#18 - Mort replied on the 5/08/2014 4:03:43 PM
Folks,
Perhaps there was a small part of the street concentrated on but to fully include the rich history of the street/area you'd need to do a series and not a one off episode.
These production companies always need one or two angles and it was Reidvale and the guy in the tower/Easterhouse flitting.
We know James Turner Street as Benefits Street where they focused on certain individuals for a more sensationalist angle. They could have done the same with Duke Street and for example focussed on the folk queueing outside the chemists for their green elixir. There are people on James Turner Street who are normal working folk but they weren't really featured at all. They even have a higher than national average for their GCSE results but again they didn't mention that.
My point being I'm just glad it wasn't a complete stitch up for us as these production companies have it in their power to do so and that just wouldn't have been fair.
#17 - Concerned replied on the 5/08/2014 9:33:12 AM
From what I remember watching, the two of them already had houses in the Reidvale area before they became a housing association.
#16 - The Mentalist replied on the 5/08/2014 9:32:18 AM
"but thought it quite concerning that of the two members of the "Bathgate Mafia", their families all had houses in the Reidvale area"
Was thinking the same thing myself.
"I have a friend who has been on their list for about 8 years, no committee connections"
Yep.
#15 - beekay1943 replied on the 4/08/2014 10:53:09 PM
Just like to point out that Duke Street, at 1.6 miles long, is NOT the longest street in Britain - King Street, Aberdeen is 1.9 miles long (check in out on Google maps)
#14 - anon replied on the 4/08/2014 4:11:26 PM
did quite enjoy programme, would have liked it to cover other areas of dennistoun, one point though with regard to Reidvale Housing, it was interesting how it started and what they did with the houses, but thought it quite concerning that of the two members of the "Bathgate Mafia", their families all had houses in the Reidvale area, is it a given if you are on the committee you get a house. I have a friend who has been on their list for about 8 years, no committee connections, and has still not had any offers of housing, does make you wonder .
#13 - Dennistonian replied on the 4/08/2014 1:07:55 PM
I enjoyed the whole story about the two halves of Duke Street and especially about Reidvale Housing and how it started but I would have liked to have seen more about the shops that used to be there. Â Would have been good if they highlighted what was in the area now. I did however hate the section about the ex drug user.
#12 - anon_l replied on the 4/08/2014 10:02:39 AM
That's quite disappointing to hear (extra interviews). Also your right, the ex druggie was really quite embarrassing. However it did make me laugh when he said you could buy "hawf a coo!" in the highrise!
Now people are making points about what would have been good i might eat my hat and say it wasnt as good as i first thought!
#11 - Malarki replied on the 3/08/2014 11:46:41 PM
There were alot more interviews and footage that they did both with locals and business owners but guess they needed a hook and the Reidvale story was what they decided to go with - contrasts quite well with the Edinburgh programme the week before. Was hoping they might have more on the OU site utilising the extra footage (I know they did some with the foodbank and sure they interviewed the Coias, plus others) but so far nothing. They also focused only one small part of Duke St too but then there's only so much you can cover in an hour.
#10 - jasp replied on the 3/08/2014 11:44:33 PM
It wasn't about Duke Street at all in any way. It was about Reidvale, that bit was good in part, and a highly embarrassing section sbout an ex drug user reminiscing about the great time he had in the flats and in being a gang member. Do we really need to show this stuff on national television? Â Nothing about Duke St hospital or prison or the Forge all of which wrre important parts of the community in there own way. They kept saying how Duke St is the longest in Britain but then only concentrated on one small area, and then dpent 50 % of the time talking about negative things.
#9 - The Mentalist replied on the 3/08/2014 7:55:48 PM
It was ok. Â Too much focus on Reidvale though.
#8 - anon _l replied on the 3/08/2014 7:52:02 PM
I just caught up with this today. Couldn't agree more with Mort, even down to having some more people speaking about Duke Street now. I really liked how it was filmed and made Dennistoun look like the great place it is. I live next to the high rises and it made me all the more eager for them to be demolished.
#7 - Mort replied on the 3/08/2014 5:48:52 PM
I watched this last night and was pleasantly surprised.
When I first heard of this programme being filmed I thought it was going to be some kind of hatchet job. The benefits street programme was on at the time and I thought it might be going down the negative route.
It was well balanced with some history on the slightly utopian vision the Dennistoun family had for the area, the problems with the Whitevale/Reidvale flats and the success and vision of the Reidvale Housing Association.
If there was any criticism, I would liked to have seen some vox-pops from people who use the street day in day out. It might have been nice to have a couple of interviews with some local business owners.
Perhaps I'm just nitpicking now. Definitely worth a watch. The Bathgate Street Mafia was very inspirational.
Would love to hear what other people made of it.
#6 - CuriousCat replied on the 2/08/2014 7:53:12 PM
The Secret History of Our Streets
#5 - Denny lady replied on the 2/08/2014 6:17:09 PM
What's the name of the programme please
#4 - fiona replied on the 2/08/2014 10:29:24 AM
It's also available on iplayer for the next 10 days.
#3 - Malarki replied on the 1/08/2014 5:48:03 PM
This needs to be bumped as a reminder to people that it's on tonight.
#2 - anon_l replied on the 24/07/2014 12:06:42 PM
Oh dear, I saw a woman and her son being filmed at the flower shop I kind of got in the road of them, completely by accident! Hope I'm not in it!
#1 - wullie replied on the 23/07/2014 11:24:07 PM
bbc2 friday 1st august 9pm
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