Muji
Habitat
Pret A Manger
Zara
Size?

I doubt any of those are even considering Sheffield city centre at this moment in time

Out of that lot I've only heard of Habitat.

I'd like to see a branch of Harry Ramsden's in Fargate or High Street.

I'm sure we used to have a Habitat. I assume not enough people used it and it closed..

Pret a Manger..... why? What's so special about that particular chain?

Originally posted by Greybeard
Out of that lot I've only heard of Habitat.

I'd like to see a branch of Harry Ramsden's in Fargate or High Street.

Harry Ramsdens - I like your thinking!

We have got Tony's fish and chip cafe though - it might not have the chandeliers but the snap is decent! (And it's down to earth, both staff and prices)

Originally posted by Andy C
Pret a Manger..... why? What's so special about that particular chain?

There used to be one at Meadowhell but it closed because it only sold overpriced food and nobody went.

I read somewhere that Sheffield is the only city where Pret have closed down due to lack of trade. :o

Originally posted by Andy C
I'm sure we used to have a Habitat. I assume not enough people used it and it closed..

I think it was on the moor, near Atkinsons.

Muji
Zara
Size?

^^^ Not heard of those ones before.We could do with some really big name shops opening up (Selfridges,Harvey Nics ect) to really draw people from out of town into the city center. Tho like ultracynic said i couldnt see any of them being interested at the mo.

Originally posted by Andy C
Harry Ramsdens - I like your thinking!

We have got Tony's fish and chip cafe though - it might not have the chandeliers but the snap is decent! (And it's down to earth, both staff and prices)

Where is it ?

It's my birthday this week and SWMBO says she'll take me out for a meal somewhere. A couple of pints and a nice fish & chip supper would suit me...woudn't want to eat later than eight.

I don't think Harry Ramsdens is anything special. The last two I went in were bloody awful because they are just franchised restaurants.

I went to one in Blackpool quite a few years ago and I thought it was ok.

We have a Zara in meadowhall, its rarely busy so I dont think we need another in town..

Muji we need tho!

i am not saying these are shops that i like

but what i am saying are that these are quality retailers that you can find in the city centres of manchester, birmingham, leeds but not sheffield

sheffield should be up there with those cities but it seems it is more down there with the likes of bolton, barnsley and blackburn!

habitat probably closed down because the people of sheffield don't want posh furniture shops but, hey, look at prego and ponsfords extension

On a different tack to posh clothes shops and furniture shops, what we could do with is a Borders bookshop. Leeds has one, York has one, even Stockport has one. In contrast Sheffield has the worst selection of bookshops I know of - Waterstones, WH Smiths, Blackwells (the academic one and the tiny one in Broomhill) and er... that's it apart from the remainder shops (the Works, Applebaums and that Bookworld place in Meadowhall). Maybe Sheffield folk just don't read enough because all the second hand bookshops are closing down too (YSF books near Hunter's Bar and the one on West street have both shut this year).

Originally posted by RPG

Muji we need tho!


Just had a peek at their on-line store and the stuff looks very similar to IKEA, but at London's West End prices.

Can't fathom though why not having a bell or pump should be a good selling point for a bicycle....inscrutable these Japanese :D

more subways lol

Originally posted by Greybeard
Just had a peek at their on-line store and the stuff looks very similar to IKEA, but at London's West End prices.

Can't fathom though why not having a bell or pump should be a good selling point for a bicycle....inscrutable these Japanese :D

Ah but they sell the greatest mechanical pencils known to man and everything sweet that is made in japan *drool*

Originally posted by metalman Maybe Sheffield folk just don't read enough because all the second hand bookshops are closing down too (YSF books near Hunter's Bar and the one on West street have both shut this year).

Blame bookfinder.com, I have often bought second-hand books on-line from the States for half the cost UK sellers are asking...and that includes shipping.

I think the thing thats stopping all these big shops from coming to Sheffield is tourism. Sheffield doesn't do near enough to promote outsiders to come and shop and spend.

After thinking about it, I do have to agree with the other ultracynic that Sheffield is on a par with Bolton and Blackburn and other insignificant towns. To be perfectly honest, I would say that Bolton has a better town centre. Again, it's FULLY OPEN on a Sunday.

It's much easier to see the problems and areas for improvement as an outsider looking in.

Originally posted by Greybeard
Blame bookfinder.com, I have often bought second-hand books on-line from the States for half the cost UK sellers are asking...and that includes shipping.

That certainly is part of the problem - lots of second hand booksellers are migrating to the internet to cut costs. It's all very well if you're looking for a specific title, but it's very hard to browse in an Internet bookshop, and that for a lot of people is part of the pleasure.

Anyway my point really was that a city the size of Sheffield should be able to support more than one decent city centre bookshop. It's the usual story - everywhere that's anywhere these days has a Borders because it's one of the 'in' shops, but that doesn't seem to include Sheffield.

I think the city centre would benefit from a branch of 'the bulldog' or 'grasshopper' for sure

Originally posted by metalman
That certainly is part of the problem - lots of second hand booksellers are migrating to the internet to cut costs. It's all very well if you're looking for a specific title, but it's very hard to browse in an Internet bookshop, and that for a lot of people is part of the pleasure.

Anyway my point really was that a city the size of Sheffield should be able to support more than one decent city centre bookshop. It's the usual story - everywhere that's anywhere these days has a Borders because it's one of the 'in' shops, but that doesn't seem to include Sheffield.

Again, it's all down to tourism. Went to Southport at the weekend - had FOUR new bookshops (ie shops selling new books, the shops weren't new) and two massive second hand bookshops, all full of people spending.

Same with Manchester, it has two Waterstones within a quarter of a mile of each other and countless second hand bookshops.

Originally posted by Andy
There used to be one at Meadowhell but it closed because it only sold overpriced food and nobody went.

I read somewhere that Sheffield is the only city where Pret have closed down due to lack of trade. :o

Here's the link to the story.

http://shopping.guardian.co.uk/food/story/0,1587,800972,00.html

Also Habitat used to be on the corner down from where Argos is,and next door used to be Hamley's toy store!

2 shops Sheffield needs in Town.

CEX - Second hand and imported computer games and DVDs dirt cheap

MVC - Cheap games and DVDs with even cheaper prices if you're in their "club" (have their store card).

muji is a really cool japanese shop that sells stationary and clothes and all sorts of things :)

we need alternative shops such as above. we are so far behind other cities..a decent bookstore and a large music/dvd store would be nice...

Originally posted by HarrietStar
muji is a really cool japanese shop that sells stationary and clothes and all sorts of things :)

Its great isnt it :D

I also agree about MVC, we could do with one of those.

and an IKEA... but thats not gonna happen now cos of the stupid council :/

Agree completely that the provision for books in Sheffield is very poor - it would be great to have a Borders here. I can spend hours browsing in the Leeds branch - books, cds, videos, magazines, and all under one roof! Heaven!

I have to say, though, that the shopping in Sheffield is generally MILES better than it used to be - at the risk of sounding shallow, I'm delighted to have Zara and H&M available at Meadowhell, and I noticed recently that Karen Millen have opened a branch in town so I don't even have to go to Meadowhell. My shopping experiences have been transformed!

What I would like to see is a branch of Office (shoes to drool over) opening here, and I'd be "made up" (ha!) to have a Space NK nearby (make-up store that is girlie-heaven!). I have to travel to Leeds at the moment to shop at them - although maybe that's a good thing - it limits the amount I can spend in them!

StarSparkle

yeh but we'll have an ikea in doncaster which'll be good for the region and still in easy travelling distance and much closer than other stores :)

I'm just not sure how true this rumour about an IKEA in Doncaster is... I know somebody said it on that other IKEA thread but I can't find any reference to it on their website. If anybody knows anything for certain let us know... but I reckon we might be looking at Leeds and Nottingham for a while yet.

well we were given a survey to do at ant about how much we'd use an ikea in doncaster and if we'd want one etc. so they definatly are looking into putting one there, even if it is only in early stages!

teh council could be forward thinking (rolls around on the ground in uncontrolable laughter) and look at the states and Japan and see which companies or big there (Taco Bell etc) and get them here first....Instead of followning other cities...

Originally posted by HarrietStar
muji is a really cool japanese shop that sells stationary and clothes and all sorts of things :)

My God! How have we survived without one of THESE?

I bet they'd be queuing three deep to get in one of these shops.... :roll:

When I moved to Sheffield just over a year ago I was amazed at the shortage of decent bookshops in the city centre. There is a Waterstones and that's all? Shocking!
A city this size with two major universities deserves something to rival Waterstones. So come on Borders, get your act together and open a branch in Sheffield!

Don't mention the Pret article - got me fuming when I read the opening paragraph to the review of Thyme.

Personally I'd say it closed because we have far better sandwich shops, at much more reasonable costs available to us!

All I ask for though is a good sandwich shop (Like woodies on Eccy road) that's within 5 mins of the airport as I'm fed up of having to go to Morrisons or Asda every lunch.

Airport Cafe is ok but range fairly limited

Originally posted by robbie
teh council could be forward thinking (rolls around on the ground in uncontrolable laughter) and look at the states and Japan and see which companies or big there (Taco Bell etc) and get them here first....Instead of followning other cities...

Hmmmmm..........

Taco Bell is not an experience I'd like to repeat. I think it was in either Fairbanks or Anchorage, Alaska. Quite what Tex Mex food is doing up in Alaska I have no idea....

And don't forget it was, according to the movie Demolition Man, the survivor of the Fast Food Wars, defeating all other fast fooderies...:)

The thing to remember is that we're NOT Japan or the US. I doubt that kiosks selling used ladies panties (Japan) or hand guns (the US) would go down well here...;)

Seriously, the city should respond to what it's people want - not go off and see what other cities are doing and blindly copy it.

Joe

Borders is great!

As many who've read my ramblings will know I have little time for that place at the Northern end of the M1, but Leeds Borders is great!

They have these comfy leather chairs downstairs and you can spend a good afternoon there reading the books without anyone complaining!

Joe

Yes I also cannot believe that a major city like Shefiiled with two major universities has only got one bookshop - Waterstones - in the whole place - where are all the other chains eg Borders, Foyles, etc.

Sheffield needs more book shops, and definately more designer shops. There should be a french connection in the city centre and some others like that too. Also a Harvey nics. This talk of there been an ikea built in donny, it should be built in sheffield instead as it a big city not a market town

bring back ann summers!!

Originally posted by jozzer
Sheffield needs more book shops, and definately more designer shops. There should be a french connection in the city centre and some others like that too. Also a Harvey nics. This talk of there been an ikea built in donny, it should be built in sheffield instead as it a big city not a market town

Whether or not the council or other city centre shops want the Ikea or not is beside the point. I know of a few people in Sheffield who have to make the trip down to Nottingham or Leeds to go, wasting petrol and time driving. My mum likes the place but doesn't have a car, so she can't get there without a lift from my sister.

The council needs to remember the other side of the coin - if you're not bringing people in, you could be driving your own residents away because of the sheer lack of amenities.