I was reading an article in the local telegraph over the weekend about there being a push to turn sheffield into a center for shopping and big architecture (not sure how this differs from architecture of any other sort though!). This concept filled me with horror - firstly we already have a zillion and one shops in the city center and meadow hall, we don't really need anything more in terms of quantity though some variety and quality might be nice and secondly the architecture currently being erected seems to be predominantly of the bland box (e.g. Howden House) or of the lumpy congealed box (e.g most of the flats going up in the city center) not really anything you would write home about.

Personally what I would like to see are:

1. More science / technology / media incubator set-ups. We have a world class university and students who actively want to stay here but very little for them to do after they complete their university course. Some follow up system to spin out new companies would be beneficial to botht he people who want to stay and the environment.

2. More small independent retailers. The contents of 90+ percent of all the shops in the city center / meadow hall are replicated identically where there are multiple instances of the same shop or very similarly, when all chain stores carry pretty much the same stock. Something more akin to an 'Afleks Pallace' over in Manchester might be nice.

3. An end to the parochial mindset of the council - yes we got bitten by the World Student Games but it doesn't mean we should't ever try anything new again!

I'd like to see the city centre flourish more...

some of the chains that all major city centre have aren't in Sheffield.

I'd also like to see more independent and small shops aswell..and I can't wait to see the City Hall area once it's been redeveloped.

I don't think I could top your analysis, 'DrNeil, except I'd like to see Sheffield cash in more on it's existing sports facilities, particularly the less 'mainstream'.

The ski village is virtually a secret now, and I'd like to see the Roxy site become a multi-leisure facility perhaps with sport (such as climbing) and evening entertainment (to include a club as open plan and cavernous as Roxy and suitable for live gigs) and civilised eating facilities (no McDonalds or anything else that produces huge quantities of litter).

Is that too much to ask?

More classy bars- sheffield is in VERY short supply of these!!!

Originally posted by evildrneil
2. More small independent retailers. The contents of 90+ percent of all the shops in the city center / meadow hall are replicated identically where there are multiple instances of the same shop or very similarly, when all chain stores carry pretty much the same stock. Something more akin to an 'Afleks Pallace' over in Manchester might be nice.


This I like, more shops like those on Division Street, where you can get something different. The problem is last time me and Nat suggested this everyone seemed fairly sure that H&M would be more popular in Sheffield as no-one could afford the fancy prices these small boutiques charge.

nicer restaurants and nicer bars in the centre.

the snowdome that's currently planned to go ahead with concommitent transport improvements for the area.

An hell of a lot more for children and teenagers.

It is disgusting how we neglect our young.

Originally posted by bivvy
An hell of a lot more for children and teenagers.

It is disgusting how we neglect our young.

eh? so we should force them to wander around the centre so that we can all see them? Or you just want to up the breeding rate?

I'd like to see the rivers improved, the River Don around Neepsend and Blonk Street. Whilst I could never envisage it rivalling York's River Ouse, it would be nice to get it cleaned up and lit up at night. Lady's Bridge should be lit up for example.

As a City of Sport, I've wished for a long time that we had an international Cricket pitch. The old Don Valley Bowl area would have been great, but obviously the ice centre is there now. I'd love it to take Yorkshire CCC from Headingley to Sheffield.

Finally, although I'm not much of a shopper, I still feel there aren't enough big names in the city centre. Trouble is, when we've had them, they've never lasted. (Hamley's anyone?)

Originally posted by nick2
This I like, more shops like those on Division Street, where you can get something different. The problem is last time me and Nat suggested this everyone seemed fairly sure that H&M would be more popular in Sheffield as no-one could afford the fancy prices these small boutiques charge.

It's variety we're after. Both small shops and big shops. Big shops because they bring people into the ctiy centre and small shops because they make for a more interesting and varied shopping "experience".

I've lived in Sheffield for 8 years and it seems that the town centre has always been a building site. It's particularly bad at the moment with Barkers Pool being closed - the route through to Division street is less attractive.

I'ld like to see a Sheffield sometime in the future when the city centre (at least Fargate, Division Street, The Peace Gardens and the Moor) are all free of building sites.

the snooker world championships, a nightlife renaissance,the new retail quarter, the cooling towers reworked into art,a mega casino and a premiership football club(or 2 would be better).

for the goverment to grant the casino license to the proposed idea on bramall lane!!

I'd like to see something, infact anything(!), actually happening- not just a lot of talk/promotion that gets nowhere!

something along the lines of bradford's proposed regeneration plan. did anyone else see the story on the local news? covering the city centre with green space etc. the simulations looked fantastic.

I'd like to see the back of 'beggars' and street addicts (especially the big gang of street drinkers who do nothing but fight one another and urinate everywhere) not a very pleasant site for visitors to see, is it?!! The genuine homeless also need more help and support, we need to clean up our problems before the improvements can begin.

it seems like sheffield has the right idea sometimes but doesn't quite make it. like division street, has some lovely little shops but what about the rest of it. and the areas just outside the city like west bar/shalesmoor....so much could go on there, there's loads of empty shops just waiting to be filled. yes...mixture of big and little stores, boutiques and chains. i personally like afflex palace in manchester and think sheffield needs one. in the roxy?

some cities seem to be shopper friendly, everything is grouped together or at least well known....leeds centre...then the corn exchange. would pedestrianised areas help. oh and saw how lovely the law courts are today....that area should be improved as a whole.