While reading the Star yesterday i came across an article which was about a councillor speaking about Sheffield's city centre shopping and how it was ranked eightteenth in the country....i think!

I just wanted to read other peoples views, do you think that Sheffield should have more department stores like Harvey Nics and Selfridges?? What about this new retail quarter thats going to be built ,what shops do you think should be situated there??

I'd like to hear your views on this.

Sheffield city centre offers very poor shopping facilities. It is badly arranged - one big long stretch means one long walk from one end to the other, rather than being like most centres where shops are more in a square area. Compared with cities and even towns a lot smaller than Sheffield, the central shopping area is also very small. Smaller cities such as York and Nottingham feel like they have much bigger central shopping zones, so its no surprise that, despite being Englands 4th city, Sheffield is only the 19th best shopping city centre. Meadowhall would almost make up for it but its much further away and always PACKED and stuffy.

We need more quality department stores. John Lewis and Debenhams is a good start, we now perhaps need to once again get a city centre house of Fraser.

Also to compliment them we also need some unique shops, and I'm not just talking fashion or furniture shops. This way our High Street won't just become identical to ever other High Street in Britain.

We also need to keep up the momentum with the pub, bar, cafe and restaurant scene.

Finally, we need to have a pleasant pedestrian environment with no traffic.

That said access must also be easy, so car parks and bus stops on the fringes are essential.

I'll be honest, Sheffield City Centre needs many things in the way of retail outlets, and it seems that numbers of shoppers in Sheffield seem to be falling. For example, today at 11am this morning I walked up Division Street and I swear that there was no-one about at all, every shop I walked past was empty. In comparison with Leeds this afternoon which was heaving.

Its all well and good developing the City Centre but money from Retailers needs to be brought in, what about them grants that were offered to companies wishing to be placed in Meadowhall around the time Meadowhall opened, any chance of that perhaps?

Sheffield City Centre needs two things in my opinion, more public toilets besides the grotty ones at the Town Hall, and more computer shops besides Dixons and GAME on Fargate.

Oh and an additional bookshop besides the big Waterstones in Orchard Sq which sells computer books, the closure of the Blackwells on West St was a tragedy in my opinion.

Was it me!, or did I see the price list at the NCP car park on Arundel Gate saying it was 1.50 for 1 hour to park:mad:

No wonder everyone go's to Meadowhall!!!!

What's the point in shopping in Sheffield City Centre??

The roads in to the centre are being destoyed in the council's 'destroy every car' programme. If you do manage to get in to town then the parking's expensive, IF you can find an empty spot. And public transport sucks big time! Anyone remember when a news team took a Sheffield family on the bus and in the car? The cost of the bus was more, the time was hours longer and they are always rammed in Sheffield.

There's a car park by the firestation that's had half of it closed off, what's with that? It's been blocked off for years, does anyone know why? It's an excellently situated car park too. Or is this part of Sheffield City Council's anti car move again?

When free parking, easier road access and sheltered shopping is availalable at Meadowhall, why bother with Town?

At least in Meadowhall I can drive there easily without crappy one way systems and closed roads. When I am there I am dry and it's not normally too busy unless close to Christmas. There's no chance of being hassled by some idiot with a clipboard and there's also less chance of becoming a victim of crime (can still happen, but more chance in town).

The only time I go in to town these days is for the clubs and bars at night and occasionaly Division Street shops which can be an arse to get to, but at least they are worth the effort.

I have to be careful here because I am hardly the Council’s greatest fan, but there are sections and people that are trying to move forward and improve things.
Originally posted by lalaland
What's the point in shopping in Sheffield City Centre??
The roads in to the centre are being destoyed in the council's 'destroy every car' programme. If you do manage to get in to town then the parking's expensive, IF you can find an empty spot. And public transport sucks big time! Anyone remember when a news team took a Sheffield family on the bus and in the car? The cost of the bus was more, the time was hours longer and they are always rammed in Sheffield.
The roads are gradually being reconfigured and improved. Examples are Eyre St, Charter Row, Angel St, Inner Ring Road, Division St, Moore St.
Parking charges are pretty much par for the course. They are higher in Manchester, and you should try London where it can be £7 an hour on meters with a warden on every corner is you go a minute over. In Sheffield they give you at least 10 minutes (shhh don’t tell everyone)
The busses are crap, but that’s the bus companies. The Supertram is fabulous if it happens to be anywhere close to where you are and want to go.
Originally posted by lalaland
There's a car park by the firestation that's had half of it closed off, what's with that? It's been blocked off for years, does anyone know why? It's an excellently situated car park too. Or is this part of Sheffield City Council's anti car move again?
It doesn’t belong to the Council. It belongs to a private developer (UK Estates) who have had planning permission for years for a bar and apartments on the land. The council have been trying to prevent them developing the site because it would cock up their plans for the Hammerson retail scheme. Closing the car park and marketing it is just the developer getting on with its daily course of business in spite of the Council and its plan that may never happen.
Originally posted by lalaland
When free parking, easier road access and sheltered shopping is availalable at Meadowhall, why bother with Town?
The Council know this, but are too committed to public transport for the time being. We are beginning to see it change a little though. For me, and lots of others the prospect of Meadowhall is just too much to bear, and any savings on car parking go in the extra fuel and time needed to travel the extra distance. Plus you don’t notice the retard mothers screaming at their Burberry clad babies so much in town ;)
Originally posted by lalaland
The only time I go in to town these days is for the clubs and bars at night and occasionaly Division Street shops which can be an arse to get to, but at least they are worth the effort.
Is that not a great improvement – though I have to say that the development and success of Division St / Devonshire Green has nothing to do with the council – even thought they now claim it is. :nono:

Originally posted by Tony
Plus you don’t notice the retard mothers screaming at their Burberry clad babies so much in town ;)




:lol: :lol:

Originally posted by Tony
The busses are crap, but that’s the bus companies.Agreed! Especially the Yorkshire Traction busses who's driver's seem to be violent. I witnessed one of them verbally abusing another car driver the other week in the middle of the road.
The busses are uncomfy, often dirty and late and also crammed like the trains you see on far away programs (with people, geese and sheep holding on to the roof of the vehicle etc. :D)

Originally posted by Tony
It doesn’t belong to the Council. It belongs to a private developer (UK Estates) who have had planning permission for years for a bar and apartments on the land. The council have been trying to prevent them developing the site because it would cock up their plans for the Hammerson retail scheme. Closing the car park and marketing it is just the developer getting on with its daily course of business in spite of the Council and its plan that may never happen.It would be quite a small bar if planted there and much better for us as a car park, although I can see that the bar would make more money.
Having said that, there's already Matrix, Stardust, Empire (avoid) and a couple of others directly in that area, do we need another bar right there? I admit Sheffield night life DOES need spicing up a little, but let's move it away from that area and spread it out a little.

Originally posted by Tony
Plus you don’t notice the retard mothers screaming at their Burberry clad babies so much in town ;)I have seen some very 'very unfit to be mothers' like people doing this. Standard issue seems to be burbury (as you mention) as well as Kappa and a fag. No wonder kids are turning out as they are with mothers like these, but that's a different issue...

Originally posted by Tony
Is that not a great improvement – though I have to say that the development and success of Division St / Devonshire Green has nothing to do with the council – even thought they now claim it is. :nono: Division Street is excellent. It's got a nice clean feel to it, decent enough shops (although there are a couple of snotty ones) and the bars are pretty good too.
It also appears that the bouncers used on Division Street at places like the Forum, Halcyon and Vodka Revolution (gotta love that place) are a lot better and friendlier than those in other places around Sheffield.

When we visited Sheffield we found Fargate a nightmare. People moving up and down in a steady stream. If you are walking that way you get stuck in the flow; try to stop and someone bumps you from behind and is mad that you stopped. Everyone walks so fast too. Gone are the days of window shopping. Try and cut across the stream of people was hell. You have to wait for a gap and then scoot across dodging feet and bodies. My husband wanted to get some video shots of Fargate (yeh yeh, typical American) People were stopping and staring at us and I was scared of him being mugged. I used to work on Fargate back in the late 70s. I don't ever remember it being such a cluster f**k as it is now. Back then it was a meeting place and a hangout for young people long before Meadowhall.

You're right about Fargate, Funkee, yet it's a problem that would be easily solved by getting rid of all the clutter - benches, plantpots, people selling tat and doing surveys, those railing things they have at the Cathedral end...

Just needs the council to realise there's a problem...

The Council won't change those quickly - it took years to plan and fund those mistakes. :thumbsup:

Originally posted by Tony
The Council won't change those quickly - it took years to plan and fund those mistakes. :thumbsup: Surely you do not refer to the silver plant pots with seats on?

There's a lecturer at Chesterfield College that put a lot of thought in to those and I for one think they were worth it.

Fair enough the scrubbers selling mobile parts and flashing sticks need removing as do the clipboard people, but that's just because they annoy me. (not necaserily correct, just my view;) )

Originally posted by lalaland
Surely you do not refer to the silver plant pots with seats on?

There's a lecturer at Chesterfield College that put a lot of thought in to those and I for one think they were worth it.

Fair enough the scrubbers selling mobile parts and flashing sticks need removing as do the clipboard people, but that's just because they annoy me. (not necaserily correct, just my view;) )

I agree. Sheffield is quite dull in the centre so plants and sculptures make things more interesting and less run down. Fargate looks much nicer than the Moor. As for pedestrian flow, try Meadowhall on a Saturday! Especially if its around Xmas/ sale time.

Forth/Fifth largest city
18th best shopping

18th is not good enough, it should the 4/5th!

Originally posted by Pete1024
Forth/Fifth largest city
18th best shopping

18th is not good enough, it should the 4/5th! Why aim so low???? It should be 1st!

Originally posted by lalaland
Surely you do not refer to the silver plant pots with seats on?

There's a lecturer at Chesterfield College that put a lot of thought in to those and I for one think they were worth it.

Fair enough the scrubbers selling mobile parts and flashing sticks need removing as do the clipboard people, but that's just because they annoy me. (not necaserily correct, just my view;) )
Actually I am doing them a disservice here by being so cheeky. Fargate is pretty good quality, but it's easy to understand the comment about too much "stuff". Maybe it's over designed. That's a problem with using public money. Personally - I intensely dislike those silver pots with their strange tape recorder references that have no relevance to their context. My personal opinion of course! :

[Originally posted by Pete1024
Forth/Fifth largest city
18th best shopping

18th is not good enough, it should the 4/5th!
Sad to say, but Sheffield’s economy just will not support that standard. It is 18th not because there aren’t any shops, it is 18th because retailers aren’t very interested in being here for a variety of reasons.

Sorry to change the topic, but does any one know the architect who developed Orchard Square by any chance??

I think that it was Chapman Taylor. Try the London or Newcastle office.

Originally posted by Pete1024
Forth/Fifth largest city
18th best shopping

18th is not good enough, it should the 4/5th!

We should be a lot lower if they counted the state of the Market Area (Oh my God:o )

Originally posted by Mr BusDriver
We should be a lot lower if they counted the state of the Market Area (Oh my God:o ) If you mean the Castle Market area then yes, it's disgusting! Something that should be knocked down completely and started again.

The people who use that place should also take more pride in it. On the odd occasion I have had to venture to that dark part of the city I noticed people spitting on the floor, drinking on streets (it was only 11am!), mothers screaming at kids and then beating them in a way that would lead most decent people to think it was abuse, people chucking litter (this happens everywhere, but the market is filthy) and several illegal traders selling dodgey goods. This isn't good...

My post may sound snobby to some, but the place is a mess and needs a big clean up. Part of the problem are the people there, have more pride in the place and yourselves! And area reflects its inhabbitants.

This place is quite a contrast to the likes of Division Street and the soon to be modified Moor.

The castle market area is truly awful.
I do, however, quite like the layout of it, with The Gallery running around the sides of the buildings on the first floor, and the large market complex, it's quite interesting.

It's all just filled with cr*p.

I've heard that the castle market may be demolished to reveal the castle and river underneath! The market traders would be relocated to the bottom of the moor where more accessible bus links will be made.

That would be nice if it ever happens! I agree with the above post about that area being very dark and depressing.

Originally posted by chri5
I've heard that the castle market may be demolished to reveal the castle and river underneath! The market traders would be relocated to the bottom of the moor where more accessible bus links will be made.

That would be nice if it ever happens! I agree with the above post about that area being very dark and depressing.
That's been on the cards fo a while. I believe there's a thread about it somewhere.