One of the biggest blunders in Sheffield's history was the approval of Meadowhall being built. It's completely ripped the heart out of the city centre and it has done little to raise the image of our city. I would eagerly vote for it to be closed!

Originally posted by "Anonymous"

One of the biggest blunders in Sheffield's history was the approval of Meadowhall being built. It's completely ripped the heart out of the city centre and it has done little to raise the image of our city. I would eagerly vote for it to be closed!

There is nothing at all wrong with Meadowhall, it saw a market that wasn't being served properly and provided what has turned out to be a very popular product with the people of Sheffield. This fact is born out by the number of people queing to get into it. The old Sheffield city centre has failed due to it's inhability to change with the times. People don't want to have to walk half a mile from the markets to the bottom of the moor. They don't want to have to pay for car parking and they don't want to have to walk down a windswept cold street being drenched by the rain.

All these things are what the modern shopper requires and Meadowhall meets those need admirably. The centre has achieved a reputation not only across the UK but also Europe as one of Europes premier shopping centres. Sheffield's Meadowhall Centre is the envy of many other towns in the uk and many more are following suite and building their own like the Trafford centre in Manchester. The centre has over the years won many awards for quality and excellence as can be seen by this list below:

Estates Times - Best Shopping Centre Award
Winner 1991, 1992, 1993
Mentor Shopping Centre Award for Retail Achievement
Winner 1993
Norwich Union Safe Car Park Award
Winner 1994
Daily Telegraph First Direct Customer Service Award
Winner 1994
Tommy's Campaign Parent Friendly Award
Winner 1994 & 1995
Jean-Louis Solal Award for Excellence in Customer Service
Winner 1996
BCSC Award for Trader/Sales Development
Winner 1996
Bali Landscaping Award for Internal Maintenance
1996
Daily Express Ease of Access Award
Winner 1997
Daily Express Ease of Access Award
Winner 1998
British Council of Shopping Centres Established Shopping Centre Award for Excellence
Winner 1997
Bali Landscaping Award for Grounds Maintenance
1998
Jean-Louis Solal Award for Tenant Motivation
Winner 1998
Sheffield Business Awards for Employee Development
1998
Regional Investor in People
1998
Arthur Andersen Global Distinction for Exceeding Customers' Expectations
1998
Jean-Louis Solal Merit for Community Relations
1999
Jean-Louis Solal Merit for Marketing Through the Internet
1999
Ease of Access Award
nomination in the Special Award category - 1999
British Council of Shopping Centres Purple Apple Award for Best Single Piece of Creative Advertising
2000
British Council of Shopping Centres Purple Apple Award for Best Single Event
2000
Bali Award for Internal Landscaping
2000
BCSC Purple Apple Award for Best Overall Marketing
2001
BCSC Purple Apple Award for Best Use of New Media
2001
Merit Award for Best Single Piece of Advertising of Creative Advertising
2001
Internet Business Awards Best Website Design
2001
Internet Business Awards Overall Winner
2001
ICSC Jean-Louis Solal Award for Best Consumer Advertising Campaign
2002

Meadowhall is the way modern people wish to do their shopping and long may it continue to provide that service. If there was a vote you would be out voted, without a doubt.

Do you work for them by any chance?

Originally posted by "Anonymous"

Do you work for them by any chance?

No I don't work for them, I just hate people slagging things off just cos they are successful and they don't like it.

You don't like it cos that's your personal preference, everybodys different.

But there are thousands of us who do like to shop there and you should respect our preference to shop there and not go round voting to have it closed.

I think Meadowhall is a fantastic place. It's a world famous shopping centre and Sheffield should be proud to be a host to such a place.

it's a good job you don't live here in Australia, because they are all like that, look on the brightside of it all, if you don't want to shop at Meadow Hall. do your shopping eleswhere, at least you have a choice unlike some of us.

Just be thankful you dont work there! :wink:

Meadowhall is great. It has just about everything. It's a shame the city centre isn't better, but surely that would involve the council actually doing something. I find that highly unlikely

Talking about meadowhall, I found out this week that the cheapest and fastest way to get to meadowhall is by train. Previously I'd always gone by tram, but since the station is only over the road from Hallam Uni, I decided to go there randomly this week. It only cost a pound return with a young person's rail card (£1.50 without) and it took less than 5 minutes to get there.

The main problem with Meadowhall is that it's location and existence isn't promoted enough. Here in Edmonton, Canada we have the West Edmonton Mall which is considered a viable tourist attraction and promoted extensively throughout the US and Canada. The last time I was in Sheffield to visit the family the only way I knew this place even existed was when I was invited by a friend to go take a look. I only eventually saw the place from the outside and never really got the incentive to go.

Maybe, tell people that it is there and put something there worth seeing..................... :P

I don't think Meadowhall can be called a 'disaster'. Yes it had an effect on the city centre, but the city centre is getting it's act together again. Meadowhall has played a big part in regenerating Sheffields run down East End. Remember all those factories that employed thousands of steel and engineering workers, well they all closed that was more of a disaster !

Never having heard of Meadowhall until recently is it a place riddled with asylum seekers hanging around in gangs (such as they do in many major towns of the UK). Is it anywhere near homes?

My reason for asking is that I have enquired about buying property and was told the property is near Meadowhall. Also does Sheffield in general have a lot of asylum seekers because if it does I wouldn't be interested in moving there in the first place.

No, Meadowhall is a huge indoor shopping complex.

There are quite a lot of ethnic minorities in Sheffield, I think it's rather unfair to say asylum seekers, as I don't know wether or not they are asylum seekers. Most of them are ok, as long as you know the areas to stay away from.

Its got a poundland.....surely a bonus!!!

That's nowt!

Sheffield city centre has three £1 discount stores!

I rarely go shop in the Sheffield city centre because it's a damn nightmare if you got a car and I'm keen on the flexibility of individual transport. So I go to Meadowhall if I want to pop from one shop into another and don't mind the crowds or the high prices or I drive to a shop/retail complex which offers adequate and free parking.

Some shops in the city centre apparently try to accomodate folks like me, e.g. Hein Gericke near Fitzalan Square which offers a free parking scheme for customers with a nearby parking garage, but to find out anyone else doing something similar, you'd have to ask them all individually as there seems to be no central resource for this kinda of info available.

As a customer, I want things to be made easy for me. If you're not accomodating me, I'll go elsewhere and you can go out of business for all I care. Simple as that.

-Armin

Originally posted by Abdul
That's nowt!

Sheffield city centre has three £1 discount stores!


Soon to increase to four pound shops, sorry guys the shop I work at, 'Max Value' is changing into a 'Poundzone'.........Im' gutted.

Originally posted by 367squadron
Soon to increase to four pound shops, sorry guys the shop I work at, 'Max Value' is changing into a 'Poundzone'.........Im' gutted.

Is that the one across the road from that goth comic book shop? If so, I already included that one!

Originally posted by Abdul
Is that the one across the road from that goth comic book shop? If so, I already included that one!

Yeh it's on Matilda Street and isn't a pound shop until the 1st of July. So really the total still stands at 3?

Didn't Max Value used to be a pound shop, when it first opened ages ago? I think it did, then started to include items priced higher than a quid.

For the sake of simplicity, I still class it as a one pound store ('cos most of the merchandise is a quid), so I count the total as three:

1) Max Value
2) Poundland on the Moor
3) And that other unfortunate effort a little further down the Moor that doesn't seem to be doing terribly well these days.

Who'd have thought Chavs would ever go upmarket :D

PS - when are you getting in some more of those Cararama model cars. You haven't had them for months! Err...a friend would like to know, you see... :blush:

I don't frequent Meadowhall that much but I don't think there's anything wrong with it. I hate it when people saying things should be closed down just because it doesn't fit in with what they want. Saying you don't like it for whatever reason is fine. It's your opinion, but to start saying things should be shutdown is making the city worse. If you don't like it, don't go. As it's been mentioned, it regenerated a run down part of the city and provides jobs and services to many. That can't be bad for Sheffield.

As for the guy who say's it's full of asylum seekers. Why don't you check the area out yourself. The people there might be genuine residents. Go meet and talk to them then you'll know if they are asylum seekers or not. By the way, the term 'asylum seeker' should not be a termed in a derogatory way. You don't know what these people do or how they have got here so judgement should be reserved until you get your facts right.

Sheffield city centre may not be a good as many neighbouring city centres but it's not bad either. Division Street is a good trendy area and the Peace/Winter gardens is a good start. Hopefully the re-generation of the John Lewis area etc. will be a big difference, but I might be collecting my pension by the time that's finished ?

Hey Armin ! Are you a biker by any chance ? If so, what gear you got ? I'm looking for good but cheap tight fitting 1 piece leathers.

Originally posted by Abdul
Didn't Max Value used to be a pound shop, when it first opened ages ago? I think it did, then started to include items priced higher than a quid.

Yeh it did used to be a poundshop but now the management have decided that it made a lot more profit as a pound shop. I dont think, however, that they have taken into account that Poundland has opened in the centre and may effect the trade they were expecting to see............oh well, I think they would be better staying as they are but when we do change and make less profits I will be sayind 'I told you so'.

Originally posted by Abdul
PS - when are you getting in some more of those Cararama model cars. You haven't had them for months! Err...a friend would like to know, you see... :blush:

LOL.... I dunno for sure but i would expect to see them on one of the many deliverys we will be having in the refit week.

So do you shop at Max Value?? What do ya think of the staff?? Are we helpful?

Originally posted by 367squadron
So do you shop at Max Value?? What do ya think of the staff?? Are we helpful?

I refuse to answer on the grounds it may incriminate me :blush:









But seriously, the staff are as polite, cheerful and helpful as any other store in Sheffield, and there's a couple of cute chicks working there ;)

Just tell your bosses to get some more of the Cararama model cars in soon :thumbsup:

Meadowhall was the creation of an unaccountable Urban Development Corporation who weren't concerned about the rest of the City. It's development was masively subsidised by the tax payer (hardly a level playing field for the city centre) And what a great idea to encourage shopping by car and from so far afield in the days of Global warming. The kids in Darnall have the highest incidence of Asthma in Sheffield and one of the highest in the UK. The proximity of the motorway is an obvious reason and Meadowhall is doing more than it's fair share to help in this.
As to the place itself, it's dry warm and clean but you have to have the mentality of a worker bee or ant to feel at home there...it's just like one big nest or hive. Horrible.
And what horrible acoustics....it's like being in the swimming baths.etc etc etc etc etc

Meadowhall is well served by train, bus and tram and the interchange is used well, so its not just encouraging people to travel there by car.

I work there so am sick of seeing the place, but its a decent centre with decent stores and a good place to be when the heavens open.

Sheffield needs Meadowhall, not just for the amount of jobs it provides, but also to act as an incentive for the city centre to live up to, which it is beginning to do so.

Anyone who's seen the original Dawn of the Dead will be aware of the symbolic role that the indoor shopping mall has come to enjoy in the modern psyche. Meadowhall is pretty much the epitome of what such a mall will inevitably be and the presence of such an establishment is damn near unaviodable in the modern developed world...but that's not to say that criticisms cannot be made of the place.

I can remember when the place first opened, before the novelty value wore off. People I knew were praising the place and wagging a finger at the businesses in the city centre which complained about the competition. They claimed that the city centre had become dirty and run-down (which it had) and that Meadowhall would clean the floor with its competition.

I visited the place over the past decade many times. Hell, I even held down three jobs there at different times in my life (all of which were soul-destroying and poorly paid). But here and now I have to say that I hate having to visit Meadowhall with a passion.

Now that's my opinion, and I feel that way because the plastic charm and choking saccarine falseness of the place gets under my skin. The city centre may be scruffy in places, their may be people selling the Big Issue, but to me that's called reality.

And I find reality much preferable to false and forced environments like Meadowhall.

Surley it is best to let shopper decide for themselves (ie, vote with their wallets) whether or not it is a good place to shop.

I totally disagree that meadowhall is to blame for any problems in the city centre. It is up to people who run the city centre to compete with meadowhall not complain about it.

I prefer Meadowhall because:

1) It is cleaner
2) it is non-smoking
3) There are no beggers
4) There are no pidgions
5) There is no graffiti
6) There is no litter on the floors
7) There is a better range and choice of shops
8) You don't get wet when it rains
9) When and if i get a car it is free to park and not a rip off like city centre parking.

I agree with Carmine, Meadowhall is so fabricated and false. These types of shopping centres are all the same, built upon tried and tested formulas intended to draw in the maximum number of customers. Consequently, they lack character, individuality and soul.

Yes, it may have provided jobs for many, but I can't help but wonder how the city centre may have benefitted from the investment that created Meadowhall. Surely the area around Meadowhall could have been further used for industrial purposes, incouraging new and upcomming businesses into the city?

The city centre has history and character in abundance, something Meadowhall has never had and never will. For me these attributes are far more important than mass free parking, sheltered shopping and sterile toilets.

Ah, a kindered spirit on the hoary old chesnut that is Meadowhell!

My opinions are my own and I respect the right of others to subject themselves and their families to the horror of the place, but is it just me or has the city centre begun to grow in a way that Meadowhell never can?

Lat time I checked the city centre was crawling with coffeeshops, interesting pubs and bars, fantastic restaurants (and not predominantly chain restaurants either), alternative clothing stores, comic-shops and other delicate non-mainstream establishments that could never survive in the happy-smiley-keep-the-vapid-burberry-clad-chavs-spending environment that Meadowhell epitomises.

There is an alternative...resistance is fertile.

Originally posted by Carmine
Ah, a kindered spirit on the hoary old chesnut that is Meadowhell!

My opinions are my own and I respect the right of others to subject themselves and their families to the horror of the place, but is it just me or has the city centre begun to grow in a way that Meadowhell never can?

Lat time I checked the city centre was crawling with coffeeshops, interesting pubs and bars, fantastic restaurants (and not predominantly chain restaurants either), alternative clothing stores, comic-shops and other delicate non-mainstream establishments that could never survive in the happy-smiley-keep-the-vapid-burberry-clad-chavs-spending environment that Meadowhell epitomises.

There is an alternative...resistance is fertile.

But would any of this have happened without the impotus of competition provided by Meadowhall. I think it's great if the city centre gets its act together but why deny consumer choice by shutting down Meadowhall.

By the way what is this strange Sheffield nostalga for steel works, coal mines etc personified by films such as The Fully Monty and Brassed Off. Personally I much prefer the clean modern service industries.

I hate Meadowhall.

Always packed full of townies, and there isn't any decent shops.

Originally posted by slimsid2000
But would any of this have happened without the impotus of competition provided by Meadowhall. I think it's great if the city centre gets its act together but why deny consumer choice by shutting down Meadowhall.

By the way what is this strange Sheffield nostalga for steel works, coal mines etc personified by films such as The Fully Monty and Brassed Off. Personally I much prefer the clean modern service industries.

It is a shame we have endure plastic hell to get to the kind of organic urban growth that other cities have enjoyed for so long, but that's Sheffield for you.

I'd never advocate that Meadowhell be shut down, choice is good for you, and I find that one trip every six months or so fills me right back to the brim with vitriol for the awful place.

Originally posted by Skatiechik
I hate Meadowhall.

Always packed full of townies, and there isn't any decent shops.

You have a Fraggle for a personal image...that makes you right by default!

Originally posted by Guest
One of the biggest blunders in Sheffield's history was the approval of Meadowhall being built. It's completely ripped the heart out of the city centre and it has done little to raise the image of our city. I would eagerly vote for it to be closed!

Meadowhall rules! Sure the City Centre may have died a bit as a result but that's partly the Council's fault for all those dang blasted one way systems etc they put in place, which as I've always said, are annoying to a point where drivers decide sod it come on we'll go down to Meadowhall, easy access, FREE plentiful parking... What more do you want?!

Originally posted by Skatiechik
Always packed full of townies, and there isn't any decent shops.

Define decent.

There's the poor end (Poundland and Argos) and the Posh end (House of Fraser and Debenhams) and quite a bit in between

Originally posted by Carmine
I'd never advocate that Meadowhell be shut down, choice is good for you, and I find that one trip every six months or so fills me right back to the brim with vitriol for the awful place.

Wait until you have some kids. Try dragging them round town as opposed to Meadowhall...especially when it rains.

Yes, Meadowhall has its faults, but it's more convenient than the city centre in many respects.

And just wait until Sheffield city council introduce their congestion t-t-t- charge

i wunt know cos town duz my head in................

What more do you want?!

Hmm, seems to me meadowhall could easily be 10 times smaller than it is as all the shops sell the same stuff!! And don't say you have the lanes...:loopy:

Originally posted by Abdul
Wait until you have some kids. Try dragging them round town as opposed to Meadowhall...especially when it rains.

Yes, Meadowhall has its faults, but it's more convenient than the city centre in many respects.

And just wait until Sheffield city council introduce their congestion t-t-t- charge

I can see how town would be a nightmare with kids in tow...ah for the days when the little darlings were packed off to boarding school and saw their parents but once a year, for an hour on xmas morning...the trials of such things await me somewhere down the line!

Meadowhell is the very incarnation of convenience in every possible way, the guiding principle by which such places are designed dictate that they must eliminate the niggling problems that the city-centre presents.

But I find that the place is highly stressful and as I use public transport rather than drive the simple fact is that town is closer and more conveniet for me, plus the congestion charge don't apply.

When my circumstances change significantly then I will be forced to reevaluate my stance on the subject, but until then I'll stick to the city centre and stay away from the "domes of doom"(c).

The thing about Meadowhall as well, is that aside from big Department stores, ie the likes of Debenhams and Marks's, most of the shops are all on one level, which makes them considerably more wheelchair friendly than a lot of the shops in Town... Granted that doesn't make much difference to me personally, but for such as PT (Plain Talker), and other disabled shoppers, it's a godsend.

I mean they even offer courtesy wheelchairs, free of charge, Town doesn't, at least I don't think they do :loopy:

I don't know what the fuss is about. If you don't like Meadowhall, don't go. If you prefer the city centre then fine. I personally prefer the city centre but have nothing against (ie. hate, or want to closedown) Meadowhall.

Leed has White Rose centre and a great city centre both working successfully. I hate to admit it, being a Sheffielder, but why not here too ? We should have more investment in the centre but leave Meadowhall for those who like to shop there.

Originally posted by Skatiechik
and there isn't any decent shops.

It's a shame that your "red brick" degree couldn't provide you with a grasp of the fundamental rules of grammar.

Funny that, I wonder why? :confused:

Maybe it was because the course didn't involve me writing one bit of english.

Just go back to the box on some dingy street in Ecclesall that you crawled out of. Maybe I should ask Geoff to change your username to "billy no mates" or alternatively I could just report your post for flaming me.

Nest time you have a problem with me PM me rather than have a dig at me on the forum for no apparent reason, other than to inform me that my english language doesn't meet your grade.

Ooooh that told me didn't it?

PS. There are no dingy streets in Ecclesall. ;)

Originally posted by Ned Ludd
The kids in Darnall have the highest incidence of Asthma in Sheffield and one of the highest in the UK. The proximity of the motorway is an obvious reason and Meadowhall is doing more than it's fair share to help in this.


I think you mean Tinsley, Darnall is a fair distance away from Meadowhall and the motorway

Originally posted by Skatiechik
Nest time you have a problem with me PM me rather than have a dig at me on the forum for no apparent reason, other than to inform me that my english language doesn't meet your grade.

Pity that we can't switch him off like you can do with Mr Paperclip man in MS Word.

Originally posted by t020
Ooooh that told me didn't it?

PS. There are no dingy streets in Ecclesall. ;)

Oh I'm sure any street you live on must become automatically dingy, dearest heart.

Why thank you. :D

Originally posted by mega_monty
Pity that we can't switch him off like you can do with Mr Paperclip man in MS Word.

You can with the upgraded version of V-Bulletin (the forum software). Can't wait till Geoff implements it, I will certainly be using the block user feature for this particular user. ;)

Originally posted by t020
Why thank you. :D

Out of interest did your parents neglect you as a child? The reason being you seem to love attention, regardless what form it is in and go out of your way to attract it.

Does it never upset you that people really dislike you and your going to end up a very lonely person?

Originally posted by Rich
The thing about Meadowhall as well, is that aside from big Department stores, ie the likes of Debenhams and Marks's, most of the shops are all on one level, which makes them considerably more wheelchair friendly than a lot of the shops in Town... Granted that doesn't make much difference to me personally, but for such as PT (Plain Talker), and other disabled shoppers, it's a godsend.

I mean they even offer courtesy wheelchairs, free of charge, Town doesn't, at least I don't think they do :loopy:

Agreed, the MH centre is wheelchair friendly to an extent. some shops are too tightly packed with stock and racks and stuff to get a chair in, but, meh, that happens everywhere, dun't it?

What I don't like about Mad as hell is that it can be very "crowded" and "frantic" and it can throw me into a panic when it is very busy, (and I would prefer town if it weren't open to the elements, which gives MH the edge in that respect)

I find mad-as-hell best first thing on a Monday or Tuesday morning, before the rush-and-crush, when it is really quiet.

also, to let everyone know, I work for an organisation in the city centre which loans out, for a couple of quid a day, (sorry, we'd like it to be free, like MH, and we *are* working on that!) wheelchairs and scooters, for use in the city centre, to anyone with a mobility problem, temporary or longer-term.

so, yes, even if you have mobility problems, you can access the shopping, sightsee, and socialise in Sheffield centre, with no problems

we are open at Eldon St, very near the new Tesco on West Street,

Shopmobility Sheffield is on (0114) 281 2278

We are open Monday to Saturday, from 0915 to 1530 (3.30pm)

call in and see us, full training will be given. All you have to do is just bring 2 valid forms of ID and we will sign you up!

we also provide a loan service at a lot of Sheffield park events such as Mayfest, Hillsboro Gala, and RNLI in Endcliffe park.

PT

Originally posted by Skatiechik
Out of interest did your parents neglect you as a child? The reason being you seem to love attention, regardless what form it is in and go out of your way to attract it.

Does it never upset you that people really dislike you and your going to end up a very lonely person?

Does it upset me that a bunch of goody 2 shoes forum users take a disliking to my honest style of posting? No, I can't say it does. You're constantly reminding everyone about how "red bricks" are for the more able (e.g. yesterday you kindly pointed out to a user that she'd never have got a 2.1 at a "proper" uni - http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?postid=129466#post129466 - and I won't even go into the lack of conjunctions used in your split clause sentences...), and how you yourself attended one. Yet despite this, you're still unable to adhere to basic grammatical principles. Nevermind whether or not your degree covered it, GCSE English Language should have. You sounded like you needed bringing down a peg or two to me.

t020 why dont you just learn to shut your mouth every now and again.. to me you seem to get off on upsetting anyone on here just give it a rest

t020,

this is not a grammar or spelling bee, nor is it a competition of who can post the Snottiest replies. (although if it were, you might be in with more than a fighting chance of taking home the cup)

So please, pull your head out from up your rear orifice, close your mouth, and give your backside a chance.............

Please.

I am sure that i am not the only one who is fed up of hearing, in every last post, "ooh, snigger, you must be an idiot, because you have spelt (insert word) wrongly"

Ooh, look, (sniggers) I just noticed! (giggles inanely) I spelt my letter "I" in lower case, in the sentence above! I must have an IQ in negative figures!

If you do not have anything more constructive to say than to pick grammatical and spelling spots off every post, just give it a rest, until you have something valid or relevant/constructive to say.

You are becoming tedious.

PT

Mod: On that note from Plain Talker I'm closing the thread until further notice.