Sheffield City Centre v Manchester City Centre

MobileB · 15-06-2006, 10:49

I have not been to Sheffield City Centre for a while, so a few weeks ago, I had reason to go there on a Sunday.

First thing I noticed is that the Council car parks now all charge for parking from 8 am to 8.30 pm on ALL days. When did this change happen so that parking was chargeable on a Sunday?

I also noticed that on Arundel Street, all the little yellow signs at the single yellow lines had been removed so that there is no way of telling what times you can park there. Thus almost forcing people to go into the paid car parks for fear of getting a ticket.

It was like a ghost town. All the shops, or the ones that had bothered to open, were so quiet.

A couple of weeks ago, I went to Manchester on a Sunday and went into the city centre. The contrast was unbelievable. Plenty of free parking, street entertainers, all the shops busy, lots of people about. A very continental and cosmopolitan feel to the place. Lots of street side cafe's where on a glorious day you could sit outside.

I was born and grew up in Sheffield. Travelled the country for a while and was always very proud of it.

The contrast I saw on those two consecutive Sundays was amazing and almost ashamed of my home city.

You can't even blame Meadowhall given the local of the Trafford Centre to Manchester City Centre.

Perhaps our car loving City Council ought to take a look across the Pennines at how some very simple measures could make the city centre an attractive place to visit again.

holster100 · 15-06-2006, 10:53

I agree MobileB. Having spent the last 10 years in Sheffield, and 10 years in Manchester before that, Manchester has a lot more going for it on a Sunday. It always surprises me just how dead Sheffield is. An exception is of course when the international markets are in town - shows people are happy to shop on a Sunday if there's something open!

reditiger · 15-06-2006, 11:01

Give me Manchester any day of the week

nick2 · 15-06-2006, 11:03

Manchester has much, much better shops.

boyface · 15-06-2006, 11:06

In most city centres around the UK Saturday and Sunday are exactly the same.

I quite like the fact that on the whole Sheffield has a day off.

Stuff · 15-06-2006, 11:12

Not shopped in Manchester City Centre, but Sheffield City Centre is a dump. When you compare it with the likes of Nottingham, Leeds or even SCUNTHORPE - it's embarrasing. Their city/town centres are much nicer.

Mattski · 15-06-2006, 11:29

I think Sheffield city centre has improved immeasurably over the last decade. I am happy to visit the city centre on a sunday now whereas 5 years ago it would be unimagineable. In fact, I never used the centre except for a quick shop in the day time on a saturday. I certainly wouldn't fancy going in at night.

But this has changed. Of course, improvements still need to be made, but with the flagship H&M and River Island opening soonish and more cafes opening on a weekend its getting better all the time. Last month a couple of my friends from Czech visited and we had a wander around the city on a sunday, stopping in Ha Ha for a coffee. The place was packed and had a great buzzy feel to it, as had Fargate and the area around the cathedral and Winter Gardens.

Manchester is years ahead of Sheffield but is a much bigger city so what do you expect. I was in Nottingham on a sunday last year and believe me, that was like a ghost town. It's simply not true to say Sheffield is dead on a sunday. Ask the poor b*ggers who have to go to work.

Matt

nick2 · 15-06-2006, 11:33

I don't think H&M or River Island will be any bigger a pull than Top Man is or M&S, I would have thought having something you can't get at Meadowhall would have been a better idea. But what do I know.

Mattski · 15-06-2006, 11:41

Well neither of these stores would attract my custom but I am certain that they would prove appealling to many many people. Of course, I am basing this assumption on the talk in my office but hey, why let that disrupt the general flow of negativity.

Umeeksk · 15-06-2006, 11:54

Manchester for size, facilities, public transport and overall design...

BUT - the Peace Gardens knock Piccadilly Gardens into a cocked hat. Just goes to show we can get it right here!

snuggles · 15-06-2006, 11:59

If you think Manchester is good you ought to try Birmingham. Far far better than Manchester and Sheffield put together. Went there last weekend and was amazed on how good the place is for shopping/bars/hotels/ etc. Excellent!

sheffieldism · 15-06-2006, 12:02

i do like sheffield and its vibe, but Manchester has a bigger and better centre, especially for record shopping

nick2 · 15-06-2006, 12:03

The Bullring and the Selfridges building in Birmingham are amazing, nothing that daring would ever get built in Sheffield though

I like they way they have mixed the old and new, whereas in Sheffield we tend to just demolish the old and build the new.

alchresearch · 15-06-2006, 12:24

Quite a timely thread as it was ten years to the day that Manchester city centre was ripped apart by an IRA bomb.

If it wasn't for this happening I don't think Manchester would be the successful place it is today.

Picadilly is still a bit of a grotty place to sit and chill, but Great Northern and Castlefield more than make up for it.

bandit · 15-06-2006, 12:26

Sheffield will NEVER be anywhere near Manchester when comparing its city centres...

Sheffield is too disjointed with its village mentalities and crap council who dont have the least bit of foresight and sensibility when it comes to planning...

Yeah you can argue that Sheffield isnt comparable due to its size, but compare the city to others of a similar size such as York or Leicester and its clear how far off Sheffield is...

That said i do love Sheffield having moved here from north Manchester 5 years ago,

It just needs to stop competing with the likes of Manchester and set its sights on becoming comparable to smaller cities that have worked...

Take note Sheffield council - stop punching above your weight !

MobileB · 15-06-2006, 12:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by bandit

Sheffield will NEVER be anywhere near Manchester when comparing its city centres...

Sheffield is too disjointed with its village mentalities and crap council who dont have the least bit of foresight and sensibility when it comes to planning...

Yeah you can argue that Sheffield isnt comparable due to its size, but compare the city to others of a similar size such as York or Leicester and its clear how far off Sheffield is...

That said i do love Sheffield having moved here from north Manchester 5 years ago,

It just needs to stop competing with the likes of Manchester and set its sights on becoming comparable to smaller cities that have worked...

Take note Sheffield council - stop punching above your weight !

I remember about 7 years ago when I came back to work in Sheffield, the then head of tourism in the city made a statement that she wanted Sheffield to be the next Barcelona. You could have cut that silence in the room with a knife after she said that!

But simple things such as free parking on a Sunday (what will that really cost) and a bit of street entertainment; work with Radio Sheffield to put on big screen entertainment on sunny days etc etc is all it needs. Not really rocket science; won't really cost that much; it will give the place a lift.

Having said that, it does help if the shops open as well.

nick2 · 15-06-2006, 13:21

The council does seem determined to stop people coming into town, by car at least, charging to park on Sunday is just the final straw realy for some drivers.

DaisyBoo · 15-06-2006, 13:34

manchester city centre is awesome, as is leeds. never been shopping in birmingham but ive seen the bullring and it looks fantastic. sheffield will never compare to any of these places, we are so far behind its scarey. id love there to be some small independant shops in the city centre (aflex palace, corn exchange) i specifically travel to other cities for this kind of shopping and there is just nothing that comes close in sheffied.

Unisol · 15-06-2006, 14:00

I was in Manchester city centre a couple of weeks ago.

Horrible horrible place! LOTS and LOTS of scary looking folk.

All it's got going for it is Selfridges, Harvey Nicks & Flannels. Big deal - i'd much rather shop in independant stores anyhow.

The trams are disgusting too.

I was quite eager to see the Beetham Tower but wasn't at all impressed. Too monolithic and downright boring looking.

As someone said above, i like the fact Sheffield's city centre is quiet once a week. It's nice having a stroll through town on a sunday.

Nah, not impressed with Manc at all, however i've been to far worse places.

nick2 · 15-06-2006, 14:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaisyBoo

id love there to be some small independant shops in the city centre (aflex palace, corn exchange) i specifically travel to other cities for this kind of shopping and there is just nothing that comes close in sheffied.

I think that was the original idea with the Forum, and Division Street in general, lots of small shops, however it seems to be turning into just another set of fast food joints and student pubs, the small shops on Cambridge Street have all gone too.