Sheaf Quays. A ghost town. WHY?

Another problem which I would presume puts off the boaters is that the canal ends there, and doesn't go anywhere else, so you can't just "pass through" so to speak, so you have to go back the way you came. Apart from that, something really needs doing to the area, as the actual marina has been made nice.

Yesterday the sun was shining and we went down to take a look at Sheaf Quays.

Millions was spent refurbing this area but it was deserted. There wasn't a soul about and we were the only customers at the coffee shop.

It's very sad. You can't imagine any business being sustainable down there.

I can only imagine it is the lack of affordable parking. I noticed that a car park across the road has been transformed into a field of grass. Why?

Quite simple. The area is very difficult to drive to in the first place, the road network is not "friendly" to traffic going there, and once you get there, there is very little to see or do. Its just not worth the effort to me.

Quite simple. The area is very difficult to drive to in the first place, the road network is not "friendly" to traffic going there, and once you get there, there is very little to see or do. Its just not worth the effort to me.

That sums it up.

It's actually quite a large reasonably nice area though & it wouldn't take that much effort from the council to make it worth visiting. They could have outdoor events there in the summer or something.

the council needs to market it better and litter is a problem on the five weirs walk.

I think the area, at the moment, is used mainly by walkers and cyclists. Other than that, the only other people I have seen down there are the people who own the boats. I think this will continue to be the case until further investment is made to make the area really worth visiting. Saying that, even if that was the case, I suspect most people would whinge about having to pay the parking fees.

I worked down there between 1998 and 2004 when they first tried to give it an overhaul and it started out with great promise. The Quayside pub was the local drinking hole for the people in the new office blocks, a lovely big place with loads of potential, then they opened the Bluwater Bar, sandwich shops, gift shops, there was even a Bridal shop down there at one point.

We spent many an evening sat by the waters edge drinking outside Bluwater, in fact most Friday nights in the summer it used to be heaving. Then they closed the Quayside Pub and turned it into another office block (Ant Marketing if I remember) and as the Castle Market area started going downhill it gradually got quieter and the shops started closing as less people were willing to walk down there. Such a shame, I have some lovely memories from down there.

I work nearby and when the sun is out its a godsend to myself and my colleagues - its a suntrap, and there is hardly anywhere else within close range where we can get a drink in the cafe, or a sandwich at Stumpys Sandwich Shop.

Before our office opened, there used to be a proper bar that was open at night but sadly that has gone. I think if something like that was to return, you'd see a sudden influx in new clientel. At present, there isn't really much to attract people who don't need to go through it anyway.