Sheffield ; a city , a town or a large village ?

[Saxon 10]

Sheffield historically a collection of villages that over the years have merged. I like that and wouldn't want to live anywhere else (at least not in the UK:P ).

 

Yes technically its a city but I've often heard it described at the biggest village in England.

[FriarTuck 10]

I can't believe what I am seeing on this thread.

Of course Sheffield is a city.

You mention Leeds, Manchester and to that you can add Liverpool, Birmingham, London. They're the only places in England who seemingly have that bit extra over Sheffield.

To say Sheffield is not worthy of city status means that all cities below them in terms of status, economy, education, culture, leisure and retail shold not be seen as a city.

Sheffield is a city and a large one at that.

If someone asked me the question 'Should Doncaster be given city status?' Hand on heart, I would have to say yes as its profile is rising and it has more going for it than half the current cities we have in England. So Doncaster a city and Sheffield not.......sounds ridiculous doesn't it.

Putting London aside, I think up to the 1990's Sheffield was in Division One as cities go with the likes of Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham. Today, I reckon we may have slipped a division and are in the same league as Newcastle, Nottingham, Bristol. In five years I am sure we will be back with the big boys though......as the airport takes off and supertram is extended.

[skyfitsboy 10]

Originally posted by FriarTuck

In five years I am sure we will be back with the big boys though......as the airport takes off and supertram is extended.

 

Supertram extension? Are you sure about this?

 

The last proposal's I know of for extending the tram network was fiercely protested against and the idea shelved.

 

But agree hopefully the next five years will see Sheffield back in the top city league, the New Retail Quarter will boost us up the city centre shopping ranks and projects like the redevelopment of Leopold Square and St Pauls place will breathe new life right into the city centre.

[banesmabes 10]

Investment in Sheffield has no doubt dropped behind the likes of Leeds and Manchester. When you drive into Leeds it jsut looks so much more impressive than Sheffield, even though it is home to approximately the same number of people. But we are now seeing some of the investment coming our way and the city centre is really starting to see a lot of improvements. It will be at least 10 years before it really starts looking and feeling like a 21st century big city though - probably longer. But I hope it retains it's 'village feel' at the same time. I lived in Leeds for a while, and although it had the big city 'buzz' about it, I found it a most unfriendly place to live.

[scottf 21]

no offence ment fareast BUT . . . . . thats england!! i really don't think we could cope with a 24 hour culture like they have over there, england wakes up (generally) at 6am and goes to bed (again generally) at 12midnight.

 

people over here just arn't ready to accept the changes that people over there do!!! simple as that, in 10 years possibly but at the minute we are content with the laws and life we have here be them right or wrong!

[scottf 21]

Originally posted by Fareast

Walk down Fargate or the centre of town on say , a Tuesday morning at eleven a.m. and it's like a ghost town ..

 

What city (apart from london and birmingham) is busy in the centre of the shopping district at 11am? im sorry bud but not many will be!

[buck 11]

It took many years in the Royal Navy to convince me that Sheffield, my hometown was not the centre of the universe, something I feel many Sheffielders think it is. We found going back home difficult to break into Sheffield cliques.

I love cities, even Sheffield, but some have a spark about them that Sheffield lacks. Montreal is my favorite. It has style, great food, and a lot of fun. It's everything that Toronto isn't.

I live halfway between NYC and Boston, Boston is OK, but New York is fantastic. All you need is lots of money, which I don't have!

[Fareast 10]

Scottf.

 

I think you're wrong about Sheffield in a few ways.

Firstly , the centre of Sheffield seems as though it , "goes to bed " at six o ' clock p.m. , not midnight.

I don't think it's a matter of us possibly changing to a , "city culture ' , sometime possibly in the future ; I think it's more a matter of us once having a thriving city centre , of a sort , then losing it.

At one time , despite Sheffield's grim appearance , our city centre had more bustle to it , day and night than it has now.

When I first mentioned cities , I wasn't talking about huge buildings or clean buildings .....etc......but a place where all its citizens , not just a few , felt safe and happy to gather , to trade , gossip , walk , sit around and so on.Now Sheffield never has been a , "fun city " but it still had more going for it , AS A TRUE CITY ,years ago.

There was no Meadowhall , years ago , to lure away shoppers from the centre.The city centre was ringed by a series of inner-city suburbs , so people could easily walk if they wished into Town.For those who were elderly or a bit infirm , we had an excellent , cheap , reliable bus-service.

It was safer to BE in the city centre at nights and thus more people of all ages were willing to go there for a drink. or simply to walk round.

I'm not disputing the factors that have led to Sheffield City centre's decline. I'm just saying it IS like that , and it has not always been so.

People have been living in cities [with universities , parks , big buildings , lots of "traffic " ....etc ..] in other countries for thousands of years before we did and they seem to have a , "knack "for it. We seem to have almost found it and lost it again.

[sheffco 10]

I always thought, that one qualification for CityHood, was a Cathederal! Universeties follow (Church Schools).

In the 1950's and 60's, In the Army, and getting experience of other towns - City's both in England and abroad, Sheffield was known as the biggest village in England. All pubs shut at 10:00pm - - the only late bar I remember was the City Hall Dance.

It changed with the world cup - - some matches being played at Hillsborough. A couple of beer gardens, a few disco's, (Stringfellow started up then!) to accomodate the european visitors.

However, being built on hills, it has a small town centre, and does cling to the "collection of small villages mentality". The dormitory areas of the council estates contribute to this factor too.

To refer to the "Far East"post - - I would like to see a mother or father with two kids in the "Pannier", cycling up city road, or prince of wales road etc to get home to Hackenthorpe. Even strolling home late at night, invariably would involve a bit of mountain climbing. (One reason for it being populated by the younger set), Energy!

[Fareast 10]

Buck

 

Exactly !

I , too , thought like you , re-Sheffield.

I lived there until nineteen-eighty and , apart from short breaks , never left it. In fact , further than that , I spent the great majority of that time between Abbeydale Road and West St.---Glossop Rd. ! and town , of course !

I think twent-five years ago , Sheffield still had a lot going for it and the centre then was as , "city-like " as you'd get in any comparable city in the U.K.

But then , moving away and then moving abroad , gives you a new perspective about your home town .I've never been to America at all but the best all round place I've ever lived in as a , "city " , in the full sense of the word ,is Istanbul ; crazy , but what a place !

[sheffco 10]

I also think that a lot of the Quiet Sheffield image can be put down to the Yorkshire attitude of "Live and Let Live" A common sense, down to earth way of life, that keeps them content in their own little area. Of Course, Being quite elderly, I don't need Vibrant Clubs, or to run the obstacle course, of pleasure/mischief seeking younger set.

I have known a few favourite cities - - Algier's in the 60's and 70's, Oran too. Cairo - Tripoli (Try that one) - Marseilles and Paris - - - mainly through the entertainment side of things, clubs, bars, hotels and some seedier places.

Nice to be back home, and as some have said, in a place of lesser gang/gun culture than most of the UK.

[Fareast 10]

To All Posters

 

I think one thing we MAY all agree on ------transport is the lifeblood of a city.

For good or ill , a lot of people were moved away from Sheffield city centre , over the years and into the suburbs.Sheffco mentions Sheffield's hills and , yes, this makes it all the more problematic for people to , "pop" into the city centre , say on a bike . If people DO live near a city centre or live in the centre , no problem.

If ninety per cent live quite a way off , then if you want centres to , "buzz " you have to supply cheap , reliable , safe , round the clock transport and then you might see them return to the centre.

It may be too late , of course .Meadowhall has , "captured " a lot of the motorised shoppers and will battle every way it can to keep them.Also , significantly , it is at the centre of a transport , "hub" and a lot of people probably find travelling there by , "public" transport as easy , if not easier , than going to the centre of the city.

To put it in a nutshell , imagine Sheffield City Centre with all Meadowhall's advantages ! That might give it a ,"buzz " !