Do you consider Sheffield boring...

[Guest Guest]

Originally posted by "Anonymous"

 

How many major city centres are there without a Starbucks, Habitat, Muji, places to sit outside and eat or drink with heating for all weathers, Pret a Manger, etc.

 

According to an article in the Guardian recently, Sheffield holds the distinction of being the only city in which a pret a manger has shut down due to lack of custom.....

[Guest Guest]

Originally posted by "tinajones"

 

we need more quality, original restaurants, clothes shops, etc not homogeneous chains like starbucks!

 

Not having been in Sheffield for a while, what happened to the Forum? That used to be full of indelendant little shops....

 

AS for no chains.....thats never going to happen! Sad as it is......

[Guest Guest]

According to an article in the Guardian recently, Sheffield holds the distinction of being the only city in which a pret a manger has shut down due to lack of custom.....

 

This is a little to unfair as it wasn't in Sheffield, it was in Meadowhell. And how many people of any discerning taste go to Meadowhell.......? If they opened one in the centre now, in the right place I think it would do very well.

[Guest Guest]

I am contemplating moving to Sheffield and thought i would browse the forum to see the good points and bad points of Sheffield. At first i was a little bemused by the variety of opinions . But it seems the good points outweigh the bad.

 

My first visit was a bit of a shock.....how steep are your streets!!!so scary! :shock: well they are to a cheshire girl who is used to flat land all around.

[El Duderino 10]

Hey when all said and done, those of us who do have bad opinions about Sheffield, only do so because we believe it's a fantastic city that could be a whole lot better if we had a forward thinking council. It's purely frustation......I for one wouldn't really like to live anywhere else.

 

I also think the sudden rush of bad opinion you have discovered here is because people like myself have never had a forum, on which to vent anger and frustration at what goes on in the city. This forum has provided a much needed soapbox for anyone who passionately believes in this wonderful, if slightly rusty steel city .

[Guest Guest]

Originally posted by "Anonymous"

 

According to an article in the Guardian recently, Sheffield holds the distinction of being the only city in which a pret a manger has shut down due to lack of custom.....

 

This is a little to unfair as it wasn't in Sheffield, it was in Meadowhell. And how many people of any discerning taste go to Meadowhell.......? If they opened one in the centre now, in the right place I think it would do very well.

 

THat makes it a bit odder really.....mind you, if the Chocolate Factory can shut down, anything can......

 

I'd've thought a City Centre Pret would've done pretty well, myself.

 

Is the Blue Moon Cafe still open, btw?

[El Duderino 10]

Yes but it has moved to the ELR building next to the cathedral. And jolly nice it is too with excellent food.

[Big Ben 10]

Right, I will aim to add a southerner’s perspective to this tale.

I was born and bred in London, and moved to Sheffield permanently 6 months ago. I have been coming here for the last 15 years at weekends to visit my dad who lives out in the Peak District in Froggatt. Now 26 years of age, I have also had a sister who was here at Uni a couple of years ago, so have visited the City throughout my growing years, as a chid, teenager, and adult.

 

I love the City, so much so that I now live here. I work in Leeds, only a couple of hours travel every day, although on the M1, when the suns shines its great scenery, in the morning . (a much more pleasant experience than the London Underground or the now new £5 charge! to drive ) With Leeds being the 2nd largest financial centre outside London, there is a lot of opportunity in the area.

 

Although still capable of a lot of improvement, The feel to Sheffield is what does it for me. Something I find hard to describe. I'm not going to list what there is and what I find great about it, I just want to say that you have a converted Southerner amongst you.

 

The diversity is what gets me, from the beauty of the Peak District to the nastiness of areas I wont mention, I am planning to stay here for a very long time.

[Dr Feelgood 10]

A very warm and big HELLO to all you folk!

 

As someone who is soon to move down to Sheffield from Glasgow to take up a great new job I want to say what a fantastic forum this is. You really talk about issues close to your heart openly and the banter and debate are interesting. The discussion on Sheffield's image and whether or not it is boring has stimulated me to chip in with some honest thoughts.

 

I am someone who was born and brought up in West Yorkshire but then left home for uni. My journey has taken me from Manchester to Oxford, back to West Yorkshire briefly and then up north of the border to Glasgow.

I might add that I have also travelled around the world quite a lot inclding Europe, North America , Asia, Far East. So when I look at Sheffield it is through the eyes of a traveller. So what do I think?

 

Well, I feel that Sheffield is a nice city which has the potential to be a very nice European city. Yes, like any big city it has its deprived areas but there are a lot of things going for it.

Its location is excellent for a start. It's so central that anywhere is within easy reach. The beautiful countryside of the Peak District is at your doorstep. You have great universities and it seems to me very friendly people. Culturally, there are theatres, cinemas and art galleries too.

 

What I do think is lacking at the moment is a vibrant city centre which would come with new classy shops, cafes, a greater diversity of restaurants and some nice city squares. I guess what this would add is a touch of sophistication for want of better word. If the tram system could be extended that would be a good move. I agree the shopping facilities are not adequate for England's fourth largest city and that really needs to be remedied. One should not have to settle for going to Manchester or Leeds for quality shopping. Dirty areas need to be cleaned up rather than neglected. People need to demand these changes and not settle for remaining in the shadow of Manchester and Leeds.

 

I suppose one thing you can hold on to is that there is hope that these type of changes have started to happen and will continue for the coming years if all the millions of European investment are to be believed.

 

If Leeds and Manchester can smarten up there image I don't see why Shaffield can't do the same. It deserves better.

[Chris 10]

I agree with both of El Duderino's last two posts wholeheartedly :-D

[Chris 10]

And Dr Feelgoods last post Sorry am being lazy! Should really write my thoughts down too but it's late.

 

A lot of what people are writing seems to be along the lines of 'great potential, shame so much of it is not realised as well as it could be'. Many of the suggestions made are quite minor - it's just a case of getting the ball rolling somehow, developing the means to make the money and generate the interest to develop the city to make the money and generate the interest to develop...

[Malaika 10]

After some waste of time talks with the council I was just giving up on my major project for the city. I've read this again and it's amde me realise I would be stupid to give up now because of that backward lot. Sheffield is, to many people a great place, and can and will be to a great many more. Sheffield could make a lot of money for it's self, eventually. After it's paid it enormous debts that is.