What is so good about Sheffield City Centre?

[pss60 10]

Because the problems aren't as bad in many other city centres, making them massively more pleasant to visit.

 

Go back as little as five years ago - Sheffield City Centre had a fraction of the issues it does now. The problems with antisocial behaviour etc. have been allowed to grow and grow, and people see them, so avoid them.

Every city has had that problem over the last five or six years. Back in 2010, you rarely saw any street beggars, now they seem to be all over wherever you go. Austerity and police cuts have led to this problem mushrooming.

[paula4sheff 10]

What they're saying is that other cities like Leeds and Manchester have more to offer, and actually feel like vibrant cities.

 

Exactly. And there are many reasons for this - but at the root of them all lies the notion that they are much more pleasant to visit.

 

A visit to Sheffield city centre consists of being asked for money 15 or so times, watching a bit of drug dealing going on, seeing a few people collapsed or staggering around like zombies, and feeling utterly depressed at the state of the city you call home.

 

Why would you want to subject yourself to all that, let alone a family with small children?

 

I don't think it's too outrageous to expect a little more from a city centre, personally.

 

You can guarantee that if the Centre was more pleasant, more people would be spending their money there. People are voting with their feet.

 

---------- Post added 11-06-2018 at 16:01 ----------

 

Every city has had that problem over the last five or six years. Back in 2010, you rarely saw any street beggars, now they seem to be all over wherever you go. Austerity and police cuts have led to this problem mushrooming.

 

Very true - a sad sign of the times - but Sheffield has let these problems infest the city centre to a point where it has become a major problem to both businesses and members of the public.

 

When you've got open drug dealing, on a busy street in the middle of the afternoon, with no attempt to conceal what is going on - you've got a problem.

Edited June 11, 2018 by paula4sheff

[nightrider 13]

Exactly. And there are many reasons for this - but at the root of them all lies the notion that they are much more pleasant to visit.

 

A visit to Sheffield city centre consists of being asked for money 15 or so times, watching a bit of drug dealing going on, seeing a few people collapsed or staggering around like zombies, and feeling utterly depressed at the state of the city you call home.

 

Why would you want to subject yourself to all that, let alone a family with small children?

 

I don't think it's too outrageous to expect a little more from a city centre, personally.

 

You can guarantee that if the Centre was more pleasant, more people would be spending their money there. People are voting with their feet.

 

---------- Post added 11-06-2018 at 16:01 ----------

 

 

Very true - a sad sign of the times - but Sheffield has let these problems infest the city centre to a point where it has become a major problem to both businesses and members of the public.

 

When you've got open drug dealing, on a busy street in the middle of the afternoon, with no attempt to conceal what is going on - you've got a problem.

 

I'd be interested to know why the police don't arrest them, if its so openly going on.

[pss60 10]

I'd be interested to know why the police don't arrest them, if its so openly going on.

They're not there.

[paula4sheff 10]

I'd be interested to know why the police don't arrest them, if its so openly going on.

 

They've got to see it! And to see it, they've got to be there!

 

As it's going on so openly, and with so much confidence, I'd imagine there is very little fear of arrest or apprehension being felt.

 

You can see them queuing up at certain times by the benches outside the cathedral - it's as open now as the ice cream van over the road!

[nightrider 13]

They've got to see it! And to see it, they've got to be there!

 

As it's going on so openly, and with so much confidence, I'd imagine there is very little fear of arrest or apprehension being felt.

 

You can see them queuing up at certain times by the benches outside the cathedral - it's as open now as the ice cream van over the road!

 

I do know someone who got chatting to one of them around 6 months ago, They claimed the police basically have authorised them to carry on doing it. Which I find hard to believe to be honest.

[paula4sheff 10]

I do know someone who got chatting to one of them around 6 months ago, They claimed the police basically have authorised them to carry on doing it. Which I find hard to believe to be honest.

 

I'll go one step further, and suggest it's impossible to believe that the police have authorized drug dealing in the city centre!

 

It's highly likely though that due to the state of the city centre, and the lack of anti-social behaviour being policed, that certain drug dealers now believe this to be the case!

[GinTreeS7 18]

Well I've lived in Sheffield for 18 years so I feel qualified to comment ....

 

In the last 5 years or so I've noticed the city centre take a distinct turn for the worse in the case of the number of homeless/druggies/beggars/dealers circulating - especially in the region of West St/Division St and all down the length from Devonshire Green to the bottom of the moor - someone said that a lot more of them are now housed by the council in the latter stretch - any connection?

 

I personally used to enjoy going out of an evening in town but now I wouldnt be seen dead in the city centre after 6pm any evening - in fact I've sometimes been brazenly approached in broad daylight before that time by people trying to harrass me for money for drugs or trying to peddle things - its abominable now and gotten right out of hand ... other city centres surely can't be this bad can they ?

 

I know we are struggling with police cutbacks at the moment and now we seem to be reaping the "benefits" of this and the councils new housing policy ....

[Longcol 604]

I'll go one step further, and suggest it's impossible to believe that the police have authorized drug dealing in the city centre!

 

It's highly likely though that due to the state of the city centre, and the lack of anti-social behaviour being policed, that certain drug dealers now believe this to be the case!

 

I think the majority of "policing" of the centre is now done by PCSO's (Police Community Support Officers).

 

https://www.police.uk/south-yorkshire/KD/team/

 

These don't have the same powers as a "full" constable eg a PCSO can't make an arrest (only a citizens arrest).

 

Can't see why they can't get on the blower to their colleagues though.

[BHRemovals 10]

in a nutshell nothing.

 

---------- Post added 11-06-2018 at 20:24 ----------

 

in a nutshell nothing

[Ontarian1981 10]

I think the majority of "policing" of the centre is now done by PCSO's (Police Community Support Officers).

 

https://www.police.uk/south-yorkshire/KD/team/

 

These don't have the same powers as a "full" constable eg a PCSO can't make an arrest (only a citizens arrest).

 

Can't see why they can't get on the blower to their colleagues though.

 

They are all on the major roads catching speeders and other traffic violations, there is no money in catching junkies or their suppliers. Sad isn't it, how do you fine a guy with nothing? Another thing, is anyone actually complaining to the cops, or just venting on social media?

Edited June 11, 2018 by Ontarian1981

[Guest makapaka]

Gee whizz. You must all be visiting some parallel universe.

 

There’s really nothing that bad about our city centre - there are bad things going on like everywhere else.

 

If you look hard enough you’ll find some dodgy goings on - but pretending you can’t go down town without feeling intimidated is a load of rubbish and says more about you than the city centre.