'Everything’s leaving': Sheffield's town centre gutted by vacancies

[Planner1 428]

14 hours ago, Car Boot said:

Lots of building work going on in Barnsley, too. 

 

Yep, they have been planning a redevelopment of the main shopping are for at least as long as Sheffield have (I used to work for Barnsley Council, so I do know) . They've also had no luck in getting the private sector to do the development and as I understand it, are financing the current redevelopment themselves.

14 hours ago, woodview said:

Ps are you a Sheffield city planner?

I used to work for Sheffield Council, as many on here will know, but I don't now.

[Planner1 428]

14 hours ago, woodview said:

It isn't easy. When I drive to bramall lane it can be a nightmare, and not cheap. There aren't alternative matches. I wouldn't bother with that hassle to shop. As another poster mentioned there are out of town precincts where it is very easy. The centre has to offer the same, along with a better shopping experience. They are just opinions, as a customer, they can be called wrong. In any other scenario, I wouldn't care, but in the case of my city, I do.

 

Do you seriously expect to be able to turn up for a football match which attracts 25k fans and easily find parking near the ground? Every ground in the country that attracts a lot of fans has similar parking issues, especially the traditional grounds that are built in residential areas. There are plenty of multi-storey car parks in the city centre, only a short walk away.

 

Parking and driving is often about perceptions. You get the same issue raised about there not being enough parking in many towns and cities, when in fact there is plenty of parking and it is never full.

 

I've seen the car parks full at Meadowhall on numerous occasions in the past when I used to work in the Council's urban traffic control team, who control all the traffic signals. In the lead up to Christmas, the main car parks a t Meadowhall were often full and we used to have police motorcyclists closing off exits and directing traffic to overspill car parks.  I also lived near Crystal Peaks shopping  centre and as others have said, parking there can often be a problem.

 

You never ever get those problems in the city centre, but people will still say there's not enough parking in the city centre and they find it easier to park at out of town centres. I don't think there is any way to resolve that. Having perceptions that aren't backed up by the evidence is just something people do.

[woodview 10]

1 minute ago, Planner1 said:

Do you seriously expect to be able to turn up for a football match which attracts 25k fans and easily find parking near the ground? Every ground in the country that attracts a lot of fans has similar parking issues, especially the traditional grounds that are built in residential areas. There are plenty of multi-storey car parks in the city centre, only a short walk away.

 

No, I don't. I park more in town, Moor area / eyre street etc.  That isn't a great experience. I wouldn't elect to do that if shopping for 'pleasure' . 

[woodview 10]

1 hour ago, bendix said:

Most cities that have out of town shopping also have state of the art shopping in the city centre, including high quality indoor malls.  Leeds has White Rose on the outskirts, but numerous retail malls in town too.  Manchester has Trafford Centre, but Arndale in the city.  My home town of Norwich has similar.  Newcastle.  Liverpool etc.  I'm struggling to think of a major UK city that doesn't have a quality shopping mall IN the city centre these days, except of course Sheffield.

 

 

Good point. High quality being the point as well.

The moor has been re-developed and has a a mix of shops and the market. Fargate, I've not been on in a while but lat time was a dull experience. I think it's fairly well accepted that Coles has stopped the centre imploding.

40 minutes ago, lil-minx92 said:

Lack of investment/redevelopment is one reason the centre is struggling. Should I mention the Sevenstone **** up?

Hopefully that area will bring a new energy to the centre, when it is complete.

[Guest makapaka]

4 hours ago, lil-minx92 said:

Lack of investment/redevelopment is one reason the centre is struggling. Should I mention the Sevenstone **** up?

Yes that was a mess up but to suggest there’s not a lot of investment / development at the moment is wrong.

 

just go and have a look at what’s going on in town.

[Bargepole23 337]

On 06/02/2019 at 18:46, PRESLEY said:

Thats your opinion. Loads will disagree with it.

I know. It's a forum, that's how they work.

[Bargepole23 337]

17 hours ago, lil-minx92 said:

Lack of investment/redevelopment is one reason the centre is struggling. Should I mention the Sevenstone **** up?

I wouldn't, it will give people the impression you have nothing to offer other than raking over the past for little gain or purpose. 

 

Time to move on, embrace what is now happening. 

[Planner1 428]

20 hours ago, woodview said:

No, I don't. I park more in town, Moor area / eyre street etc.  That isn't a great experience. I wouldn't elect to do that if shopping for 'pleasure' . 

So what is it that isn't a great experience?

 

There are four multi storey car parks immediately adjacent to the Moor, so parking is plentiful and easily accessed from the ring road. The Apcoa car park does a cheap parking offer  for market customers and there are a couple of surface level car parks nearby run by Bankpark which offer cheap long stay parking.

[woodview 10]

1 hour ago, Planner1 said:

So what is it that isn't a great experience?

 

There are four multi storey car parks immediately adjacent to the Moor, so parking is plentiful and easily accessed from the ring road. The Apcoa car park does a cheap parking offer  for market customers and there are a couple of surface level car parks nearby run by Bankpark which offer cheap long stay parking.

Yeah, I've used all those. But I'll take your word for it that I found it stress free, thanks. Hopefully current planners are more mindful of public comments.

[Jonmatt 11]

22 minutes ago, woodview said:

Yeah, I've used all those. But I'll take your word for it that I found it stress free, thanks. Hopefully current planners are more mindful of public comments.

Hard work when you are proved wrong in terms of parking availability.

[woodview 10]

5 minutes ago, Jonmatt said:

Hard work when you are proved wrong in terms of parking availability.

I've said three times parking is just one part of the issue. I personally don't enjoy the parking situation. That can't be proved or disproved. It is my feeling.

People work hard for their money and want to feel good when spending it. I don't enjoy that aspect on Sheffield centre, and consequently avoid it. You and anybody else can prove whatever they want. The OP points to the over average decline in Sheffield, so somebody is 'wrong' . I really really hope people with a sense of customer satisfaction are controlling the re-development, as I want Sheffield to be a success.

[Detetcive 10]

On ‎05‎/‎02‎/‎2019 at 17:02, Albert smith said:

Perhaps you have chosen to ignore the multiple closed and shuttered stalls in the much maligned new moor market, A market that we  were told had a waiting list of people wanting a stall , We are paying for this white Elephant .

There are a lot of vacant units but there are a lot more open ones - many selling stuff you just cant get anywhere else - there are more independent Sheffield traders here than you can shake a stick at.   The food hall is brilliant and is rammed full most lunchtimes - several butchers and fishmongers. Decent coffee place, beer shop, bhaji stall …great bus links and a huge adjacent car park with cheap market parking....I could go on.... It's had a rough time of it, I wont deny that, its not perfect but its far from a white elephant.