What Would You Like To See Change In Our City?

[lazarus 68]

2 hours ago, lil-minx92 said:

They are tourist destinations. Sheffield isnt.

But it could be that's the point,  all this council want to do is kow- tow to the companies that want to destroy our old buildings and replace them with flats. We do have Kelham Museum but that's not open on a Saturday, where's the sense in that, there's enough places in  and around Sheffield that hold lots of interest for tourists.

[Martin C 81]

On 24/08/2019 at 07:39, lazarus said:

Cant say my post would be removed.

Snap.

[DerbyTup 10]

I walked down Pinstone Street the other day.  Just about every other shop there is closed down/boarded up.  This is not some little backwater on the fringes of the city centre, it is right there, in the heart of the city, opposite the splendid Peace gardens and Winter gardens and the lovely development they've done in that area.  What an absolute shame to see this.  One of the shops has re-opened as a....cafe.  That's about the only type of business that seems sustainable in Sheffield city centre,  food and drink, or nail-bars and charity shops.  It's a far cry from the days when I used to buy my brogues from Lennards.

 

I then walked along Charles street and took a left on Cambridge street, down through the new shopping centre part, passing "Grosvenor House".  Construction is still going on there obviously but I could see the HSBC sign illuminated inside Grosvenor House.  HSBC eh?  I wondered where they had gone to!  I opened a business account with them because they had a little sub-branch in our village and I'd seen their adverts about being a world-class bank every time I got on a plane.   Then they started closing several branches locally and they were no longer convenient and neither have I found them very business-friendly to bank with either.  Never mind.  I know now where I might find a branch, when this new shopping centre opens.  Although it's not certain they will have a counter service, obviously.  It's more likely it's staff with clipboards, showing you how to use the machines.  😯

 

I gazed in through the windows at this huge retail building.  A sign read, "retail units to let from 2,000 sq ft to 22,000 sq ft".  There was no sign of retail life yet.  I pondered..."what type of businesses will come here?"  Will we see this place fill up with the likes of Harvey Nicholls, Selfridge's, Karen Millen, Mulberry, Louis Vitton, etc.?  Or will it be more, "H&M", "Primark", "WH Smith", "Boots the Chemist", "Watch repairs", etc.?  I think I know the answer, but I will wait to be pleasantly surprised maybe?

 

You ask "what" would I like to see change in our city?  This.  I'd like to see the city attract some top end retailers to set up here.  Why?  Well not because I'm wanting to buy something from them every day of the week, but it's wonderful to have such quality and variety on offer.  It's a reason to come into the city centre, even if one is only window-shopping.

 

It's one of the reasons we go to Manchester or Leeds.  And I'm sorry if these comparisons are "tiresome" but that's probably because folks are fed up of hearing about it because nothing gets done about it.  The new Victoria shopping centre in Leeds - it's beautiful.   And wonderfully restored Victorian arcades - the likes of which Sheffield got rid of years ago.  It's just a lovely place to wander around.  And so we go there, we may not buy a Mulberry handbag every week (although we did buy one on a recent visit) but we'll have lunch there and find some reason to empty money from our purse and wallet which is boosting their local economy.  

 

The sad fact is, there is really no need to go into Sheffield City centre to shop.  There's only one shop that's worth going in, and that's John Lewis.  And that place is falling down and in desperate need of repair.  I worked there in the 1970's, my first job on leaving school.  It was a flagship store for Sheffield back then, with it's wonderfully artistic window displays and spic and span interior design.  It saddens me to see it like it is - but that's Sheffield for you.  Here's what the John Lewis in Leeds looks like...

 

 

And here's a Victorian arcade in Leeds...

 

 

I would love to see this in Sheffield.  I think it's beautiful and a reason to come into the city centre.

 

Some of us are "tiresome" with our comparisons with neighbouring cities because we want the best for Sheffield.  But seemingly, Sheffield does not want the best for itself or us?  Or simply hasn't got a clue how to go about getting it?  

 

Regrettably, I don't see this changing much in the near future.  It will take a generation of old Sheffielder's to die out and younger people with brighter ideas and ambition, to take over - and that is going to take time. 

 

(At least we've got one good football team that is putting the city on the map at last!😉)

 

Edited September 4, 2019 by DerbyTup

[ECCOnoob 1,020]

^^^^^^  Perfect example of what I said before about mindset.

 

Constantly chasing some fantasy that's never going to happen.    Expects high-end retailers to come despite knowing that the masses would never buy from them.   Puts down any actual redevelopment efforts before it even gets finished just because its "not as good" as Leeds or Manchester.

 

Yawn.   

Edited September 4, 2019 by ECCOnoob

[Guest makapaka]

6 hours ago, DerbyTup said:

I walked down Pinstone Street the other day.  Just about every other shop there is closed down/boarded up.  This is not some little backwater on the fringes of the city centre, it is right there, in the heart of the city, opposite the splendid Peace gardens and Winter gardens and the lovely development they've done in that area.  What an absolute shame to see this.  One of the shops has re-opened as a....cafe.  That's about the only type of business that seems sustainable in Sheffield city centre,  food and drink, or nail-bars and charity shops.  It's a far cry from the days when I used to buy my brogues from Lennards.

 

I then walked along Charles street and took a left on Cambridge street, down through the new shopping centre part, passing "Grosvenor House".  Construction is still going on there obviously but I could see the HSBC sign illuminated inside Grosvenor House.  HSBC eh?  I wondered where they had gone to!  I opened a business account with them because they had a little sub-branch in our village and I'd seen their adverts about being a world-class bank every time I got on a plane.   Then they started closing several branches locally and they were no longer convenient and neither have I found them very business-friendly to bank with either.  Never mind.  I know now where I might find a branch, when this new shopping centre opens.  Although it's not certain they will have a counter service, obviously.  It's more likely it's staff with clipboards, showing you how to use the machines.  😯

 

I gazed in through the windows at this huge retail building.  A sign read, "retail units to let from 2,000 sq ft to 22,000 sq ft".  There was no sign of retail life yet.  I pondered..."what type of businesses will come here?"  Will we see this place fill up with the likes of Harvey Nicholls, Selfridge's, Karen Millen, Mulberry, Louis Vitton, etc.?  Or will it be more, "H&M", "Primark", "WH Smith", "Boots the Chemist", "Watch repairs", etc.?  I think I know the answer, but I will wait to be pleasantly surprised maybe?

 

You ask "what" would I like to see change in our city?  This.  I'd like to see the city attract some top end retailers to set up here.  Why?  Well not because I'm wanting to buy something from them every day of the week, but it's wonderful to have such quality and variety on offer.  It's a reason to come into the city centre, even if one is only window-shopping.

 

It's one of the reasons we go to Manchester or Leeds.  And I'm sorry if these comparisons are "tiresome" but that's probably because folks are fed up of hearing about it because nothing gets done about it.  The new Victoria shopping centre in Leeds - it's beautiful.   And wonderfully restored Victorian arcades - the likes of which Sheffield got rid of years ago.  It's just a lovely place to wander around.  And so we go there, we may not buy a Mulberry handbag every week (although we did buy one on a recent visit) but we'll have lunch there and find some reason to empty money from our purse and wallet which is boosting their local economy.  

 

The sad fact is, there is really no need to go into Sheffield City centre to shop.  There's only one shop that's worth going in, and that's John Lewis.  And that place is falling down and in desperate need of repair.  I worked there in the 1970's, my first job on leaving school.  It was a flagship store for Sheffield back then, with it's wonderfully artistic window displays and spic and span interior design.  It saddens me to see it like it is - but that's Sheffield for you.  Here's what the John Lewis in Leeds looks like...

 

 

And here's a Victorian arcade in Leeds...

 

 

I would love to see this in Sheffield.  I think it's beautiful and a reason to come into the city centre.

 

Some of us are "tiresome" with our comparisons with neighbouring cities because we want the best for Sheffield.  But seemingly, Sheffield does not want the best for itself or us?  Or simply hasn't got a clue how to go about getting it?  

 

Regrettably, I don't see this changing much in the near future.  It will take a generation of old Sheffielder's to die out and younger people with brighter ideas and ambition, to take over - and that is going to take time. 

 

(At least we've got one good football team that is putting the city on the map at last!😉)

 

It’s tiresome reading posts judging an entire city based on whether or not it’s got a Karen Millen in the city centre.

 

 

[FinBak 12]

It's an awful shame what has happened to OUR City...Sheffield.

 

What can be done about it?

 

Not a lot really.

 

The heritage of our City is long gone. The Steel industry here is all but remnant.

 

We have good rail links and we are Central to most other Northern Cities.

 

But, alas...that's something for the future. Not the hear and now.

 

I as I have said before on other threads...If there was FREE PARKING (Only for Shoppers)..then things might be different.

 

When purchasing something... I have to include all costs. 

 

I can buy ONLINE with Free Postage something that would cost me MORE by having to pay PARKING CHARGES.

 

I'd love to have a good 2 or 3 hour wander around OUR City and spend a few quid.

 

But I am not willing to pay around £6.00 for the privilege.!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ECCOnoob 1,020]

1 hour ago, FinBak said:

It's an awful shame what has happened to OUR City...Sheffield.

 

What can be done about it?

 

Not a lot really.

 

The heritage of our City is long gone. The Steel industry here is all but remnant.

 

We have good rail links and we are Central to most other Northern Cities.

 

But, alas...that's something for the future. Not the hear and now.

 

I as I have said before on other threads...If there was FREE PARKING (Only for Shoppers)..then things might be different.

 

When purchasing something... I have to include all costs. 

 

I can buy ONLINE with Free Postage something that would cost me MORE by having to pay PARKING CHARGES.

 

I'd love to have a good 2 or 3 hour wander around OUR City and spend a few quid.

 

But I am not willing to pay around £6.00 for the privilege.!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh my God how many more times is this free parking nonsense going to come up.

 

The city is not just some glorified shopping centre.   The city centre has multiple reasons why people go into it and any free parking spaces - even those allegedly designated for shoppers only  - will be snapped up in minutes by those here for other purposes.  

 

I even know people who sign up for gym memberships with absolutely no intention of going just for the sake of getting a parking space near the city.

 

I really don't understand why people cling onto "free parking" as if it's some miracle that will transform the entire city.

 

There is not a city centre in the land that offers continual free parking and its it ridiculous suggestion.  Even more ridiculous when there is a clear worldwide campaign to reduce car use not incentivise it.

Edited September 4, 2019 by ECCOnoob

[Bargepole23 337]

2 hours ago, FinBak said:

It's an awful shame what has happened to OUR City...Sheffield.

 

What can be done about it?

 

Not a lot really.

 

The heritage of our City is long gone. The Steel industry here is all but remnant.

 

We have good rail links and we are Central to most other Northern Cities.

 

But, alas...that's something for the future. Not the hear and now.

 

I as I have said before on other threads...If there was FREE PARKING (Only for Shoppers)..then things might be different.

 

When purchasing something... I have to include all costs. 

 

I can buy ONLINE with Free Postage something that would cost me MORE by having to pay PARKING CHARGES.

 

I'd love to have a good 2 or 3 hour wander around OUR City and spend a few quid.

 

But I am not willing to pay around £6.00 for the privilege.!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take a bus.

[Guest makapaka]

3 hours ago, FinBak said:

It's an awful shame what has happened to OUR City...Sheffield.

 

What can be done about it?

 

Not a lot really.

 

The heritage of our City is long gone. The Steel industry here is all but remnant.

 

We have good rail links and we are Central to most other Northern Cities.

 

But, alas...that's something for the future. Not the hear and now.

 

I as I have said before on other threads...If there was FREE PARKING (Only for Shoppers)..then things might be different.

 

When purchasing something... I have to include all costs. 

 

I can buy ONLINE with Free Postage something that would cost me MORE by having to pay PARKING CHARGES.

 

I'd love to have a good 2 or 3 hour wander around OUR City and spend a few quid.

 

But I am not willing to pay around £6.00 for the privilege.!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is nonsense.

 

 

[Guest busdriver1]

On 02/09/2019 at 22:44, Bargepole23 said:

Meaning that you can't see the attraction and therefore why would anyone else be interested?

 

As an exhibition it was a resounding success for the museum, meaning that it attracted plenty of visitors into the city.

 

Cliffhanger

Docfest

Off the Shelf

Dont put words into my mouth. I dont doubt that they were a success.  What I am saying is that they alone do not represent a MAJOR attraction.

On 02/09/2019 at 14:56, ECCOnoob said:

Nobody was expecting them to do so.   We are not a mass tourist city.    It goes back to what I said about comparisons all the time.  We are not trying to be York or Oxford or London or Edinburgh.

 

That doesn't mean that we don't have some tourist attractions and many other draws which bring visitors to the city.

 

Instead of sitting there picking fault why don't you go out and open your eyes and see what we do have.  You might be very pleasantly surprised.

I have seen what Sheffield has. I for one do not delude myself, it has nothing, hence no tourists. id yourself all you want but the tourist industry is very competitive and operators are always on the lookout for something different. The entire tourist industry does not rate sheffield so the entire tourist industry does not run trips there. Work it out.

[ECCOnoob 1,020]

1 hour ago, busdriver1 said:

Dont put words into my mouth. I dont doubt that they were a success.  What I am saying is that they alone do not represent a MAJOR attraction.

I have seen what Sheffield has. I for one do not delude myself, it has nothing, hence no tourists. id yourself all you want but the tourist industry is very competitive and operators are always on the lookout for something different. The entire tourist industry does not rate sheffield so the entire tourist industry does not run trips there. Work it out.

We are not a tourist city.   We don't do mass attractions for mass numbers of visitors.  We don't rely on tourism as a major part of our income - never have done never will do. 

 

YOU need to be the one working it out.  

[stifflersmom 11]

2 hours ago, busdriver1 said:

Dont put words into my mouth. I dont doubt that they were a success.  What I am saying is that they alone do not represent a MAJOR attraction.

I have seen what Sheffield has. I for one do not delude myself, it has nothing, hence no tourists. id yourself all you want but the tourist industry is very competitive and operators are always on the lookout for something different. The entire tourist industry does not rate sheffield so the entire tourist industry does not run trips there. Work it out.

In the absence of traditional tourist attractions Sheffield markets itself as a creative and outdoor city. Tramlines, Cliffhanger, Docfest and Off the Shelf attract thousands into the city ( national and international visitors, high profile attendees), for a period of time rather than just a day visit. That boosts the local economy significantly.  It is pointless trying to compete with Leeds or Manchester, a different approach is needed, and Sheffield is doing this.