What Would You Like To See Change In Our City?

[ECCOnoob]

17 minutes ago, lazarus said:

That says it all " Old Tourist Office" there's no proper Tourist Office in Sheffield, could you see York, Chester or Edinburgh closing their offices.

No because tourism is a major source of income to those cities.  In Sheffield it isn't.  

 

You don't seriously consider Sheffield to be the same tourist draw as places like Chester and Edinburgh.   Tourism accounts for merely 7% of our local economy. 

Edited September 3, 2019 by ECCOnoob

[lil-minx92]

9 minutes ago, lazarus said:

That says it all " Old Tourist Office" there's no proper Tourist Office in Sheffield, could you see York, Chester or Edinburgh closing their offices.

They are tourist destinations. Sheffield isnt.

[lil-minx92]

7 hours ago, DerbyTup said:

Could we replace the majority of the residents with folks who like nice things and are willing to pay for them?  This way we could have top quality shops, bars, restaurants, hotels and they would thrive and Sheffield would be a wonderful place to visit.  If this is a project too far, then here are some other ideas...

 

Stop building "out of town" shopping areas and retail parks - and make the city centre the retail hub for the area.

 

Do whatever is needed to the rent/rates/parking facilities/parking fees to encourage businesses and shoppers to come into the city centre and spend their money.  

 

Decide what it is that Sheffield "stands for" and market it globally to attract more visitors and commerce.

 

Use the increased wealth coming into the city, as a result of my suggestions above, to fill in 't oles in t' road, to keep the locals happy.

 

 

I agree. Stop banging on about being the 'City of Sport' when we don't even have a world class sports stadium.  The major thing Sheffield has going for it is its proximity to the Peak District and all the outdoor pursuits on offer there. Market it as the base for people to stay for visits to the Peaks and improve transport links between there and the city centre- maybe free 'green' busses picking up from areas around hotels.  A destination for daytime outdoor activity followed by an evening of city centre nightlife.

 

And it seems to be changing now, but why do they base loads of events / establishments that attract people to the city  in Attercliffe- one of the most scruffy areas of the city.  The Council seem loathe to show off the nice areas.  The council desperately like putting major people pullers out in the middle of an industrial wasteland. It made a mistake in putting the Arena in Attercliffe. Leeds got it right putting theirs in the city centre so the city centre bars and restaurants benefit from tens of thousands of extra visitors that Sheffield would have funnelled into Attercliffe, Centretainment, or straight back on to the M1 home.

 

And get rid of Julie Dore and the rest of her 1970's style labour cronies or persuade them to see what Leeds does, and just copy them.

[ECCOnoob]

1 hour ago, lil-minx92 said:

I agree. Stop banging on about being the 'City of Sport' when we don't even have a world class sports stadium.  The major thing Sheffield has going for it is its proximity to the Peak District and all the outdoor pursuits on offer there. Market it as the base for people to stay for visits to the Peaks and improve transport links between there and the city centre- maybe free 'green' busses picking up from areas around hotels.  A destination for daytime outdoor activity followed by an evening of city centre nightlife.

 

And it seems to be changing now, but why do they base loads of events / establishments that attract people to the city  in Attercliffe- one of the most scruffy areas of the city.  The Council seem loathe to show off the nice areas.  The council desperately like putting major people pullers out in the middle of an industrial wasteland. It made a mistake in putting the Arena in Attercliffe. Leeds got it right putting theirs in the city centre so the city centre bars and restaurants benefit from tens of thousands of extra visitors that Sheffield would have funnelled into Attercliffe, Centretainment, or straight back on to the M1 home. 

 

And get rid of Julie Dore and the rest of her 1970's style labour cronies or persuade them to see what Leeds does, and just copy them.

Leeds have built their Arena nearly 30 years after the Sheffield one at a time when things have changed.    You might also want to have a look into the history of why Sheffield Arena got built in the first place which will point you to the bloody obvious reason as to why it is located where it is. 

 

Constant comparisons with our neighbouring cities all the time....  Its tiresome.

 

As for your city of sport comments - have you actually walked around with your eyes open.    We still have a competition standard swimming and diving venue still holds national championships to this day.   We still have world famous snooker tournament taking place in the city each year.   We have the worlds oldest football club.   We have two more relevant and prominent football teams.    We have built a new ice venue and have a part of the English Institute of Sport located here. 

 

"sport" in this city did not start and end with just Don Valley Stadium 

 

 

Edited September 3, 2019 by ECCOnoob

[lazarus]

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]

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

Cant say my post would be removed.

Snap.

[DerbyTup]

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]

^^^^^^  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]

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.!