When Did The City Centre Lose Its Soul?

[Mister M]

1 hour ago, Anna B said:

I agree. Not only has our council inflicted no end of dead ducks on us, but it has failed to fight for a fair deal for Sheffield in parliament, which has been totally ignored by Londoncentric government. They don't know Sheffield exists which is pretty disgraceful for the fourth largest city in England. 

 

However it's true that having lost our industries we have failed to move on and grasp the nettle. Sheffield has no real identity anymore: no USP, and no one of any calibre fighting for it. 

It's a tough one, because as I said above Leeds and Manchester's traditional industries (textiles) typically deindustrialised earlier that Sheffield's (steel and coal); therefore they had a 15/20 head start on revitalising their cities. They did so by attracting many financial organisations to their cities, possibly with the help of grants from central government. Canary Wharf in London too was a huge wasteland until Governments towards the end of the 1970s and 1980s pumped money in to the area.

You mentioned that "Sheffield has no real identity anymore: no USP, and no one of any calibre fighting for it." Peculiarly in the 1980s and 1990s Ann Widdicombe MP was given the title of 'Minister for Sheffield and Hull'. So you're probably right about our city having no one of any calibre fighting for it! 

[HeHasRisen]

This thread can be summarised thusly:

 

Moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan moan.

[hackey lad]

16 minutes ago, Mister M said:

It's a tough one, because as I said above Leeds and Manchester's traditional industries (textiles) typically deindustrialised earlier that Sheffield's (steel and coal); therefore they had a 15/20 head start on revitalising their cities. They did so by attracting many financial organisations to their cities, possibly with the help of grants from central government. Canary Wharf in London too was a huge wasteland until Governments towards the end of the 1970s and 1980s pumped money in to the area.

You mentioned that "Sheffield has no real identity anymore: no USP, and no one of any calibre fighting for it." Peculiarly in the 1980s and 1990s Ann Widdicombe MP was given the title of 'Minister for Sheffield and Hull'. So you're probably right about our city having no one of any calibre fighting for it! 

We’ve got Clive Betts  😀

[Mister M]

1 minute ago, hackey lad said:

We’ve got Clive Betts  😀

To be fair, even if Labour was in Government, I don't think Clive Betts would be my choice as someone to fight for our city.

However, I will be fair and pay tribute to the many people from Sheffield who campaigned to get the Supertram up and running. I believe that was work which started as far back as the 1970s.

[ads36]

3 hours ago, Anna B said:

Sheffield has no real identity anymore: no USP,

we've moved on from moaning about the city centre - to include the entire city.

 

ok...

 

We've got great theatres, and a very healthy indie-music scene.

 

We've got advanced manufacturing*, and excellent universities.

 

(*Boeing, Mclaren, UKAEA, Forgemasters, and dozens of less well-known hi-tech companies. These are great jobs, offering real careers, accessible to our kids)

 

We've got 2 decent football teams(!) - both with proper stadiums *in* the city.

 

We've got a world-famous reputation for outdoor sports - from Skateboarding on Exchange place, to paragliding in the Peak District.

 

We've got great local beers, pubs, and places to eat.

 

etc.

 

Thanks Sheffield!

[crookesey]

33 minutes ago, ads36 said:

we've moved on from moaning about the city centre - to include the entire city.

 

ok...

 

We've got great theatres, and a very healthy indie-music scene.

 

We've got advanced manufacturing*, and excellent universities.

 

(*Boeing, Mclaren, UKAEA, Forgemasters, and dozens of less well-known hi-tech companies. These are great jobs, offering real careers, accessible to our kids)

 

We've got 2 decent football teams(!) - both with proper stadiums *in* the city.

 

We've got a world-famous reputation for outdoor sports - from Skateboarding on Exchange place, to paragliding in the Peak District.

 

We've got great local beers, pubs, and places to eat.

 

etc.

 

Thanks Sheffield!

Nice post, glad you’re enjoying it. 🤙

[Mister M]

42 minutes ago, ads36 said:

we've moved on from moaning about the city centre - to include the entire city.

 

ok...

 

We've got great theatres, and a very healthy indie-music scene.

 

We've got advanced manufacturing*, and excellent universities.

 

(*Boeing, Mclaren, UKAEA, Forgemasters, and dozens of less well-known hi-tech companies. These are great jobs, offering real careers, accessible to our kids)

 

We've got 2 decent football teams(!) - both with proper stadiums *in* the city.

 

We've got a world-famous reputation for outdoor sports - from Skateboarding on Exchange place, to paragliding in the Peak District.

 

We've got great local beers, pubs, and places to eat.

 

etc.

 

Thanks Sheffield!

Thanks,  sometimes it's good to remind ourselves of the many positives of living in Sheffield.

[Annie Bynnol]

6 hours ago, Organgrinder said:

What makes me really angry, is when all these "modernaires" who love all this change,  assure us that it's the modern way and we must stop moaning and accept it

These are not people who have lost their livelihoods and, after a relatively wealthy lifestyle have, have been dropped down into poverty through no fault of their own.

These will be people who own a nice home and don't have to live in a hovel, paying sky high rent to a landlord who lets them live in squalor and damp.

They will be people with a relatively comfortable income, who never have to worry whether they can pay the gas bill or afford the food and necessities they need.

They will be people who climb into their BMW or Audi SUV to go shopping at  Waitrose or M & S and not have to wait in the rain for an expensive or missing bus.

They won't be people who need to earn but can't afford childcare and don't have the means to travel  miles to a nursery and a further 5 miles to a minimum waged job.

I'm really sick of all the "very fortunates" who think life is a doddle and couldn't care tuppence about those who are having a hard time.

If their source of income and their nice homes were suddenly taken away, and they were left to forage, you wouldn't believe the amount of squealing that would ensue.

   Stereotyping at its worst.

   Using the circumstances of the most disadvantaged to establish a very weak point is really sad and insulting. A set of clueless assumptions based on the need to blame others.

    I have no idea why your circumstances have led you to be "...really angry,(with) all these "modernaires"..." and  "... sick of all the "very fortunates"...", but Sheffield is moving on and if you really feel strongly enough about the direction that change should take, get involved-do something. 

[cuttsie]

8 hours ago, Organgrinder said:

What makes me really angry, is when all these "modernaires" who love all this change,  assure us that it's the modern way and we must stop moaning and accept it

These are not people who have lost their livelihoods and, after a relatively wealthy lifestyle have, have been dropped down into poverty through no fault of their own.

 

These will be people who own a nice home and don't have to live in a hovel, paying sky high rent to a landlord who lets them live in squalor and damp.

They will be people with a relatively comfortable income, who never have to worry whether they can pay the gas bill or afford the food and necessities they need.

They will be people who climb into their BMW or Audi SUV to go shopping at  Waitrose or M & S and not have to wait in the rain for an expensive or missing bus.

They won't be people who need to earn but can't afford childcare and don't have the means to travel  miles to a nursery and a further 5 miles to a minimum waged job.

 

I'm really sick of all the "very fortunates" who think life is a doddle and couldn't care tuppence about those who are having a hard time.

If their source of income and their nice homes were suddenly taken away, and they were left to forage, you wouldn't believe the amount of squealing that would ensue.

 

I wonder how many on these pages are proper Sheffielders . born and bred here , People who have been through the graft , smoke and sounds of the vast industries that moulded this City .

Only those who have known those not so far off times can really know just what a vibrant City it was .

 

I would like to think that all these Town Planners  are not incommers from Uni but have a good insight into what the City and its residents are all about before they decide to alter and demolish areas that have meant so much .

 

 

 

bang on again

[crookesey]

My family lived on what is known as a very poor area, however our house was kept warm & dry, clean with an immaculate garden. There were folk nearby who lived in identical properties that were cold, damp and dirty with overgrown gardens, you have to feel sorry for them, don’t you?

 

Perhaps folk are different and treat things differently.

 

Edited April 5, 2023 by crookesey