Fargate Redevelopment

[Irene Swaine]

Fargate is still a mess with barriers all over the place. Despite it's rather tacky looking re-brand and lack of toilets , Orchard Square is quite a nice shopping space and has some quirky shops. I like it upstairs there, they even have a writers' workshop! I am not a fan of the parasols though, they make it seem very claustrophobic. It was better before as an open space. 

[Michael Proctor]

I walked along Fargate last week it appeared to have had little progress since my last visit, there was just 4 workers looking at the site, looking not working. Although the couple of small areas I could see looked high quality.  If you manage to avert your eyes from the trip hazards and barriers the shops that are there are looking sad and low quality on a road that was once a very up market area. M and S is still there but looks old fashioned and out of place . Would it have been better to have spent some of the time and money attracting better shops and updating frontages instead of starting such an ambitious project. As an older citizen I realise the cobbles could be a problem for some but some attractive, smooth and  less expensive pathways could have been laid causing less disruption .

[Planner1]

4 hours ago, Michael Proctor said:

I walked along Fargate last week it appeared to have had little progress since my last visit, there was just 4 workers looking at the site, looking not working. Although the couple of small areas I could see looked high quality.  If you manage to avert your eyes from the trip hazards and barriers the shops that are there are looking sad and low quality on a road that was once a very up market area. M and S is still there but looks old fashioned and out of place . Would it have been better to have spent some of the time and money attracting better shops and updating frontages instead of starting such an ambitious project. As an older citizen I realise the cobbles could be a problem for some but some attractive, smooth and  less expensive pathways could have been laid causing less disruption .

If I was looking to describe the quality of the shopping on Fargate, I don’t think “up market”would have been my choice. Pretty standard High Street stuff in my opinion. Sheffield simply does not seem to attract high end retail.

 

Have you actually seen the visualisations of what they are doing on Fargate? It should look very good once it’s finished.

 

Nowadays companies looking to open a branch in a new city or looking to relocate, consider the quality of the public realm ( ie the infrastructure, paving, planting, seating etc) in that area. Cheap but smooth doesn’t cut it I’m afraid.

 

They are using a government grant that’s specifically aimed at this kind of project. There’s little point in skimping on quality.

[Irene Swaine]

7 hours ago, Michael Proctor said:

I walked along Fargate last week it appeared to have had little progress since my last visit, there was just 4 workers looking at the site, looking not working. Although the couple of small areas I could see looked high quality.  If you manage to avert your eyes from the trip hazards and barriers the shops that are there are looking sad and low quality on a road that was once a very up market area. M and S is still there but looks old fashioned and out of place . Would it have been better to have spent some of the time and money attracting better shops and updating frontages instead of starting such an ambitious project. As an older citizen I realise the cobbles could be a problem for some but some attractive, smooth and  less expensive pathways could have been laid causing less disruption .

I agree Mr Proctor. The focus should have been on the shops, not the paving. There was flat slabs at each side for wheelchars/inirm people to use. The cobbles were actually rather even. They were laid in 1997, post the Disability Discrimination Act of 1995. 

 

I believe the shops are owned by the council, but I may be wrong. Whoever owns them wants to look at appealing to a wider range of businesses and getting the businesses that have stuck with Meadowhall, such as L'Occitane En Provence, The White Company etc to open in the city centre. A short term trial lease would be a good idea to get them to test out the market. New additions to Fargate over recent years have proven successful, such as Hotel Chocolat and Hay's Travel. I was right about Burger King injecting life in to the area too. It's getting busier and busier. I've noticed less beggars and chuggers on Fargate too. 

[RollingJ]

1 minute ago, Irene Swaine said:

I agree Mr Proctor. The focus should have been on the shops, not the paving. There was flat slabs at each side for wheelchars/inirm people to use. The cobbles were actually rather even. They were laid in 1997, post the Disability Discrimination Act of 1995. 

 

I believe the shops are owned by the council, but I may be wrong. Whoever owns them wants to look at appealing to a wider range of businesses and getting the businesses that have stuck with Meadowhall, such as L'Occitane En Provence, The White Company etc to open in the city centre. A short term trial lease would be a good idea to get them to test out the market. New additions to Fargate over recent years have proven successful, such as Hotel Chocolat and Hay's Travel. I was right about Burger King injecting life in to the area too. It's getting busier and busier. I've noticed less beggars and chuggers on Fargate too. 

You are - Sheffield City Council own very little, if any, of of the retail estate.

[Irene Swaine]

*Infirm not inirm! Lack of sleep makes fools of us all. 🤣

[Andy_terrier]

There may be slightly less beggars due to the barriers outside the shops but has anyone else noticed the 3 blokes selling dodgy perfume from B&M carrier bags on Fargate?

[SheffieldForum]

19 hours ago, Irene Swaine said:

I believe the shops are owned by the council, but I may be wrong. 

I believe the only property on Fargate that the Council own is the (what is going to be) Event Central building and perhaps one or two of the smaller ones near the old Yorkshire Bank.

 

They did try to purchase the one next door to Event Central (Lush) last year at auction, but stopped bidding at their pre-set limit of £500,000.... it went for £501,000. 😬

 

All the other properties are privately owned, I understand.

 

 

[pfifes]

5 hours ago, Andy_terrier said:

There may be slightly less beggars due to the barriers outside the shops but has anyone else noticed the 3 blokes selling dodgy perfume from B&M carrier bags on Fargate?

There were some selling knock off cigarettes and vodka the other week out of Poundland carrier bags.

[pfifes]

23 hours ago, Planner1 said:

If I was looking to describe the quality of the shopping on Fargate, I don’t think “up market”would have been my choice. Pretty standard High Street stuff in my opinion. Sheffield simply does not seem to attract high end retail.

 

Have you actually seen the visualisations of what they are doing on Fargate? It should look very good once it’s finished.

 

Nowadays companies looking to open a branch in a new city or looking to relocate, consider the quality of the public realm ( ie the infrastructure, paving, planting, seating etc) in that area. Cheap but smooth doesn’t cut it I’m afraid.

 

They are using a government grant that’s specifically aimed at this kind of project. There’s little point in skimping on quality.

Absolutely. The presence of spice zombies laid out on the beautiful paving covered in vomit, empty Special Brew cans amongst the beautifully curated flowers in the planters and the Bankers Draft regulars swearing and cursing whilst sitting on the tastefully designed benches and asking passers by for spare change.  It really makes all the difference doesn’t when it comes to getting new High Street brands into Sheffield.  
Smooth low quality paving though will most definitely put them off.