Sheffield 40 years on!

[helbco]

Just returned to Australia after 5 weeks in the UK and my first trip back to Sheffield for 24 years (left 40 years ago).

 

My - how many changes! Still some lovely areas in the suburbs - but what have you done to the city area? Very depressing - the beautiful Peace Gardens - horror! No decent shops in the centre any more - full of phone shops, and cheap teeny frock shops in Fargate! (didn't have time to go to Meadow Hall). The city centre is not only an absolute nightmare to drive around but also such a mis-match of ugly buildings - what a shame! Pleased to see a beautiful restoration happening opposite the town hall. Also sad to the see the Abbeydale Cinema in such a sorry state - weeds growing out of the window frames!

 

The council has seen the light and brought back the trams - yeah!

 

Beauchief, Bradway, Dore, Totley, Ecclesall (almost) as beautiful as before - but some awful over - development in Bradway.

 

Thank goodness for Derbyshire on the door step - but don't believe that's smog from the heat - more like pollution blowing in from its near neighbour! Wake up!!

 

So sad to see the demise of the cutlery industry - why hasn't someone championed the brand of "Sheffield Cutlery" as the best in the world?

[RiffRaff]

It's called development and modernisation, Helbco.

A.K.A. "Crap planning".

To think that the Moor used to have a friendly rivalry with the Headrow in Leeds....

[skippy]

helbco, I have to agree with you, I went back in 94 and couldn't get back here quick enough, Sheffield was the hub of England some years ago, but sadly, thats not what it is today.

NO cutlery, NO steelworks, what other technology is left to sell to overseas interests ? it's amazing how many people around the world came out of Sheffield University.

[buck]

The last time I visited was back in 1988. Never went into the city centre that time but went down Attercliffe Common. Totally changed from my previous visit in 1983. Much as I loved the city, I don't think I want to go any more. I'd like to think of it as it was.

[Cycleracer]

Helbco and Skippy.

I think the problem is that you now live in paradise where litter is non existant, the roads and pathments are prestine and the buildings are modern and clean helped along with the coral sea and white beaches and of course Sheffield can't match that so it looks dire when you return.

 

A lot of sheffield actually has improved, the East end mainly and work is underway to improve the city centre.

I take your point of all the steel works and cutlery factorys have all but gone and that had a hugh unemployment affect in the 1980s but the bright side to that is the area is rid of the grime that the East end always had.

 

Lifes not perfect here in Sheffield but we do as you know still have the Peak district on the door and that will never alter, its our little paradise and a match for anywhere in the world to visit and I can be there in 15 minutes.

[helbco]

I agree - the Peak District is paradise on earth. If the cost of living in the UK was more reasonable, I'd be back tomorrow!

 

By the way - we do have litter and graffiti and too many inner city high rise apartments, but I guess we were very lucky that we weren't bombed during the war - otherwise we too might have some of those ugly buildings!

[poppins]

Yes you're dead right helbco about Sheffield, it's gone downhill, even the people aren't the same anymore, well seems that way to me anyhow, Sheffielders use to be one of a kind, hard working class folk,a quick nip in the pub for a laugh on the way home from work, now drinking is part of their lifestlye so i've seen and heard from other ex sheffielders....sad ,quite sad.

 

But still "A few good men" left!

[peterw]

Helbco and Skippy.

I think the problem is that you now live in paradise where litter is non existant, the roads and pathments are prestine and the buildings are modern and clean helped along with the coral sea and white beaches and of course Sheffield can't match that so it looks dire when you return.

 

 

Ah! I spy a forumer addicted to Neighbours and Home and Away where everything is pristine and tickety-boo, and totally unrealistic.

[sweetdexter]

Just three weeks ago i had my sister and brother- in-law visiting here in Ontario.

My sister brought two of her grandchildren, a boy 11 and a girl 16.

I asked them "What is the biggest difference you see between Sheffield and Toronto/Niagara Falls/London. Ontario.

Their answer was unanimous "It is so clean" i.e .no litter.

This has nothing to do with economics ,unemployment or social conditions but rests sole on the backs of the citizens.

When I was visiting my mother in Northern General in 02.

I would leave the hospital around 8.pm taking the bus uptown .On the short walk from the Haymarket to Angel St ,the amount of garbage on the pavement around the Co-op was disgusting.

Even if it was cleaned up overnight there is no excuse for it to be there in the first place

[peterw]

Just three weeks ago i had my sister and brother- in-law visiting here in Ontario.

My sister brought two of her grandchildren, a boy 11 and a girl 16.

I asked them "What is the biggest difference you see between Sheffield and Toronto/Niagara Falls/London. Ontario.

Their answer was unanimous "It is so clean" i.e .no litter.

This has nothing to do with economics ,unemployment or social conditions but rests sole on the backs of the citizens.

When I was visiting my mother in Northern General in 02.

I would leave the hospital around 8.pm taking the bus uptown .On the short walk from the Haymarket to Angel St ,the amount of garbage on the pavement around the Co-op was disgusting.

Even if it was cleaned up overnight there is no excuse for it to be there in the first place

 

True … but! Quite close to me is a council estate in which practically everybody and their grandfather get their meals from a chip shop opposite me. They either eat outside the chippy or in their cars before they drive the two hundred or so yards back home. All their waste is scatttered about my car park so each day I get someone to pick it up and bag it for me, then tootle off in my car with the window open, and spread it around where it belongs — on the council estate.