O/T How does Rotherham's Town Centre redevelopment differ from Barnsley's?

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

Barnsley is definitely going downhill, reminds me of Rotherham in the 00s, loads of junkies around shouting at each other, tons of foreigners, Rotherham is still worse though, tramps right in the centre and loads of shops boarded up, charity shops and pound shops are the mainstay of both though.

Let's face it, they're both depressing and the people in both look miserable and defeated, you can go to York and Harrogate and immediately see the difference.

I don't think you've been to Barnsley in recent times.

It's clear that they've got a plan to re*****ise and the changes are already evident even though they are only about half way through the changes to their market.

The town hall is well maintained and the square around it is quite attractive.

If there are foreigners in Barnsley they must be white skinned because there's a distinct lack of coloured faces in the town, a few of west Indian origin but hardly any pakistani/indian types.

The town is changing fast and leaving Rotherham (sadly) well behind.

[Pattylallacks2]

A bit like the football really

[gm_gm]

York and Harrogate? You are joking surely. Both on the slide in my opinion. York has more street homeless and beggars per square mile than central London!

Sad but unfortunately true!

[millmoormagic]

One thing is for sure, judging by the replies to this thread alone, this country is being governed by idiots with the only intention of running it down.

[Pattylallacks2]

No, the sad thing is it's not intentional

[great_fire]

I don't think you've been to Barnsley in recent times.

It's clear that they've got a plan to re*****ise and the changes are already evident even though they are only about half way through the changes to their market.

The town hall is well maintained and the square around it is quite attractive.

If there are foreigners in Barnsley they must be white skinned because there's a distinct lack of coloured faces in the town, a few of west Indian origin but hardly any pakistani/indian types.

The town is changing fast and leaving Rotherham (sadly) well behind.

I think it's you who hasn't been recently (for about 15 years by the sound of it), loads of immigrants in Barnsley these days (and they're Africans not West Indian), plus half the shops in the town centre have been shut down and boarded off for the redevelopment, looks a dump.

And Peel Square/ Peel Street is junkie central.

[great_fire]

York and Harrogate? You are joking surely. Both on the slide in my opinion. York has more street homeless and beggars per square mile than central London!

Might be on the slide but still a way to go to be as bad as Rotherham/ Barnsley.

[Pattylallacks2]

Might be on the slide but still a way to go to be as bad as Rotherham/ Barnsley.

Maybe. But when Tory heartland towns start going down the sh1tter, it's time to pull up the gangplank.

[craftymiller]

The best way to get the town centre to improve is to use it.Shop at the independents and keep them in town till the rest of the infrastructure improves. The best Mother's Day gifts and cards are on High street give it a try tomorrow.

[Brin]

An unfair comparison in my view,

Barnsley is a stand alone town centre, it hasn't got a Meadowhall or Parkgate just 4 miles from it's centre, so folk will still shop there, so shops will not see a need to relocate, like many have from Rotherham, Primark being the latest.

Very good points MMM….