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

[Pattylallacks2]

Barnsley's is happening

[millmoormagic]

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.

[Pattylallacks2]

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.

True but this does not tell the whole story. Redevelopment is about much more than new shops and includes creating a culture and environment which encourages people to visit.
In addition to the new shopping centre for example, Barnsley's plan includes a new town square, new roads, new car parking, revamped Metropolitan centre and market hall, new CENTRAL library, new cinema.

Historically, Rotherham has always approached redevelopment after Barnsley, Sheffield and Doncaster and always made a dog's dinner of it. That's why we now have a library which is used by half the number of people who used it when at was at Norfolk Street, why we don't have a cinema, why we have theatre that is no longer fit for purpose, why we have insufficient reasonably priced parking, why the market is past it's best. That is why Doncaster Gate was demolished before a clear plan was in place about what should replace it, why we have allowed absent landlords get away with leaving two town centre buildings as burned out shells, why Pecks office complex has stood empty and neglected for 50 years, why we are going to demolish the Law Courts without a clue as to what will replace them, why we are allowing Tesco to impose parking charges when a condition of them building was free parking.

[millmoormagic]

I do agree with most of that i suppose, but you do have to understand the influence of Sheffield on us, a main reason we haven't got a cinema etc, they've got more clout than you'd think in these matters, and to be honest, i think the theatre is fit for purpose, indeed i think it gets better with age.

[Pattylallacks2]

I do agree with most of that i suppose, but you do have to understand the influence of Sheffield on us, a main reason we haven't got a cinema etc, they've got more clout than you'd think in these matters, and to be honest, i think the theatre is fit for purpose, indeed i think it gets better with age.

Just like us old Millers fans!!!

[Yak]

Barnsleys town centre is still full of druggies just like ours.

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

Barnsley town centre is way better than Rotherham.

The new market is coming on nicely, it will be one of the best in Yorkshire when it's all finished.

Meadowhall undoubtedly has an effect but for me I reckon that Rotherham council are just lazy.

[Pattylallacks2]

Lazy is putting it a bit strongly. Perhaps incompetent, lacking vision, leadership and dynamism are closer to the truth. Oops, that's beginning to sound a bit familiar isn't it? Perhaps its just a Rotherham thing.

[great_fire]

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.

[Pattylallacks2]

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.

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!