OT And today I went to Town Centre

[BramleyMiller58]

Yesh but is that just a shandy drinking southern to55er that's come up with that?.

My job takes me all over the country/Britain and trust me there's loads of places worse than Rotherham, plenty in the various boroughs of London.

I know it's not great, it might even be sh1t but it's my town and I don't need some southerner telling me how crap they think it is.

I live in Barnsley now but Rotherham will always have my heart.

Rolls Royce build engines in Rotherham ya know, not f@cking Sheffield like some like to believe.

I don't mind saying, I'm Rotherham and proud but perhaps, that's just me eh!!!!

Proud to be from Rotherham, just upsetting to see the decline of the Town Centre

(Didn't the High Street win Best in Country a couple of years back ?)

[Pocket rocket]

Yesh but is that just a shandy drinking southern to55er that's come up with that?.

My job takes me all over the country/Britain and trust me there's loads of places worse than Rotherham, plenty in the various boroughs of London.

I know it's not great, it might even be sh1t but it's my town and I don't need some southerner telling me how crap they think it is.

I live in Barnsley now but Rotherham will always have my heart.

Rolls Royce build engines in Rotherham ya know, not f@cking Sheffield like some like to believe.

I don't mind saying, I'm Rotherham and proud but perhaps, that's just me eh!!!!

Spot on Pal my thoughts exactly.
Been to a meeting in London today asked me where I’m from my answer Gods country Rotherham 😊

[millmoormagic]

Yesh but is that just a shandy drinking southern to55er that's come up with that?.

My job takes me all over the country/Britain and trust me there's loads of places worse than Rotherham, plenty in the various boroughs of London.

I know it's not great, it might even be sh1t but it's my town and I don't need some southerner telling me how crap they think it is.

I live in Barnsley now but Rotherham will always have my heart.

Rolls Royce build engines in Rotherham ya know, not f@cking Sheffield like some like to believe.

I don't mind saying, I'm Rotherham and proud but perhaps, that's just me eh!!!!

Totally, it's a tired argument about the town centre, and the reasons behind it's demise, but there's plenty of optimism and people trying to improve it, and change the way people use it, and indeed there's many more, worse.

[CASPER-64-FRANK]

Try GILLINGHAM on a cold, wet Tuesday night.

Big mistake trying to revive Rotherham town centre, especially with Parkgate Retail, Meadowhell and internet shopping.

Credit to people like Peter Bird the hair stylist who still has two salons in town and other small businesses that are fighting against the odds.

[millmoormagic]

Try GILLINGHAM on a cold, wet Tuesday night.

Big mistake trying to revive Rotherham town centre, especially with Parkgate Retail, Meadowhell and internet shopping.

Credit to people like Peter Bird the hair stylist who still has two salons in town and other small businesses that are fighting against the odds.

I think Frank that the movement is more towards making it an entertainment centre rather than shopping, we have to face facts that we aint gunna compete succesfully with meadowhall or Parkgate for retail.

[gm_gm]

I think Frank that the movement is more towards making it an entertainment centre rather than shopping, we have to face facts that we aint gunna compete succesfully with meadowhall or Parkgate for retail.

Wrong, entertainment is the only way to go. I attended an investment meeting with a company who spends £bns on pension property funds, they won’t invest in town centres especially left wing ones as they control the eco-environment. They will invest outside where the councils can’t interfere and ruin things.

There are some fantastic opportunities which could really help re*****ise the town centre, my fear is the council could stifle or kill it completely.

I hope they keep their uneducated noses out

[millmoormagic]

Wrong, entertainment is the only way to go. I attended an investment meeting with a company who spends £bns on pension property funds, they won’t invest in town centres especially left wing ones as they control the eco-environment. They will invest outside where the councils can’t interfere and ruin things.

There are some fantastic opportunities which could really help re*****ise the town centre, my fear is the council could stifle or kill it completely.

I hope they keep their uneducated noses out

What's 'wrong' about what i posted, in view of the plans for a cinema, restaurants and bars etc i'd say that's the way the town is going, retail is dead for Rotherham unless we can find a niche in the retail market, difficult i'd say...

As for investment firms, they'll invest where they'll make money, regardless of the politics, if firms won't invest because a council has eco friendly regulations then we're better off without them, same said for investment firms who don't like councils who actually have decent regulations to prevent unscrupulous business adventures, seems you enjoy mixing with these parasites gm...

[Hazza Has A Gazza]

Having seen the artists impressions for the vision of the new Town centre, I really hope it all goes ahead because it looks awesome. Forge Island especially.
The retail will be centred around the small unique shops like the ones on high street, and the market which will receive a face lift.
At the minute it looks like it's been bombed. Even the relatively new Keppel Wharf is looking tatty with large glass panels cracked and smashed.

There's been a lot of empty premises and false starts in the past re. the town centre renaissance projects which will cast doubts about this one. But it does actually look like it's happening this time.
The tram train is fantastic and is a start.

[WanChaiMiller]

Town centres up and down the country and retail as we know it is in serious decline.

Retail in Rothetham hit the buffers earlier than other towns with the recession in the early 90's combined with the opening of Meadowhall and Parkgate.

As a result redeveloment of Rotherham town centre started in the late 90s and we are way ahead in terms of the redevelopment curve than many other similar towns in the UK. They are only just starting to think about it.

I fear for Meadowhall if shops like Debenhams and House of Fraser close. All the small specialist boutique type stores must also be in serious trouble.

[frogmiller]

I was amused by the piece. It could have been naming any town in the country.

I'm not sure whether it's us who live away from the town are more proud to shout about it. I do love the place but it's not what it was. The days when you had to stay on the course ways in fear of being run over. The buses that dropped folk off by the fountains at all saints square and along the roads where the shops were.
Making things difficult for people will always put people off.
The retail world and meadowhall wasn't great but not connecting the town via the canal was an opertunity lost.

Tesco, NYS and other housing developments along with what facilities the town centre made for living in needs is the only way forward now.