What happened to the Rotherham Renaissance?
Discussion
I grew up in Rotherham, but I don't go into town that often now as I moved away many moons ago and when I do its mainly straight to the shops that I need to visit and off again.
However, last weekend I thought I'd have a drive around to see what this great 'Renaissance' is doing for the town. I remember hearing about it at the planning phase about 10 years ago and was aware it had started.
So far, it looks like they've tarted up the train station, built some flats in a seemingly dead-zone of town that used to be packed to the rafters back in the day, and built some lovely new council buildings.
Has anyone or any business actually beenfited from this scheme, apart from the Council? I do remember the various "zones" to this project and always thought that saying the new swimming pool and the council offices are 'zoned areas' was a bit daft as you can't walk from one to the other and it seemed a method on paper to make the outskirts of the town look integrated.
There are still not many decent shops in the town after all that. And new speedbumps on the main road too. WTF?!
Did I miss the big-deal on my look around? Is there an amazing section of town that has brought fruitful business and bustle into the town centre, or have the council just looked after the council? Or is it not finished and the best is yet to come?
Paul.
However, last weekend I thought I'd have a drive around to see what this great 'Renaissance' is doing for the town. I remember hearing about it at the planning phase about 10 years ago and was aware it had started.
So far, it looks like they've tarted up the train station, built some flats in a seemingly dead-zone of town that used to be packed to the rafters back in the day, and built some lovely new council buildings.
Has anyone or any business actually beenfited from this scheme, apart from the Council? I do remember the various "zones" to this project and always thought that saying the new swimming pool and the council offices are 'zoned areas' was a bit daft as you can't walk from one to the other and it seemed a method on paper to make the outskirts of the town look integrated.
There are still not many decent shops in the town after all that. And new speedbumps on the main road too. WTF?!
Did I miss the big-deal on my look around? Is there an amazing section of town that has brought fruitful business and bustle into the town centre, or have the council just looked after the council? Or is it not finished and the best is yet to come?
Paul.
I'm not sure what the future plans are but so far you've hit the nail on the head. They've managed to look after the council buildings and train station, grant planning for (rather nice looking) new football stadium and that's about it.
The centre of the town is more dead than its ever been and from what I've seen/know of its attracted little/no new business.
It shows in the closing of pubs and clubs in the town centre, and the fact that Meadowhall has had record numbers of footfall (despite the current financial climate) and even Sheffield is fairing pretty well.
I moved to Barnsley a few years back but my friends/family still live in Rotherham and non of them go in to town anymore unless necessitated by a trip to some sort of council office. If you want shops you go to meadowhall and if you want drinks/culture/nightlife you go to Sheffield.
The centre of the town is more dead than its ever been and from what I've seen/know of its attracted little/no new business.
It shows in the closing of pubs and clubs in the town centre, and the fact that Meadowhall has had record numbers of footfall (despite the current financial climate) and even Sheffield is fairing pretty well.
I moved to Barnsley a few years back but my friends/family still live in Rotherham and non of them go in to town anymore unless necessitated by a trip to some sort of council office. If you want shops you go to meadowhall and if you want drinks/culture/nightlife you go to Sheffield.
From what I can gather a lot of it is 'under way'. A few friends work for RMBC and my father used to be involved in the planning committees as part of his role at a local public sector organisation.
There is still a plan to relocate the council buildings in a new purpose built complex on the current site of the small Tescos, but I think this was delayed by Tescos (understandably) demanding a decent venue to move to. I believe this is supposedly going to be where the Zone (or whatever the godawful place is named now) is currently situated.
In terms of Rotherham itself, it has become a no-go for most people. I'm afraid (my friend who works on the board promoting RMBC will merrily disagree with me here) its become a haven for a whole list of undesirables (I could expand but if you've been to Rotherham in recent years I'm sure you don't need me to risk sounding quite elitist / potentially BNP candidateish). It's certainly not a place you'd want your grandmother to go shopping.
Sadly Rotherham has all but been killed off by the out of town retail complex (Parkgate / Meadowhell etc). There is a slow increase in small independents which appears to be the way forward - offering something unique in the town centre that can't be replicated by the brand-preooccupied chain store retail monstrosities erected out of town.
There is still a plan to relocate the council buildings in a new purpose built complex on the current site of the small Tescos, but I think this was delayed by Tescos (understandably) demanding a decent venue to move to. I believe this is supposedly going to be where the Zone (or whatever the godawful place is named now) is currently situated.
In terms of Rotherham itself, it has become a no-go for most people. I'm afraid (my friend who works on the board promoting RMBC will merrily disagree with me here) its become a haven for a whole list of undesirables (I could expand but if you've been to Rotherham in recent years I'm sure you don't need me to risk sounding quite elitist / potentially BNP candidateish). It's certainly not a place you'd want your grandmother to go shopping.
Sadly Rotherham has all but been killed off by the out of town retail complex (Parkgate / Meadowhell etc). There is a slow increase in small independents which appears to be the way forward - offering something unique in the town centre that can't be replicated by the brand-preooccupied chain store retail monstrosities erected out of town.
I grew up there too and have family and friends there still
The town centre is grim, very grim (well at least it wason friday when i was last there). . Meadowhall killed it basically. I had to pay to park and, given that there wasn`t exactly a fight for spaces, i reckon the council (like others) has got that very wrong.
The council is too busy examining its own navel to understand and do anything about the bigger picture.
Its also interesting that denis macshane, the expenses robber was replaced by another labour mp. This is the guy who claimed £500 a week rent for his lean to garage that he used as an office. Not bad given that you rent a house (with same sort of garage) on the same street for £175 a week
The town centre is grim, very grim (well at least it wason friday when i was last there). . Meadowhall killed it basically. I had to pay to park and, given that there wasn`t exactly a fight for spaces, i reckon the council (like others) has got that very wrong.
The council is too busy examining its own navel to understand and do anything about the bigger picture.
Its also interesting that denis macshane, the expenses robber was replaced by another labour mp. This is the guy who claimed £500 a week rent for his lean to garage that he used as an office. Not bad given that you rent a house (with same sort of garage) on the same street for £175 a week
Meadowhall didn't kill the town centre, the lefty councils hatred of cars did. Over zealous traffic wardens, no free parking anywhere and lack of parking was and is, up against loads of free and reasonably secure parking which happens to be close to the shops.
Added to this is the fact most of the shops suffer extortionate rates, it's not surprising it emptied itself of retailers. Last time I went it seemed to be full of undesirables hanging around in gangs, I made a quick exit. It's a real shame because it was a nice place many years ago.
Added to this is the fact most of the shops suffer extortionate rates, it's not surprising it emptied itself of retailers. Last time I went it seemed to be full of undesirables hanging around in gangs, I made a quick exit. It's a real shame because it was a nice place many years ago.
MadeInEngland said:
Meadowhall didn't kill the town centre, the lefty councils hatred of cars did. Over zealous traffic wardens, no free parking anywhere and lack of parking was and is, up against loads of free and reasonably secure parking which happens to be close to the shops.
Added to this is the fact most of the shops suffer extortionate rates, it's not surprising it emptied itself of retailers. Last time I went it seemed to be full of undesirables hanging around in gangs, I made a quick exit. It's a real shame because it was a nice place many years ago.
Couldn't agree more with the above! Added to this is the fact most of the shops suffer extortionate rates, it's not surprising it emptied itself of retailers. Last time I went it seemed to be full of undesirables hanging around in gangs, I made a quick exit. It's a real shame because it was a nice place many years ago.
I actually cant think where you would now park at all in Rotherham since the only big car park (which you still had to pay for even though it was way out of the centre) now has a leisure centre on it. Hate to think how much the multi-story costs to park in.
Do councils really just not get it?
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