Keel Square Hotel

Osklen said:
It would be a interesting question to ask kids 16 and under in the City what they would want to see as most of those who want a leisure centre seem to be the more mature person with the occasional exception. I’m not saying one wouldn’t be welcomed but how could they justify that in the current economic climate with two leisure centres within possibly no more than a mile from the city centre (aquatic centre and roach carter). I appreciate neither are a leisure pool but i can’t see how one of those is viable in the city.

A big problem with development and town planning is older people telling younger people what they want and how they’ll use it.
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They are all mentioning this. But I assume CLC was demolished as was costing too much.
 


Bob Fleming said:
The building was a mess aye. And it wasn't paying for itself.
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it was a big old building which I imagine must have cost a fortune to heat and staff. Also the pool was just a leisure pool so Wouldn’t have attracted regular swimmers who also had a gym membership. Also suspect it tried to be too many things to too many people kids, youths, adults, aged people and perhaps as times went on the three didn’t quite work. Plus it probably had limited competition until later in its life.
 
Osklen said:
it was a big old building which I imagine must have cost a fortune to heat and staff. Also the pool was just a leisure pool so Wouldn’t have attracted regular swimmers who also had a gym membership. Also suspect it tried to be too many things to too many people kids, youths, adults, aged people and perhaps as times went on the three didn’t quite work. Plus it probably had limited competition until later in its life.
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Central government cuts didn't help and I don't think it ever completely recovered from the closure of the ice rink there.
 
Osklen said:
It would be a interesting question to ask kids 16 and under in the City what they would want to see as most of those who want a leisure centre seem to be the more mature person with the occasional exception. I’m not saying one wouldn’t be welcomed but how could they justify that in the current economic climate with two leisure centres within possibly no more than a mile from the city centre (aquatic centre and roach carter). I appreciate neither are a leisure pool but i can’t see how one of those is viable in the city.

A big problem with development and town planning is older people telling younger people what they want and how they’ll use it.
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When my wife worked for ET around 2004 there were plans being shown around the office of a leisure pool roughly where the current ET factory is now. I know plans change and I'm unsure if these plans changed to the Aquatic Centre on a different site or if two pools were planned for the area, I do know that originally the area was going to be a sports village, so who knows.
 
CAould be wise to have another pool in city centre. That way one is always open when they fix the roof of one on alternate years ;)
Could be wise to have another pool in city centre. That way one is always open when they fix the roof of one on alternate years ;)
 
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royaldragon said:
When my wife worked for ET around 2004 there were plans being shown around the office of a leisure pool roughly where the current ET factory is now. I know plans change and I'm unsure if these plans changed to the Aquatic Centre on a different site or if two pools were planned for the area, I do know that originally the area was going to be a sports village, so who knows.
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I worked for the council in 2002 and they were planning closing the leis then.
 
royaldragon said:
When my wife worked for ET around 2004 there were plans being shown around the office of a leisure pool roughly where the current ET factory is now. I know plans change and I'm unsure if these plans changed to the Aquatic Centre on a different site or if two pools were planned for the area, I do know that originally the area was going to be a sports village, so who knows.
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The sports village proposal I believe was for an ice rink, indoor ski slope, GP referred, perhaps for uni facilities from memory rather than a leisure pool.
 
Osklen said:
The sports village proposal I believe was for an ice rink, indoor ski slope, GP referred, perhaps for uni facilities from memory rather than a leisure pool.
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All of those would be fantastic in sheepfolds but it seems that will never be fully developed. Those days when a takeover looked close and rumors (likely bollocks) of this being developed seem so long ago.
 
Football Dinosaur said:
All of those would be fantastic in sheepfolds but it seems that will never be fully developed. Those days when a takeover looked close and rumors (likely bollocks) of this being developed seem so long ago.
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yeah and the fact the Beacon of Ligh has been built and a indoor ski slope now finally going ahead in middlesbrough I believe.
 
Osklen said:
yeah and the fact the Beacon of Ligh has been built and a indoor ski slope now finally going ahead in middlesbrough I believe.
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I was thinking to the south ot the SOL but your right. Middlesbrough is far enough away for us to have one two but can't see funding ever happening.
Osklen said:
yeah and the fact the Beacon of Ligh has been built and a indoor ski slope now finally going ahead in middlesbrough I believe.
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I was thinking to the south ot the SOL but your right. Middlesbrough is far enough away for us to have one two but can't see funding ever happening.
 
Football Dinosaur said:
I was thinking to the south ot the SOL but your right. Middlesbrough is far enough away for us to have one two but can't see funding ever happening.

I was thinking to the south ot the SOL but your right. Middlesbrough is far enough away for us to have one two but can't see funding ever happening.
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I doubt youd get one in Sunderland and Middlesbrough as the catchment area for something like that will pretty big and would overlap considerably, sadly.

think sunderland arc planned to have it on the (Doyle’s) Scrap Yard site originally and had an operator lined up but couldn’t get the things to stack up.
 
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Osklen said:
I doubt youd get one in Sunderland and Middlesbrough as the catchment area for something like that will pretty big and would overlap considerably, sadly.

think sunderland arc planned to have it on the (Doyle’s) Scrap Yard site originally and had an operator lined up but couldn’t get the things to stack up.
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Spot on mate. When they plan them they reckon they need a catchment area of about 1.3M people in an hours drive as they cost that much to operate. As there is on in Castleford, the Boro one would cover Alnwick to Thirsk, or there abouts
 
Osklen said:
I doubt youd get one in Sunderland and Middlesbrough as the catchment area for something like that will pretty big and would overlap considerably, sadly.

think sunderland arc planned to have it on the (Doyle’s) Scrap Yard site originally and had an operator lined up but couldn’t get the things to stack up.
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I'd argue that with number of prople north of the tyne and in Wearside it'd be worth it. If not we need to find another use for sheepfolds site.
 
Football Dinosaur said:
I'd argue that with number of prople north of the tyne and in Wearside it'd be worth it. If not we need to find another use for sheepfolds site.
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You may, however you somehow need to convince and operator to do it, even then a scheme like that is high risk and will need subsidising by the council no doubt. These companies deploy a lot of analysis based on population catchment and disposable income both of which are lacking in the north east, particularly to serve two north east based facilities.
 
Osklen said:
You may, however you somehow need to convince and operator to do it, even then a scheme like that is high risk and will need subsidising by the council no doubt. These companies deploy a lot of analysis based on population catchment and disposable income both of which are lacking in the north east, particularly to serve two north east based facilities.
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My point though is there are more people up here than Boro and the transport gap between the two is big. Hopefully with City hall and the hotel we'll start to see more building on Vaux which also spreads to Sheepfolds.
 
Football Dinosaur said:
My point though is there are more people up here than Boro and the transport gap between the two is big. Hopefully with City hall and the hotel we'll start to see more building on Vaux which also spreads to Sheepfolds.
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You are right but suspect the catchment for an indoor skiing facility will be 50+ miles therefore the boro scheme will account for the Tyne and Wear population as it probably does for parts of Yorkshire as well.

I’m not sure about public transport coming into it as the user of such a facility is most likely to probably drive to one of these facilities, but agree Tyne and Wear much bette connected than Yorkshire.
The Ghost of Arca said:
Surely there are plans to move Lucianos to the new hotel unit and demolish that Corner Flag block?
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I imagine the only thing stopping Luciano’s going into the hotel will be increase in rent and possibly rates as suspect it’s minimal in the position they are currently in.
 
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