The state of the City centre

Status
Not open for further replies.
becs said:
Eh?

Did you miss Keel Square with the fountains and ships wheel sculpture? Did you miss the improved paving and street furniture in High Street West? Did you miss the ongoing renovations around the old fire station? Did you miss the new building currently under construction on the Vaux site? Did you actually go to Sunderland?
Click to expand...

Big ticket projects aside, the OP is right

I'm Sunderland born and bred but the state of the town is indefensible. Walk down Blandford street. Walk up from Joseph's to the Borough ...... walk along past Joplings. Etc
 


Quality mixed use residential would definitely be welcome for much of the town, you need to encourage (well, force) more white collars to use the centre to push up demand. There's plenty of space and potential down on the banks for this, too. I took my partner a few months back for a walk by the river and he was shocked that it was so under-used. Thankfully the authorities are starting to realise the need for development in the town and we'll see how the planned projects turn out.
 
I agree with the Op. Went down last Monday to get some last minute stuff for holidays, was quite sanguine walking out of Debenhams into the the bridges, came back an hour later, utterly despondent- the town is in the worst state I've ever known. Few shops of any worth, others boarded up, every second shop a fkin charity shop or bookies and the torpor of the place is reflected in the faces of the people walking about. Sorry, I've always defendedmy town, but it's in a dire state atm.
 
spike said:
What I'm getting at is that the town offers nout that you can't get somewhere else; the retail parks, dalton park, metro centre etc all have better shops and free parking so free or cheap parking would at least be a small incentive to attract people in
Click to expand...

Imagine thinking Dalton park has better shops :lol::lol::lol::lol:
 
I used to think it was a shithole but having spent a weekend in Slough and seeing how that has 'developed' in the 15 years since I moved back up here made me realise that it's not that bad. Seen a couple of comments about the train station too and again it's not the shit hole that people make out. I rarely go shopping anyway but the bridges is no different to most shopping centres really

I did see Dave the rave for my first time ever on Friday though so I may be mentally scarred
 
tunstall birdman said:
While I agree that 'some' parking restrictions need to be in place otherwise lazy twats will just take the piss, paid parking has become a cash cow for underfunded councils to generate revenue. This is resulting in less footfall on the highstreet while councils use year on year gaining of profit to fill their coffers.
Click to expand...
What do you mean by taking the piss?
By legally parking in a street, that you pay car tax, tax and vat on fuel, council tax?
 
steve30000 said:
What do you mean by taking the piss?
By legally parking in a street, that you pay car tax, tax and vat on fuel, council tax?
Click to expand...
Parking in disabled bays without a blue badge, block paths, entrances and loading bays etc. I'm not talking about considerate drivers but the lazy fucknuts who think they are entitled over everybody else or the lazy bastards. There needs to be some restrictions because selfish fuckers don't give a shit about others, but I agree that there should be more free parking allowed and less parking restrictions.
 
HABA87 said:
It's awful, but most mid size towns and cities in the country are no better.

We're a bit spoiled in the north/north east having Durham, York, Newcastle, Harrogate easily accessible.

Go a bit further and you've got the likes of Doncaster, Derby and arguably even Sheffield which are no better or worse than Sunderland.
Click to expand...
Sheffield City Centre is much better than Sunderlands.
 
royaldragon said:
Sheffield City Centre is much better than Sunderlands.
Click to expand...

Sheffield has more than double Sunderland's population (with a metropolitan population of 1.5 million) and despite the loss of its industries, benefits from part of being an enormous hub encompassing major settlements in Yorkshire and North West England all close together, including Leeds, Bradford, Manchester and Doncaster.

Of course it is going to have a better city centre, that's just simple geography unfortunately.
 
MrOompapa said:
As @RestlessNatives pointed out the other day, "City of Culture" is not based on existing culture, it is about developing and articulating culture within the city and bringing in investment so that it can develop into a "city of culture", it's about potential.

Otherwise, we might as well give that award to Manchester/Leeds/London every period, but that's not the case is it? Rather all of the bidders are cities like ours, hoping to develop their cultural foundations to obtain investment.

I am tired of people putting down Sunderland as a city, I am well aware of its flaws, difficulties and painful history, but the only way forward is to end this attitude of negativity, pessimism and self-shame because honestly it does us no good.

Right now we are experiencing one of the biggest sprees of development and investment in the city's recent history. I have never seen things change as much in my lifetime, yet people are still not satisfied, despite:
  • A new bridge
  • The Vaux Site getting done (The Crown jewel of council criticism is finally being sorted!)
  • A new music and arts centre
  • the fire station redevelopment
  • the beacon of light
  • The joplings site to be converted
  • The new Tombola HQ getting built
  • new accomodation and restaurants down by the riverside
  • The new college next to park lane
  • All the regeneration of the seafront so far
  • Even more regeneration of Seaburn planned
This is the Sunderland Renaissance, stop putting our city down!
Click to expand...
this this and this
 
There's worse town centre than Sunderland
I agree about parking
Brought this up a few months ago on here and got slaughtered
Charging to park on vaux site on a night is crass when noocazzle is free after 5 all those people forking out to go to,the empire and then being charged a petty £2 is a real pisser.
It might be only £2 but it's bad marketing and a deterrent especially now that they have traffic wardens working until 10 and parking on the street is nearLy impossible
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Back
Top