Kevin McCabe

[snootyfenooty]

I meant to say the combined total but couldn't go back and edit;

Sheffield's position on that list is appalling. Manchester has the Trafford Centre to contend with but still manages about 3x the spend in the city. Similarly Leeds has double the spend in the city but has the White Rose Centre on its doorstep (quite impressive if you've never been there).

Someone needs to put this in front of the council at the same time as shoving a collective rocket up their arses.

 

[blade too long]

The Snortbeasts will love this! They have that little to talk about despite being so "massive" i'm sure this will be a hot topic!!!

at least its improving our area not boosting a Thai fishing village

 

[Sean Thornton]

Good on McCabe, the shops in Sheffield are shit, in fact bar John Lewis are there any shops that sell designer stuff? I'd say not. Agree with many of the other threads on this post, it's a disgrace what the leaders of our great city have allowed it to become. Just like both football clubs, the city shows very little true ambition and is quite happy to punch well below its weight.

Eton

 

[Bert]

in fact bar John Lewis are there any shops that sell designer stuff? I'd say not.

Probably because Sheffielders aren't stupid enough to pay two hundred quid for a ten quid pair of jeans.

 

[blade too long]

proposed site for renovation when it opened 40 odd years ago

fitzalan market hall
strange seeing it with a road at the side of it that disappeared

 

[Yewsman]

Councils don't build the buildings (with the odd minor exception), just approve / decline proposals.

Whilst I've little doubt SCC is useless, it's rather simplistic to blame it for all the ills. The Universities are expanding at a fast rate in the city centre, HSBC have signed up to SRQ phase 1, There's Chinatown, Meadowhall is a great success and expanding, as with the surrounding areas with Next and Ikea. There's so much going on right now;

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1uRb9TqMJnGc6QLnsG1OdKm5cUzU&usp=sharing


They all work with the same council, and get things done.

Sheffield is almost unique in that the population mass of the city region is so far to the East, hence Meadowhall. They were powerless to prevent that in reality, as Paul Sykes would have built it a few miles away but outside Sheffield, yielding no benefit to the city at all. The retail spend at Meadowhall alone is in excess of Leeds city centre spend.

The real challenge is in getting retailers to want to come to the centre, something the council can only facilitate. Without doubt, they could have done a better job. At last, things are moving there, with Phase 1 of the SRQ underway.

UTB

Sheffield Council planners in particular have always had a very negative attitude to companies/ people wanting to build things in the city. Whereas places like Leeds always has a "yes but...." Sheffield Council was usually a "no" and were just very awkward about everything putting conditions and objections in the way rather than trying to work with them to get things through to the satisfaction of the council and the developers. So a lot of people just got fed up and thought well we won't bother we'll look elsewhere. The other factor is that historically Sheffield's wealth derived from its manufacturing, engineering and steel companies. It has never had a big commercial sector of banks, insurance companies, accountants, lawyers etc..unlike Leeds and Manchester so it has never had the wealth of those cities and when most of the manufacturing disappeared so did most of what was a small wealth base anyway. If people in the city do not have the spending power then you do not get the shops, restaurants, infrastructure that goes with the spending.

 

[alcoblade]

In 2003 I did a review on a book about the regeneration of Manchester. Their council had been involved in public/private joint ventures for at least ten years then (maybe more, it was a long time ago and was my last book review, probably because of a 'humerous' comment I made about Mancunians). That's one of the reasons Manchester is so far ahead of Sheffield.

As I've said, it's twenty years since I lived in Sheffield and I genuinely don't know how proactive the council has been since then but when I lived there they seemed intent on being hostile towards anything they perceived as capitalist, when they weren't spending time pissing money away on Student Games and fucking up some good businesses whilst implementing the Supertram construction in the most disruptive way possible.
They're certainly not to blame for the collapse of the steel industry which decimated the city but they're at least partly culpable for what followed.

My point is they aren't against lots of ventures that fly up outside the city centre, which suggests it's not the council, in itself, that's the problem with that.

(I speak as someone who thinks the local labour councils could do with a good spanking, not out of support for them)

The biggest problem the area as is it was an economy based on iron and steel. It was already "poor" before the collapse of the base industries.

No doubt better councils would have done a better job.

UTB

 

[BushBlade]

My point is they aren't against lots of ventures that fly up outside the city centre, which suggests it's not the council, in itself, that's the problem with that.

(I speak as someone who thinks the local labour councils could do with a good spanking, not out of support for them)

The biggest problem the area as is it was an economy based on iron and steel. It was already "poor" before the collapse of the base industries.

No doubt better councils would have done a better job.

UTB

Yes, I touched on the decline of the steel industry and there's always a balance to be struck between regeneration and giving too much away to corporate bastards. It's not easy.

 

[Tyler Durden]

Yer mate Pinchy says it's a great plan and you stink.

Thereby confirming that I'm indeed right. Never in doubt really.

 

[dublin 10 blade]

Ahhhh Sheaf valley baths then chips from Friary.........Happy days

Great painting on the wall of sheaf valley baths by that brilliant artist .
Roll Harris .
Then chips then 2p bus ride home on 71

 

[blade too long]

biggest set back to Sheffield was building the manpower building cutting off the moor , killed it stone dead

 

[snootyfenooty]

The other factor is that historically Sheffield's wealth derived from its manufacturing, engineering and steel companies. It has never had a big commercial sector of banks, insurance companies, accountants, lawyers etc..unlike Leeds and Manchester so it has never had the wealth of those cities and when most of the manufacturing disappeared so did most of what was a small wealth base anyway. If people in the city do not have the spending power then you do not get the shops, restaurants, infrastructure that goes with the spending.

The argument against that is that Sheffield Council were content to let the city rot and hold this up as a beacon against Thatcherism whilst at the same time were sinking what little money they had into maintaining dirt cheap bus fares. Both were purely politically motivated. You can still see examples such as squandering money on a stupid statue on Burngreave Road whilst at the same time squealing about Tory cuts to their social services budget. You get what you voted for.

 

[Bladesway]

Councils don't build the buildings (with the odd minor exception), just approve / decline proposals.

Whilst I've little doubt SCC is useless, it's rather simplistic to blame it for all the ills. The Universities are expanding at a fast rate in the city centre, HSBC have signed up to SRQ phase 1, There's Chinatown, Meadowhall is a great success and expanding, as with the surrounding areas with Next and Ikea. There's so much going on right now;

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1uRb9TqMJnGc6QLnsG1OdKm5cUzU&usp=sharing


They all work with the same council, and get things done.

Sheffield is almost unique in that the population mass of the city region is so far to the East, hence Meadowhall. They were powerless to prevent that in reality, as Paul Sykes would have built it a few miles away but outside Sheffield, yielding no benefit to the city at all. The retail spend at Meadowhall alone is in excess of Leeds city centre spend.

The real challenge is in getting retailers to want to come to the centre, something the council can only facilitate. Without doubt, they could have done a better job. At last, things are moving there, with Phase 1 of the SRQ underway.

UTB

Agree with most of what you say here Alco. Sheffield Council are muppets and get many things wrong but at the time Meadowhall was a visionary thing to do. It was the biggest and best shopping centre in the country for a time. With hindsight you can argue it would have been better to support the city centre but at that time there wasn't much opposition to it.

The lack of support for the centre since is the issue. Leeds has white rose centre and a city centre. Manchester the Trafford Centre and a City Centre. Why can't Sheffield support the same?

 

[Bladesway]

biggest set back to Sheffield was building the manpower building cutting off the moor , killed it stone dead

In a list of fuck ups I would put this somewhere down the bottom to be honest. What they have done with the market is a far bigger crime IMO.

 

[BushBlade]

biggest set back to Sheffield was building the manpower building cutting off the moor , killed it stone dead

In what way? The Moor had been pedestrianised for several years before they built that, as far as I recall.

 

[grafikhaus]

Spot on. The ambition showed by Leeds council since the 1970s really does make our own council look comical.

'Twas ever thus. The M1 stops at Leeds. HS2 (3?) will stop at Leeds. If it comes near Sheffield it will be stuck on the outskirts. Victoria Gate has just opened in the centre of Leeds. Meanwhile, The Moor gets a Primark...

 

[Ecco1889]

In 1975,the Lyceum was due to be demolished,it was saved thanks to the efforts of the Hallamshire historic buildings society...they get a big thank you from me

 

[alcoblade]

Sheffield's position on that list is appalling. Manchester has the Trafford Centre to contend with but still manages about 3x the spend in the city. Similarly Leeds has double the spend in the city but has the White Rose Centre on its doorstep (quite impressive if you've never been there).

Someone needs to put this in front of the council at the same time as shoving a collective rocket up their arses.

But Sheffields spend , overall, is much higher than Manchester's, pro rata.

http://www.citymetric.com/skylines/where-are-largest-cities-britain-1404

(Look for urban area rankings in that link, then also consider the geographical position of the centre to that population)

Manchester, as a city, is not comprarable with Sheffield size wise. A quick look on a map tells you all you need to know. Don't be fooled by boundary populations.

UTB

 

[alcoblade]

Agree with most of what you say here Alco. Sheffield Council are muppets and get many things wrong but at the time Meadowhall was a visionary thing to do. It was the biggest and best shopping centre in the country for a time. With hindsight you can argue it would have been better to support the city centre but at that time there wasn't much opposition to it.

The lack of support for the centre since is the issue. Leeds has white rose centre and a city centre. Manchester the Trafford Centre and a City Centre. Why can't Sheffield support the same?

Because their conurbations are much larger, wealthier, and centered around the city centre itself.

UTB

 

[JohnDenver]

In 1975,the Lyceum was due to be demolished,it was saved thanks to the efforts of the Hallamshire historic buildings society...they get a big thank you from me

Still took until about 1990 to re-open though didn't it?

 

[Bladesway]

Because their conurbations are much larger, wealthier, and centered around the city centre itself.

UTB

I don't believe Manchester and Leeds are much bigger than Sheffield.

 

[alcoblade]

I don't believe Manchester and Leeds are much bigger than Sheffield.

Really? Look at the link I gave above, or simpler still, look at the greyed area on a map. Absolutely no comparison, especially with Manchester.

Only theoretical population boundaries are comparable, and they mean nothing when you're driving to the shops.

UTB

 

[Darthblade]

Lets hope he invests in this come January!

I'm confident that he will find a reason not to ....... bad luck maybe ??

UTB & FTP

 

[BushBlade]

Still took until about 1990 to re-open though didn't it?

I went to see Slade there in about 1984. Possibly a bit earlier.

 

[JohnDenver]

I went to see Slade there in about 1984. Possibly a bit earlier.

Ah right, I knew it was refurbished for 1990 but presumed it was closed before that. Maybe they should have given the quality of acts....

 

[BushBlade]

Really? Look at the link I gave above, or simpler still, look at the greyed area on a map. Absolutely no comparison, especially with Manchester.

Only theoretical population boundaries are comparable, and they mean nothing when you're driving to the shops.

UTB

True. Between Liverpool and Manchester there's a loads of towns, almost adjoining. Between Sheffield and Manchester there's a load of hills with sheep on them.

 

[Darthblade]

Yes there have been some awful decisions which, even if he did not take, Kevin McCabe must have sanctioned, namely a series of terrible managerial appointments starting with Robson and ending with Adkins. You could say Clough did OK with the two great cup runs but he was arrogant and his recruitment by and large was very poor and he never looked like achieving his prime target which was to get promotion. It's easy to be wise after the event but the fans (me included) certainly backed his decisions to appoint both Clough and Adkins and neither was a cheap option. Kevin has put loads of money into the club and must have been despondent as each time he thought he had got the right manager it all went wrong.

Hopefully he's feeling a lot better now! Surely CW is the man we've all been searching for since relegation from the PL? Thanks Kevin for propping up the club and sticking with it. Sadly on many occasions on this Forum you get slagged off by some very ignorant people.

UTB

Sadly ..... our Kev is nowhere near as good a football club director as he is a property tycoon !!

He has made some decisions which have been devastating to this Club and yes, he's put in a lot of money ...... but you expect to do that when you become a patron of a football Club.

Lets just hope he's turned a metaphorical corner ........

UTB & FTP

 

[Kenilworth]

biggest set back to Sheffield was building the manpower building cutting off the moor , killed it stone dead

In what way? The Moor had been pedestrianised for several years before they built that, as far as I recall.

I remember getting the bus down the moor and my Gran used to work at a deli / cheese shop around the corner at the bottom.
I agree that the MSC killed that end of town - just blocked it off as a dead end and meant that the footfall for businesses just stopped.
Bloody ugly building an, all.

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

Probably because Sheffielders aren't stupid enough to pay two hundred quid for a ten quid pair of jeans.

mmmmm some of us are

 

[Lane Ender]

Cinecenta?

You're right it was the Cinecenta