Sheffield struggles

[Nosworthys Throw]

 

[TJB.]

Nah, it's brilliant mate. Best city in the world. The Labour Council have done a brilliant job over the decades of cementing its status as the go-to place for shopping, dining, entertainment and wondrously inspirational development.

Oh, I almost forgot - and it's so green! And it's within raiding distance of the Peak District. I can't see why anyone would want to live anywhere else. I know I certainly wouldn't (it says here ).

Sigh. Nobody has said it's the best city in the world, nor have they claimed any of the bollocks you've popped there apart from its greenness, which is true (and something to be pleased about, which you don't seem to be for some strange reason).

It doesn't have to be BEST CITY INT FUCKIN WORLD or SCUM RIDDLED SHITHOLE. There are plenty of positives and plenty negatives. Good and bad. Many improvements to be made. Choosing to focus on the positives doesn't mean you think everything is completely hunky dory. It just means you're a bit less of a miserable sod, frankly.

 

[Jon Bon II]

Sigh. Nobody has said it's the best city in the world, nor have they claimed any of the bollocks you've popped there apart from its greenness, which is true (and something to be pleased about, which you don't seem to be for some strange reason).

It doesn't have to be BEST CITY INT FUCKIN WORLD or SCUM RIDDLED SHITHOLE. There are plenty of positives and plenty negatives. Good and bad. Many improvements to be made. Choosing to focus on the positives doesn't mean you think everything is completely hunky dory. It just means you're a bit less of a miserable sod, frankly.

Jesus, I can't fucking win...

 

[TJB.]

Jesus, I can't fucking win...

The feeling is mutual there!

 

[Nosworthys Throw]

Sigh. Nobody has said it's the best city in the world, nor have they claimed any of the bollocks you've popped there apart from its greenness, which is true (and something to be pleased about, which you don't seem to be for some strange reason).

It doesn't have to be BEST CITY INT FUCKIN WORLD or SCUM RIDDLED SHITHOLE. There are plenty of positives and plenty negatives. Good and bad. Many improvements to be made. Choosing to focus on the positives doesn't mean you think everything is completely hunky dory. It just means you're a bit less of a miserable sod, frankly.

To be fair, thats a good mentality to have. Next time i see a crackhead shitting in to a carrier bag in the doorway of Pizzahut im gonna think about all the lovely shrubbery we've got

 

[JJBlade]

Weird in it, majority of people that live in Sheffield think its a shit hole but millionaire footballers living in Dore think its lovely!

Dore has a council estate in it, just like every other area of Sheffield.
It is the best that Sheffield has to offer, but as flagship areas of a city goes, it's very ordinary in comparison to the best that other cities have.

Sheffield's biggest problem is the City Centre, the place that should shine beyond Dore, Whirlow, Ranmoor, Ecclesall and everywhere else, is an absolute toilet.
People don't flock to Leeds because the Northern Districts of the city are nice and it's quite close to the Lake District and Yorkshire Moors, people don't flock to Manchester because it's close to the Lake District, Peak District and Cheshire stockbroker belt.

They travel to these cities because it's got a banging city centre with absolutely every thing you could imagine available to you.

The Psalter in Nether Edge has been refused permission to open a stylish rooftop bar even though staff would usher people downstairs into the bar at 10.00pm, there were suddenly dozens of make believe complaints that have been manufactured out of nowhere to put a stop to it.

A number of bars and restaurant chains have been refused permission to trade on the canal alongside what was the Hilton, because it's too dangerous to have people drinking around water. I wonder if anybodys told Liverpool, York, Newcastle, London, Bristol and Nottingham,

Bars and restaurants get refused permission to stay open later because it will disturb the residents,
Who the fuck buys a city centre apartment to complain about the noise ?

It's all lies, a deliberate attempt to ensure Sheffield remains the poor relation, maintain a generally poor population, poorly educated, without any delusions of grandeur, who will in turn keep the votes coming in for the out and out communists that run the city.

 

[JJBlade]

Sigh. Nobody has said it's the best city in the world, nor have they claimed any of the bollocks you've popped there apart from its greenness, which is true (and something to be pleased about, which you don't seem to be for some strange reason).

It doesn't have to be BEST CITY INT FUCKIN WORLD or SCUM RIDDLED SHITHOLE. There are plenty of positives and plenty negatives. Good and bad. Many improvements to be made. Choosing to focus on the positives doesn't mean you think everything is completely hunky dory. It just means you're a bit less of a miserable sod, frankly.

Let's not kid ourselves that "Green" means beautifully crafted, manicured, Champs Elysees style trees and parks.
They are overgrown, weed ridden hunks of shit that nobody can be bothered to do anything with.

 

[Yogi]

I think I first wrote this comment on the Brayford interview thread, when he was waxing lyrical about Sheffield and how much he loved it and had every intention of returning or something like that.

I rarely meet a native Sheffielder who doesn't moan like chuff about the place, yet we have plethora of ex-players from both clubs who transferred in and chose to remain. The last time I saw the figures the city had just about the highest retention rate of students coming in to study and staying post study in the city. People I know who have visited and are not native love the place, all try to describe why but can't quite capture exactly what it is that appeals.

So either familiarity breeds contempt or Sheffielders just like a reyt bellyache about owt and nowt.

I think Sheffield crams a lot of different ways of living into quite a small area so you can usual find something to suit your tastes. Whether that be rural up in the peaks, city centre living in town, posh houses in dore or more of a community feel with local shops in places like sharrowvale. Couple that with it’s central positioning and transport links and it’s very attractive. Sheffield failing is it hasn’t marketed itself well or attracted companies of cultural significance like say a Manchester has.

 

[nickwr37]

On a positive note(for me) what was Riley's Snooker on Sharrowvale Road will be back as seen pics of refurb going on. Rodeo Drive aka Ecclesall Road was and is the good of Sheffield and always my go-to place when I visit. I am faced with the Algarve climate looming for a few months shortly and there's good and bad there too. No easy solutions and my view is just to get on with it.

 

[yorkshirecoast]

I went into Sheffield city centre at the weekend for the first time in months and it is even worse than it was - which is saying something. We now have the closure of John Lewis, Debenhams and several smaller shops, graffiti and litter everywhere and drug addled zombies wandering about.

We should look to Leeds as a model to follow. They have a wide range of shops catering to all tastes - upmarket, middle of the road and cheaper. Sheffield has one or two middle of the road but the vast majority of the city centre is cheap, dirty and full of litter. It’s an embarrassing shit-hole overseen by a disgrace of a city council.

I’m fortunate to live in one of the better suburbs and the nearby Peak District is great - but if it wasn’t for work commitments I’d move out of the city I was born and bred in.

 

[Eskimo]

Sheffield has always been in a geographically weak position, cut off from quick access to Manchester by the Peak District, never developed a ship canal to Hull back in the Industrial Age which would have been a game changer and most of all no proper airport, The one at Finningley is not a Sheffield airport whatever they call it.

And the M1 bypassed us, stopped at Leeds and then they built the M62 from Hull to Liverpool through Leeds. All this supported diversification and new industries in Leeds and Manc. Particularly in the service sectors. In the meantime te our primary industries, steel, coal etc have largely gone.

 

[Rodley]

But when the city is quite demonstrably doing better, many people choose to ignore the elements which are improving it and instead focus on the smack heads and closed shops, which you'll find in any city centre in the country. There's always more work to be done, but why don't some people look at the positive things which have already been done instead of moaning about how crap their home city is?

You’re absolutely right about the unrelenting negativity of some Sheffielders. It is a thing. When I catch up with friends from back home, I’m taken aback by the constant moaning. It permeates everywhere.

 

[Rodley]

Dore has a council estate in it, just like every other area of Sheffield.
It is the best that Sheffield has to offer, but as flagship areas of a city goes, it's very ordinary in comparison to the best that other cities have.

Sheffield's biggest problem is the City Centre, the place that should shine beyond Dore, Whirlow, Ranmoor, Ecclesall and everywhere else, is an absolute toilet.
People don't flock to Leeds because the Northern Districts of the city are nice and it's quite close to the Lake District and Yorkshire Moors, people don't flock to Manchester because it's close to the Lake District, Peak District and Cheshire stockbroker belt.

They travel to these cities because it's got a banging city centre with absolutely every thing you could imagine available to you.

The Psalter in Nether Edge has been refused permission to open a stylish rooftop bar even though staff would usher people downstairs into the bar at 10.00pm, there were suddenly dozens of make believe complaints that have been manufactured out of nowhere to put a stop to it.

A number of bars and restaurant chains have been refused permission to trade on the canal alongside what was the Hilton, because it's too dangerous to have people drinking around water. I wonder if anybodys told Liverpool, York, Newcastle, London, Bristol and Nottingham,

Bars and restaurants get refused permission to stay open later because it will disturb the residents,
Who the fuck buys a city centre apartment to complain about the noise ?

It's all lies, a deliberate attempt to ensure Sheffield remains the poor relation, maintain a generally poor population, poorly educated, without any delusions of grandeur, who will in turn keep the votes coming in for the out and out communists that run the city.

Sheffield Council = a pain in the arse
Leeds Council = a pain in the arse
York City Council = a pain in the arse
Harrogate Council = a pain in the arse

SCC are no better or worse than the others really. Someone’s observation earlier that some of the bigger funds / investment developers have identified Sheffield as having a lot of potential is true, certainly before Covid emerged there was some momentum starting to build. I also know one or two who work in the Build to Rent / Resi investment market who raved about the welcome they received from SCC.

 

[JJBlade]

And the M1 bypassed us, stopped at Leeds and then they built the M62 from Hull to Liverpool through Leeds. All this supported diversification and new industries in Leeds and Manc. Particularly in the service sectors. In the meantime te our primary industries, steel, coal etc have largely gone.

The M1 bypassed Sheffield because Sheffield wanted it to bypass.

We managed without an airport because Sheffield wanted us to manage without an airport

The train station is just some building you can put a nice garden and a stainless steel thing next to, it's not designed with trains in mind as we have less trains coming to and leaving Sheffield than we've ever had.

It all creates the fenced off, insular society that Sheffield City Council wants, or at least wanted. They may not be as bad nowadays, but the damage caused by previous councils has been terminal

 

[Tickhill Blade]

I'm not sure that the M1 bypasses Sheffield any more than it bypasses any of the other cities on the way North does it? It doesn't go through the middle of Derby, Leicester, Nottingham etc?

Anyway, the original plan was for the M1 to finish at Donny, so it should they who have the gripe with Leeds rather than Sheffield

 

[metalblade]

A friends 16yr old daughter got a job in the city centre a month or so back on her first day she got off her bus in High St only to be verbally abused by four foreign guys which terrified her. This is in broad daylight and she is now scared when going to work in the city centre and wondering if it is worth the hassle.

 

[BushBlade]

I'm not sure that the M1 bypasses Sheffield any more than it bypasses any of the other cities on the way North does it? It doesn't go through the middle of Derby, Leicester, Nottingham etc?

Anyway, the original plan was for the M1 to finish at Donny, so it should they who have the gripe with Leeds rather than Sheffield

It doesn’t. It doesn’t go into the centre of Leeds either. A simple look at a map shows that.

 

[Blade.com]

Sheffield Struggles: whilst the UK doles out £15.7 billion in foreign aid. Of which China : (the world's biggest economy) get £7 million. Why? Answers on a post card accepted. Apparently for developing countries, 2021 that's over 2 thousand years and still developing, seems to me someone is dragging their feet.
This is only my opinion and not a political stand, believe me in 48 years I have never voted for a winning side. The recent local elections I promised I would vote for whoever knocked at my door or even posted a flier. Nothing so a no vote from me.
But I still think Sheffield is a great place.

 

[Working Class Hero]

"The M1 bypassed Sheffield" probably sums up the moaning tendancy of Sheffielders better than owt else in here

 

[leppingslaneblade]

Spot on. The proximity to the Peak District is the only positive Sheffield has to offer - and for most footballers that probably ranks well down their list of wants.

And why is Sheffield a shit-hole? Our inept Labour Council. Utterly useless and a complete disgrace. Totally focused on furthering their political aims and don’t do anything for the city as a whole. Wankers.

And before anyone blames the Tory government - loads of other towns and cities seem to do just fine under the same Government.

Bit of a jaundiced view. Sheffield had 2 main employers steel and coal and both were dismantled by the Tories at roughly the same time. It has been Very difficult to come back from that.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Unfortunately the toxic rivalry between us and Wendy doesn’t help matters either. I don’t even come from Sheffield, but I was deeply embarrassed by both Sheffield clubs being relegated in the same season. Am I alone in being the only Blade who wanted Wendy to stay up on the the last day. I’ve supported the Blades for 47 years now, and the biggest annoyance over those years is Sheffield football’s small minded race to the bottom. I love my club, but it would fill me great pride if the Sheffield derby was a regular fixture in the Premier league. Then and only then will Sheffield take its rightful place at the top table of English football and force itself into the consciousness of the nation in general.

 

[Bladesthorpe]

A friends 16yr old daughter got a job in the city centre a month or so back on her first day she got off her bus in High St only to be verbally abused by four foreign guys which terrified her. This is in broad daylight and she is now scared when going to work in the city centre and wondering if it is worth the hassle.

McBurnie, Fleck, Moose and Egan ought to be ashamed of themselves.

 

[FATTYFOULKE]

Dore has a council estate in it, just like every other area of Sheffield.
It is the best that Sheffield has to offer, but as flagship areas of a city goes, it's very ordinary in comparison to the best that other cities have.

Sheffield's biggest problem is the City Centre, the place that should shine beyond Dore, Whirlow, Ranmoor, Ecclesall and everywhere else, is an absolute toilet.
People don't flock to Leeds because the Northern Districts of the city are nice and it's quite close to the Lake District and Yorkshire Moors, people don't flock to Manchester because it's close to the Lake District, Peak District and Cheshire stockbroker belt.

They travel to these cities because it's got a banging city centre with absolutely every thing you could imagine available to you.

The Psalter in Nether Edge has been refused permission to open a stylish rooftop bar even though staff would usher people downstairs into the bar at 10.00pm, there were suddenly dozens of make believe complaints that have been manufactured out of nowhere to put a stop to it.

A number of bars and restaurant chains have been refused permission to trade on the canal alongside what was the Hilton, because it's too dangerous to have people drinking around water. I wonder if anybodys told Liverpool, York, Newcastle, London, Bristol and Nottingham,

Bars and restaurants get refused permission to stay open later because it will disturb the residents,
Who the fuck buys a city centre apartment to complain about the noise ?

It's all lies, a deliberate attempt to ensure Sheffield remains the poor relation, maintain a generally poor population, poorly educated, without any delusions of grandeur, who will in turn keep the votes coming in for the out and out communists that run the city.

Great post.

 

[TJB.]

Am I alone in being the only Blade who wanted Wendy to stay up on the the last day

It's not that you were alone, it's just that absolutely fucking nobody else wanted that to happen.

 

[Bert]

I don’t even come from Sheffield

Am I alone in being the only Blade who wanted Wendy to stay up on the the last day

Bert has spotted the connection here.

 

[JJBlade]

I went into Sheffield city centre at the weekend for the first time in months and it is even worse than it was - which is saying something. We now have the closure of John Lewis, Debenhams and several smaller shops, graffiti and litter everywhere and drug addled zombies wandering about.

We should look to Leeds as a model to follow. They have a wide range of shops catering to all tastes - upmarket, middle of the road and cheaper. Sheffield has one or two middle of the road but the vast majority of the city centre is cheap, dirty and full of litter. It’s an embarrassing shit-hole overseen by a disgrace of a city council.

I’m fortunate to live in one of the better suburbs and the nearby Peak District is great - but if it wasn’t for work commitments I’d move out of the city I was born and bred in.

I don't think we can follow the Leeds model

Leeds has built itself on the financial sector, and for the benefit of most Sheffield people that doesn't mean lots of Insurance men wandering about knocking on doors up there.

The very thing that Sheffield City Council hate more than anything, people investing money and saving for their own futures rather than relying on the state.

 

[Eskimo]

The M1 bypassed Sheffield because Sheffield wanted it to bypass.

We managed without an airport because Sheffield wanted us to manage without an airport

The train station is just some building you can put a nice garden and a stainless steel thing next to, it's not designed with trains in mind as we have less trains coming to and leaving Sheffield than we've ever had.

It all creates the fenced off, insular society that Sheffield City Council wants, or at least wanted. They may not be as bad nowadays, but the damage caused by previous councils has been terminal

“The train station is not designed with trains in mind as we have fewer trains coming to and leaving Sheffield than we have ever had” What do you mean please?

 

[sitwell]

Stop cars going to the city centre =stop people going to the city centre=no fucker buying owt in the city centre=shops closing down =death of the city centre. But at least some vegetarian prick looks cool and green in comfy sandals on their bicycle bobbling all over unsurfaced roads.

 

[robbiez666]

A friends 16yr old daughter got a job in the city centre a month or so back on her first day she got off her bus in High St only to be verbally abused by four foreign guys which terrified her. This is in broad daylight and she is now scared when going to work in the city centre and wondering if it is worth the hassle.

I've been in 3 times this year. Twice for a jab and once for the cinema. In the two minutes waiting for a bus after the latter some lad tried to kick off on me because I was 'staring at him'.

Town is the least safe I've seen it since the late 80s. Last 5 years or so it has gone rapidly downhill. Just some smelly shops, lots of people loitering and more shitty chain restaurants and shops.

Zero character. Zero originality. Zero point.

I literally shopped in supermarkets, Decathlon and Savers before this all happened. Not worth visiting.

 

[Numpty's Dusty Ruts.]

We've been here before. Sheffield has a Labour council. A lot of people on here praising Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham, Leicester, wherever. All these places have Labour councils. Sheffield may have a short sighted and inept council, but that's not necessarily because it's a Labour council. It may be because people in Sheffield in a sense have "given up", as they see plans go wrong, year after year. The development of the Moor is a good idea, but not at the expense of Fargate. Keeping cars out is a good idea, but only if your public transport system is far better than Sheffield's (see Manchester, London, Nottingham). Developing nice squares with fountains (Sheaf Square, Leopold Square, the new bits around the Moor and the back of where Debenhams was), is a good idea, but only if the fountains work and there are decent shops, bars etc to watch the world go by (and don't get me started on the redevelopment of Fitzalan Square, and whose idea it was to keep the e-cig kiosk in the corner!!!). None of this happens because the council is Labour, it happens because the council is crap.
I've lived in Barnsley (in a village between Barnsley and Penistone) for 7 years now. You may laugh, but we couldn't afford to live anywhere in Sheffield we actually wanted to move to (we lived in Intake for over 25 years but wanted to live somewhere greener, and because when we left Intake wasn't the place it was). Barnsley has a Labour council. The bins are emptied on time, and the binmen tend to leave the empty bins outside your house. The town centre (which was a shithole), is being redeveloped really well (it's a work in progress), and due to investors pulling out due to the recession, the council are funding this. New retail space isn't empty, it has companies moving in. It's not Leeds and never will be, but there's some thought, ambition, and "joined up thinking ". This is from a much lower base than Sheffield, with no university and all the cash that brings, and from a scene of utter devastation not that long ago. They tend to mend the roads too (not as well as they used to, but you can't have everything!). There are bad things about here, and a small town attitude, but it's a small town, not a big city.
I'm just trying to make a point that Sheffield's plight isn't about party politics, it's about the council having a small town attitude in a big city.
Finally, I've not met anyone here with extra fingers, although I have occasionally had suspicions about "family relationships ", but that may be linked to my line of work!!