Kevin McCabe

[Wapping Blade]

Not unique to Sheffield mate.
Hull.....as it is now is bad enough.

20 years ago when I first moved near there it was atrocious but infinTley better than the 80's. It's getting better now , as someone has realised that areas like a marina, and using old areas around the docks and taking them upmarket and trendy instead of demolishing the buildings and replacing works!
I have recently looked back over old photos of Hull which show pre war was an old town surrounded by an old moat and river that was changed to industrial docks during the industrial boom.
As these docks became less used, and then the place was bombed to buggery, docks were filled in and investment post war was done as cheap as possible due simply to lack of money and over two decades. Hence the rise of concrete box's, and mismatched styles and architecture.
Roads were also steamrollered in following beeching and the rail infrastructure that I never knew was so vast in hull was replaced.

Looking back with hindsight, what a shame that all these old areas of docks couldn't have been used to provide riverside homes, shops, restaurants etc. What a place Hull could have been.

The old bits of 'ull are very nice (Land of Green Ginger etc.) but surrounded by post war crap.

 

[Linz]

The ideal solution is that someone with the city's interest at heart, for example someone called Cole, ideally with a brother, buys up John fucking Lewis and kick starts the regeneration of the city centre.

I went for a part-time job at Coles at the age of sixteen. One of the major selling points in the interview was the fantastic, amazing, state-of-the-art building they were going to building as part of the Sevenoaks project.

Considering the fact that I'm well on the way to being 31 and that building is still on an architect's drawing board somewhere, I can't help but think they were getting a little carried away with themselves.

 

[Grizzly blade]

The old bits of 'ull are very nice (Land of Green Ginger etc.) but surrounded by post war crap.

I was amazed when I found out Queens gardens was a huge dock that linked around the back of the city to the river. Also had a wall and a garrison.
If it had managed to keep that wall and the docks there would have been nowhere else like it.

When the fruit market next to the marina is finished and the entertainment zone opposite, Hull might well become a big attraction to new business and investment. Although the amount pumped in for city of culture next year has made a good start even though it won't be bloody finished in time.

 

[BushBlade]

Really? More students stay on in Sheffield than any other major city (bar London) don't they?

They've been saying that for years. At least twenty, they were saying that when I lived there.
So where are they? Sheffield should have the highest percentages of graduate employees in the country if they all come and don't leave.

I suspect there's a number of factors that make it a misleading statistic. Perhaps traditionally, students came from the surrounding areas and there were few overseas students compared with a London uni? Perhaps they stay for a while and then leave, as I did in Brighton, perhaps the statistics are based on poorly gathered and analysed information? Perhaps the former poly had a bias towards vocational jobs at the lower end of the graduate scale; nurses, construction managers, public administrators and attracted few accountancy or law students?

 

[Balham]

I went for a part-time job at Coles at the age of sixteen. One of the major selling points in the interview was the fantastic, amazing, state-of-the-art building they were going to building as part of the Sevenoaks project.

Considering the fact that I'm well on the way to being 31 and that building is still on an architect's drawing board somewhere, I can't help but think they were getting a little carried away with themselves.

To be fair, JL was the anchor tenant for the Sevenstone project which should have been open by 2009. It's not JL's fault that the lease agreement on the Barker's Pool site is somewhat favourable but equally the fabric of that store is suffering: believe me, JL would move given the chance but the deal has to make sense*.

*ball here completely in JL's court. M&S and Debenhams are the only other national department stores in the centre and neither of them has the pulling power of a full-line JL. The council knows that it can't afford to lose JL...and JL probably knows that.

 

[tyke1889]

I vaguely remember ABC doing a show there in about 82 but I could be wrong.

My G/F is an old punk and she remembers watching bands there in the 70's. Think she said it was all painted black??

 

[I should coco]

My G/F is an old punk and she remembers watching bands there in the 70's. Think she said it was all painted black??

So am I, (an old punk that is and not your girlfriend). She was right about the black.

I saw the Damned there in 80 or 81 with Anti Nowhere League supporting. All the seats had been taken out and there was a black plastic sloping floor. A better venue than the Top Rank across the road, but it only lasted a couple of years.

 

[Sean Thornton]

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

Mid eighties . Shalamar did the opening night, although it may have been one of two. I went because I had Free entry any night Limit tickets through work and George Webster was involved.

It was used as a rock venue from late seventies until around 83.

Opened again as a theatre in 1990

 

[davidblade]

I went for a part-time job at Coles at the age of sixteen. One of the major selling points in the interview was the fantastic, amazing, state-of-the-art building they were going to building as part of the Sevenoaks project.

Considering the fact that I'm well on the way to being 31 and that building is still on an architect's drawing board somewhere, I can't help but think they were getting a little carried away with themselves.

John Lewis in Sheffield is now a bit like Grace brothers, very antiquated compared to all the other John lewis' s all over the country

 

[Esablade]

​

Mid eighties . Shalamar did the opening night, although it may have been one of two. I went because I had Free entry any night Limit tickets through work and George Webster was involved.

It was used as a rock venue from late seventies until around 83.

Opened again as a theatre in 1990

..bet you lost count how many times you went (easy tap-in's)

 

[BushBlade]

So am I, (an old punk that is and not your girlfriend). She was right about the black.

I saw the Damned there in 80 or 81 with Anti Nowhere League supporting. All the seats had been taken out and there was a black plastic sloping floor. A better venue than the Top Rank across the road, but it only lasted a couple of years.

Was it ANL who wrote the classic 'I've been here, I've been there, I've been every fucking where. So what, you boring little cunt, who cares, who cares about you.'?

 

[raul]

Looks like it could have been a Northyorksblade and Ted Hemsleys chads collaboration to my eyes.

 

[I should coco]

Was it ANL who wrote the classic 'I've been here, I've been there, I've been every fucking where. So what, you boring little cunt, who cares, who cares about you.'?

'Twas indeed.

That gem of a song ('So what') was the B side to streets of London and included the immortal lines...

"I've fucked a sheep and I've fucked a goat
I've rammed my cock right down it's throat..."



It got covered by Metallica who I don't think quite got the opening lines of

"I've been to Hastings and I've been to Brighton and I've been to Eastbourne too, So what!"

IIRC it was a post modern discourse on socio economic achievement in a post war class obsessed society.......

 

[Sean Thornton]

Didnt Val Doonican release the original of that as a 45? I remember a goat being mentioned in the lyrics.?

 

[Grecian2000]

Lyceum was a great band venue for a little while. Had to compete with The Limit, Top Rank etc. but held it's own.

Saw U2 (just so no-one is in any doubt The Comsat Angels DID NOT support them that night, just the rest of the tour) and Simple Minds in '81. Bauhaus (twice), The Damned and Gary Glitter (yes folks, GG himself) in the following couple of years.

 

[Northyorksblade]

Looks like it could have been a Northyorksblade and Ted Hemsleys chads collaboration to my eyes.

And your point is? (Five more sleeps)

 

[BushBlade]

'Twas indeed.

That gem of a song ('So what') was the B side to streets of London and included the immortal lines...

"I've fucked a sheep and I've fucked a goat
I've rammed my cock right down it's throat..."



It got covered by Metallica who I don't think quite got the opening lines of

"I've been to Hastings and I've been to Brighton and I've been to Eastbourne too, So what!"

IIRC it was a post modern discourse on socio economic achievement in a post war class obsessed society.......

Haven't heard that for about thirty years.

 

[Yewsman]

​

Mid eighties . Shalamar did the opening night, although it may have been one of two. I went because I had Free entry any night Limit tickets through work and George Webster was involved.

It was used as a rock venue from late seventies until around 83.

Opened again as a theatre in 1990

Yes George Webster and Kevan Johnson ran it as a venue. Someone else wanted to turn it permanently into a night club but the Sheffield Licensing Justices turned down the Licence application. As it turned out that was a good decision as it meant it could revert to a theatre. One of the few good decisions they ever made.

 

[Bladesthorpe]

Back to the thread, I haven't read all the threads but has any of you thought about standing as a councillor and actually trying to alter things instead of just moaning.

 

[ghandi]

Sheffield City Council are masters at the easiest thing in the world, spending other people's money. On Polling Day the electorate of Sheffield would vote for a giraffe so long as it was wearing a red jumper.

So how come the Lib Dems ran the council for a while not so long ago?

 

[ghandi]

There is only an infinate amount of money that can be spent. And what Leeds and Manchester have done is bring more wealth to the city first. That starts with business......big companies with their very highly paid young executives who need a place to live to match their lifestyle. As that grows, so do the swanky bars and restaurants, flash hotels and entertainment zones.....then before you know it you have a total regeneration.

As I see it, for Sheffield centre to be a success it needs something different to just shopping and what Meadowhall can offer. And that has to be culture. Leave Meadowhall to the day trippers just shopping....the centre needs to attract the residents and the city break folks.
Students take a hammering, however Sheffield is a top university in many aspects of study. That attracts top candidates from around the country. What you need is for them to stay in Sheffield rather than return home or go elsewhere. Jobs and business is key here too. And despite the theory about having no money....they have a higher disposable income than the vast majority of employed people. Debt yes....but spent here nonetheless.

Ten years it will take.

As a further note.....Sheffield built ponds forge for the student games. At the time it was a new olympic sized pool, of which there aren't many in th country now so can't have been many then. Sheffield should have been the national centre for swimming....much the same as Manchester has cornered the cycling. Missed a trick there.

Sheffield has one of the highest retention rates in the UK for graduating students remaining in the city

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

I vaguely remember ABC doing a show there in about 82 but I could be wrong.

Saw Bad Manners at Lyceum Bonfire night 1981, at the time I think it had just re-opened that year.

 

[frank drebin]

So in summary if only sheffielders voted tory the city centre would be a thriving metropolis like Leeds and Manchester both labour run councils

 

[snootyfenooty]

So in summary if only sheffielders voted tory the city centre would be a thriving metropolis like Leeds and Manchester both labour run councils

No mate, Leeds and Manchester councils generally do what is best for Leeds and Manchester. Sheffield councillors are constantly striving to create their version of a socialist utopia. Whichever side of the political fence you sit on has fuck all to do with it.

 

[frank drebin]

No mate, Leeds and Manchester councils generally do what is best for Leeds and Manchester. Sheffield councillors are constantly striving to create their version of a socialist utopia. Whichever side of the political fence you sit on has fuck all to do with it.

So the lib demo were trying to create a socialist utopia?

How did that go , haven't been to Sheffield in a while but can't remember ever walking past wicker arches feeling like I was in
Communist China

 

[snootyfenooty]

So the lib demo were trying to create a socialist utopia?

How did that go , haven't been to Sheffield in a while but can't remember ever walking past wicker arches feeling like I was in
Communist China

Yeah lets all blame the lib dems. About 5 years in charge out of the last 100, when the damage was already done.

I also recall the tories being in charge for a year or two in the 60's so it must be their fault as well.

 

[frank drebin]

Yeah lets all blame the lib dems. About 5 years in charge out of the last 100, when the damage was already done.

I also recall the tories being in charge for a year or two in the 60's so it must be their fault as well.

You said sheffield councils try to create a socialist utopia
So I asked you if the lib dems were in on this

I can only assume from your answer that you just meant labour

You should have said that

 

[Bladesthorpe]

Youv'e got him floundering Frank, stop digging Snooty the holes getting deeper.

 

[metalblade]

So the lib demo were trying to create a socialist utopia?

How did that go , haven't been to Sheffield in a while but can't remember ever walking past wicker arches feeling like I was in
Communist China

Walk past the Wicker arches now and you will think you are in Somalia

 

[Deleted member 875]

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

That painting by Rolf Harris was bought when the Sheaf Valley Baths were demolished by Paul Fletcher, owner of Fletchers Bakeries, and ended up hung on the wall on one of the production lines, Lanham 5, until the day it was destroyed when half of Fletchers burnt down.