Poll Do you think Stafford is "Run Down" ?

[alphagamma]

There is nothing wrong, structurally speaking, with this arrangement of words.

But, i don't know man, maybe i'm missing something - somehow they, they just don't feel right.

He's an auctioneer?

 

[jacs]

Please let us know which ward you are standing in, then we can make sure we vote...

I read this as "Please let us know what ward you are staying in"...

 

[kyoto49]

Please let us know which ward you are standing in, then we can make sure we vote...

Surely you'd need to live in his ward to vote for him?

 

[Malcolm]

Even if I lived in his ward, he'd be unlikely to get my vote since he hates Stafford. Not seen any policies yet, apart from to bulldoze it.

 

[Lucy]

Surely you'd need to live in his ward to vote for him?

Quite, so it will give me time to move from my tatty house.

 

[Gareth]

I'd argue that the whole of the area in red and all of Gaolgate street, both sides could go. Any shops worth keeping could easily move to an empty unit further towards our new town centre. Infact @HopesDad should run on that platform as a councillor. All vacant shops erased from the map and houses built on the brownfield site that we gain. Kill 2 birds with one stone, save our fields going under more and more housing, and the removal of the now defunct half of the town centre. Genius!!

Well that is not even workable, if things were just that simple. Making shops/ retail move is absurd.

Who are you or anyone to say - that a
shops should be knocked down and businesses can go relocate elsewhere and pick up empty unit space.

You ever wonder why said units are empty in the first place...1 poor location...2 more importantly cost and rates.

Units that are currently occupied are affordable / or making money in most cases. Making businesses move elsehwere would likely tip the balance for them.

 

[proactive]

Well that is not even workable, if things were just that simple. Making shops/ retail move is absurd.

Who are you or anyone to say - that w
shops should be knocked down and businesses can go relocate elsewhere and pick up empty unit space.

You ever wonder why said units are empty in the first place...1 poor location...2 more importantly cost and rates.

Units that are currently occupied are affordable / or making money. Making businesses move elsehwere would likely tip the balance for them.

An argument that is wholly irrelevant to the amateur know-all half-wit with no experience of having invested money in a business that must produce a viable return.

 

[Gareth]

The only way to make the town centre better is to fill it, first and foremost, and to make parking easier.

Fill it with shops people want: Joules, L'Occitane, Fat Face, Jacamo, Disney, Cath Kidston, Debenhams, Lego, oasis - The list goes on. I'm not even talking about the Karen Millen, Hugo Boss, Ted Baker type shops just a few that are a little nicer than Sports Direct and whatever is going on with the old co-op.

Parking could be instantly solved with a park and ride, possibly £3 all day to include 15 minute interval busses to J13 or J14 where there is more than enough space to create plenty of parking space. Yes it would be a big initial investment but in the long run I think it would work very well. It would attract people from further afield and would solve much of the congestion in the town centre. It would also be of a huge benefit to those who work in the town centre and drive to the college.

Then Stafford needs Bars, some nicer chains and some really good independents, it's a lovely town with some amazing architecture and features that could be fully appreciated with a bit of an investment. It's not hard to make Stafford into the 'go-to' town it could be but there is a lot of work to be done.

Throw in weekly events in the park and the market square and job done, the town will thrive again.

I also think some money should be spent of giving certain buildings a bit of a facelift.

It's not rocket science - how do a get a job at the council?

All sounds great but rocket science it is.

1st who pays for this?
2nd More importantly most of what ypu mention need huge units we don't have in town
3rd tell me a town the size of Stafford that have the aforementioned. You find what to stated in large towns/ cities or massive shopping centres.

All sounds great on paper and anyone one can roll off such good ideas and write them down on paper....but fantasical ideas are really not a great idea just dreams.

You those things you have to go Brum and Manc I am afraid. You won't find them in towns the size and catchments of stafford, cannock, burton, leek etc.

You have apoint about the park though.....but that is the council's plan isn't it with the proposed plans. Even then they are relying on about 70% of the plans to be funded by lottery.

 

[kyoto49]

Well that is not even workable, if things were just that simple. Making shops/ retail move is absurd.

Who are you or anyone to say - that a
shops should be knocked down and businesses can go relocate elsewhere and pick up empty unit space.

You ever wonder why said units are empty in the first place...1 poor location...2 more importantly cost and rates.

Units that are currently occupied are affordable / or making money in most cases. Making businesses move elsehwere would likely tip the balance for them.

And yet towns are redeveloped and shops forced to move regularly.....see our own guildhall development for evidence of this. I remember some nice shops in the front of the old market that had to close down to make way for the then latest town centre white elephant.

Most of the empty units are indeed in a poor location, which is why I said we could afford to bulldoze the whole area!!!!

 

[HopesDad]

All sounds great but rocket science it is.

1st who pays for this?
2nd More importantly most of what ypu mention need huge units we don't have in town
3rd tell me a town the size of Stafford that have the aforementioned. You find what to stated in large towns/ cities or massive shopping centres.

All sounds great on paper and anyone one can roll off such good ideas and write them down on paper....but fantasical ideas are really not a great idea just dreams.

You those things you have to go Brum and Manc I am afraid. You won't find them in towns the size and catchments of stafford, cannock, burton, leek etc.

You have apoint about the park though.....but that is the council's plan isn't it with the proposed plans. Even then they are relying on about 70% of the plans to be funded by lottery.

This response, exactly as we have come to expect from council puppet Gareth, totally sums up the problem with Stafford, rather than the solution. Small minds, small ideas, blinkered views, acceptance of the status quo. The idea that nothing can be done prevails, which is why nothing ever is done. Stafford will never improve while this attitude prevails.

 

[Malcolm]

This response sums up the problem with Stafford, rather than the solution. Small minds, small ideas, acceptance of the status quo. The idea that nothing can be done prevails, which is why nothing ever is done.

Let's hear some big ideas then. You seem to imply you're waiting for 'someone else' to sort all the problems out. Present your policies, cost them and stand for election.

 

[tek-monkey]

This response, exactly as we have come to expect from council puppet Gareth, totally sums up the problem with Stafford, rather than the solution. Small minds, small ideas, blinkered views, acceptance of the status quo. The idea that nothing can be done prevails, which is why nothing ever is done. Stafford will never improve while this attitude prevails.

Come on then, what's the plan and how will you fund it? It's all very well saying Stafford will never improve while that attitude prevails but your attitude is to bitch about things hoping someone else will solve it, which helps even less.

 

[kyoto49]

All sounds great but rocket science it is.

1st who pays for this?
2nd More importantly most of what ypu mention need huge units we don't have in town
3rd tell me a town the size of Stafford that have the aforementioned. You find what to stated in large towns/ cities or massive shopping centres.

All sounds great on paper and anyone one can roll off such good ideas and write them down on paper....but fantasical ideas are really not a great idea just dreams.

You those things you have to go Brum and Manc I am afraid. You won't find them in towns the size and catchments of stafford, cannock, burton, leek etc.

You have apoint about the park though.....but that is the council's plan isn't it with the proposed plans. Even then they are relying on about 70% of the plans to be funded by lottery.

What a load of crap. Only Debenhams of this list: "Joules, L'Occitane, Fat Face, Jacamo, Disney, Cath Kidston, Debenhams, Lego, oasis" need big stores, maybe Disney. The rest are all pretty small outfits.

With the sheer volume of housing and population increase Stafford is having why are these things dreams? Leamington Spa has a smaller population (approx 20,000 less) than Stafford but supports a great selection of independant and niche retail stores. Why not Stafford? It's not inevitable that a largish town can't have SIGNIFICANTLY more and better shops and restaurants than we currently do. It's all about how the town is marketed and what the council do to encourage better and more stores. Here for example is the portal for Leamington town centre, look a thow many shops and restaurants are listed:

http://www.royal-leamington-spa.co.uk/shop-and-enjoy/shopping/

Stafford is shit cos the council don't have a clue how to market and develop or maintain it. Town centre decline is not inevitable even with the current internet shopping boom

 

[Malcolm]

Town centre decline is not inevitable even with the current internet shopping boom

Agreed. But that depends on whether people choose to spend their money in the town. When are people going to accept that shops are private enterprise, not nationalised industries run by the government? Supply, driven by demand in the first place, is what shapes the local economy.

 

[tek-monkey]

I'm a bit confused by the want of big name stores, they are all the same and stuff is available online too. Only independents interest me tbh.

 

[Malcolm]

I'm a bit confused by the want of big name stores, they are all the same and stuff is available online too. Only independents interest me tbh.

Yes very true.

 

[proactive]

I'm a bit confused by the want of big name stores, they are all the same and stuff is available online too. Only independents interest me tbh.

Good point.

 

[c0tt0nt0p]

Leamington Spa has a smaller population (approx 20,000 less) than Stafford but supports a great selection of independant and niche retail stores. Why not Stafford?

That area is generally more affluent and the people generally have a higher disposable income to spend in such shops (I would guess)....

 

[kyoto49]

That area is generally more affluent and the people generally have a higher disposable income to spend in such shops (I would guess)....

Maybe or maybe not true, but it also has a high student population (courtesy of Warwick Uni) and they generally aren't too rich. Leamington is also negatively affected by the pull of Birmingham, yet somehow with a smaller population and probably double the number of shops and restaurants, many of these independant. Food for thought.........

 

[tek-monkey]

Well our uni just buggered off, so maybe we should start targeting the incoming yellow pounds?