Stafford shops closing - Turning into a ghost town?

Mudgie

Well-Known Forumite

LLFC

Well-Known Forumite
So is the newspaper article wrong then?
The article talks of two buildings "Plans to regenerate Stafford town centre have moved forward with applications submitted to demolish the town’s former magistrates’ court and create a business hub at the historic Shire Hall"! The old magistrates court (by the new police station on Eastgate street) which makes room for parking and the Shire Hall which will partly become a business hub. Poor selection of main photo in the article doesn't help matters.
 

Tumble weed

Well-Known Forumite
I'm sorry, but how is the demolition of the old magistrates, and creation of a temporary car park progress?, Temporary car parks in this town tend to last year's, hardly a worthwhile addition.
 

Wormella

Well-Known Forumite
I'm sorry, but how is the demolition of the old magistrates, and creation of a temporary car park progress?, Temporary car parks in this town tend to last year's, hardly a worthwhile addition.

It's cheaper then maintaining even an empty building, in fact carparks make money, and since demolition takes time and money it's a lot easier to see an empty plot of land to a developer then a plot if land with something on it they have to get rid of first.
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
I still find it odd to see a building described as 'old' and scheduled for demolition, when I, and many others on here, saw it built.


It does seem to happen a lot more to buildings built with "other people's money".

Had to consult Google Earth to orient myself on this one as I too thought they meant the old courts. The E and S always was a bag of nails as a newspaper, I had dealings with some of their 'journalists' back in the 60's when working for the Staffordshire Advertiser. That article is all over the place.

Surely this building was only constructed about 5 minutes ago (or so it seems to me.)

Woe is me for remembering Cope's Buildings and the little passageway between Eastgate St and South Walls. Shit .... I don't even regard that telephone exchange as particularly old. :eek:

Welcome to 'Old Fartdom' Bob. ... (me Bob, not the other Bob.) :o:o:o:o:pint::pint::pint::pint:

Edit:
Resource Details - Staffordshire Past Track (staffspasttrack.org.uk)
 
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LLFC

Well-Known Forumite
It's cheaper then maintaining even an empty building, in fact carparks make money, and since demolition takes time and money it's a lot easier to see an empty plot of land to a developer then a plot if land with something on it they have to get rid of first.
I for one would not be surprised if the (about to be created car park) isn’t to be exclusively used by Staffs Place’s overpaid executives in order to save on effort walking to and from their cars. I say that we are better off with a public car park than letting our planners further decimate the high street with flawed ideas / logic!
 

Mudgie

Well-Known Forumite
Had to consult Google Earth to orient myself on this one as I too thought they meant the old courts. The E and S always was a bag of nails as a newspaper, I had dealings with some of their 'journalists' back in the 60's when working for the Staffordshire Advertiser. That article is all over the place.

Surely this building was only constructed about 5 minutes ago (or so it seems to me.)

Woe is me for remembering Cope's Buildings and the little passageway between Eastgate St and South Walls. Shit .... I don't even regard that telephone exchange as particularly old. :eek:

Welcome to 'Old Fartdom' Bob. ... (me Bob, not the other Bob.) :o:o:o:o:pint::pint::pint::pint:

Edit:
Resource Details - Staffordshire Past Track (staffspasttrack.org.uk)
It's probably about forty years ago that the 'new' Magistrates Courts replaced the one by the market.
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
I do remember the one by the Market for (cough) some minor speeding offences on the bike. Judgement was swift and 'Witchfinder General' like. The gavel went BANG and you'd hear 'Ten years hard labour on Devil's Island,' at which point the clerk would stand up and whisper some law into the magistrate's ear and he would bang the gavel again and say: 'Bugger: fined £10 and licence endorsed.' :P
 
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proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
I do remember the one by the Market for (cough) some minor speeding offences on the bike. Judgement was swift and 'Witchfinder General' like. The gavel went BANG and you'd hear 'Ten years hard labour on Devil's Island,' at which point the clerk would stand up and whisper some law into the magistrate's ear and he would bang the gavel again and say: 'Bugger, fined £10 and licence endorsed.' :P
Similar memories for me of the court whose demolition is proposed. I shan't be sorry to see it go for many reasons.
 
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