Is the City of Leicester a dump?

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

2 hours ago, Webbo said:

If I won the Euromillions, there are a block of buildings opposite the arab restaurant on Belgrave Gate that I'd buy just so I could knock them down and build something decent on. Total fecking eyesore.

It's that old Days in they tacked onto the carpark that looks an absolute state. In fact that whole area of town just has complete poverty blocks.

 

 

 

 

So bleak

 

[separator]

1 hour ago, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

 

 

 

A lick of paint and maybe some nice windows would do wonders for that building... although saying that look what they did to the building next to the train station. You can rent a 1 bed apartment in Epic house for £525 pm... bargain ... http://aspiregroupuk.com/property/epic-house-charles-street-leicester-le1-3ja/

[Parafox]

3 hours ago, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

It's that old Days in they tacked onto the carpark that looks an absolute state. In fact that whole area of town just has complete poverty blocks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So bleak

 

That's a cheap city centre car park though. £4 all day. Also from my professional experience, a frequent jumper site

[Stadt]

1 minute ago, Parafox said:

That's a cheap city centre car park though. £4 all day. Also from my professional experience, a frequent jumper site

 not really laughing matter but that cracked me up

[Parafox]

1 minute ago, Wookie said:

 not really laughing matter but that cracked me up

You have that black humour too?

[Stadt]

Just now, Parafox said:

You have that black humour too?

I think it was the (no pun intended) deadpan delivery 

[Bob Hazels shorts]

15 hours ago, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

It's that old Days in they tacked onto the carpark that looks an absolute state. In fact that whole area of town just has complete poverty blocks.

 

 

 

 

So bleak

 

Walk past the old Abbey hotel regular and it's fair to say it looks a shit hole.

 

Rather than Sir Pete popping up at any every single photo opportunity, more now as Vazaline has slipped away. Or authorising random specification, wide thin, pavement and those that stop abruptly causing maximum chance of death to cyclists cycle lanes.

Surley there's a away of insisting on a certain standard of upkeep in buildings that operate? If business moves on and a building is empty the obligation is still there, failure and you new premises shut.

Buinesses that go skint or closed out of choice administrators pay for the upkeep out of proceeds, similarly if being sold.

 

Any failure and the council take on the buildings tho sell or us as accommodation 

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

2 hours ago, Bob Hazels shorts said:

Walk past the old Abbey hotel regular and it's fair to say it looks a shit hole.

 

Rather than Sir Pete popping up at any every single photo opportunity, more now as Vazaline has slipped away. Or authorising random specification, wide thin, pavement and those that stop abruptly causing maximum chance of death to cyclists cycle lanes.

Surley there's a away of insisting on a certain standard of upkeep in buildings that operate? If business moves on and a building is empty the obligation is still there, failure and you new premises shut.

Buinesses that go skint or closed out of choice administrators pay for the upkeep out of proceeds, similarly if being sold.

 

Any failure and the council take on the buildings tho sell or us as accommodation 

 

There's that then there's Crown House next to Epic House and the International Hotel that both look awful as well, I think there's plans to turn the hotel into something but it's been vacant for years. 

 

I think the Telephone Exchange has potential to be a nice looking building if they reclad it properly and didn't just paint it blue and stick a few coloured panels in the windows like they did with St. George's. Shame that pretty much 80% of anything high rise looks so shit.

[davieG]

'Shocking' figures show number of people in Leicester travelling by bus has slumped in last 7 years

By danjmartin  |  Posted: February 01, 2017

   

 

The council says the construction of the new Haymarket bus station has affected bus usage

 

The number of people travelling by bus in Leicester has slumped over the last seven years, according to Department of Transport figures.

Latest statistics published by Whitehall show there were 33.9 million passenger journeys in the city in 2009/10 but that number fell to 26.2 million in 2015/16.

Equivalent figures show the number of passenger journeys on local bus services per head fell from 106 in 2009/10 to 76.3 in 2015/16.

The same figures for Derby and Nottingham show declines but less sharp than in Leicester.

 

Leicester Green Party spokeswoman Mags Lewis pointed the finger at Labour city mayor Sir Peter Soulsby.

She said: "These figures are truly shocking.

"Leicester was performing quite well until 2010, with many journeys being made by bus, but the collapse in our performance has got even worse since the mayor was appointed, despite his manifesto pledges to improve public transport in the city.

 

Mags Lewis

"Leicester is clogging up with congestion, choking from air pollution, and risks losing its place as a retail centre if the mayor does not get a grip.

She added: "It is simply not good enough for the mayor to blame his transport failures on lack of powers or the private companies who hold the contracts.

"Why have many areas overtaken us, and what are areas such as Nottingham, Bristol, Blackpool and York doing that we cannot?

"We've seen Leicester tumble down the table and be overtaken by local authorities facing similar challenges and the same lack of powers.

"If the speed of this decline is not addressed, we risk losing our environment, health, and jobs.

"An integrated transport strategy, with public transport at its heart, is vitally important for everyone and the good of our city, economically and environmentally. We need leadership, not excuses here."

 

The council has said the plummeting numbers are down to the disruption caused by construction work on the now completed £14 million Haymarket bus station.

 

 

Assistant city mayor responsible for energy and sustainability councillor Adam Clarke said: "The main and obvious influence on these figures was the development of the £14 million Haymarket bus station, which led to services being diverted to less central locations for the best part of a year.

"But bus companies are already reporting that numbers are recovering.

"Outside of London, we still report the 14th highest bus usage figures in any urban area in the country.

"We are working closely with bus users and operators and have invested heavily in bus priority measures across the city.

"We are confident that our continued investment and support for bus services will pay off and will review any opportunities presented by the Government's emerging Bus Services Bill to further improve services in Leicester."

Sir Peter told the Mercury he was wary of the figures.

He said: "In the last full year the figures will have been depressed by the disruption caused by the construction of the new bus station. I am confident the numbers will start to increase.

"Bus usage remains strong in the city as a means of transport."

When asked about the Ms Lewis criticism of him personally, Sir Peter said: "Well she would say that.

"We have carried out much work on bus prioritisation since I became mayor."

Read more at http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/slump-in-number-of-people-using-buses-in-leicester/story-30100305-detail/story.html#KR3Xvb1LcGcm6uPg.99

[SemperEadem]

Bus fare in Leicester/Leicestershire is extortionate. 

[LutterworthLCFC]

8 hours ago, baker11 said:

Bus fare in Leicester/Leicestershire is extortionate. 

Get your monies worth from Lutterworth to town, 3+ hour round trip. Ridiculous. 

[Stadt]

That Green Party spokeswoman didn't actually say what he should have done differently, so it's easy for her to criticise without offering a policy that could be implemented. I'm no fan of Soulsby but he's had a new bus station built so it's not as if he isn't trying

[Voll Blau]

Reckon a tram/underground/monorail would sort it all out. Even smaller cities than Leicester on the continent have decent light rail systems and it makes travel so much easier.

[Lako42]

Whatever is suggested you can guarantee that the characterless moaning Minnie's of Leicester will be up in arms about it.

 

The place is full of backward thinking numpties who's only pleasure in life is trying to stop progress in whatever form.

 

 

I genuinely think as a city, it's inhabitants show **** all pride or progressive attitude.

 

 

[SemperEadem]

22 hours ago, Voll Blau said:

Reckon a tram/underground/monorail would sort it all out. Even smaller cities than Leicester on the continent have decent light rail systems and it makes travel so much easier.

A link from say Oadby/Vicky park down to Abbey Park would be great.

[davieG]

40 acres of Enderby farmland could be bulldozed for warehousing

By TomPegden  |  Posted: February 07, 2017

   

 

image: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/images/localworld/ugc-images/276308/Article/images/30117634/15842934-large.jpg

The warehousing would be on the horizon, as seen from Leicester Lane, Enderby

 

Green fields to the south of Leicester could be bulldozed and turned into an industrial park.

Developers have bought 40 acres of farmland next to junction 21 of the M1, to build warehousing.

The new owners hope to submit a planing application for the site – which is between Enderby and the motorway – as soon as possible.

The land was bought by global industrial property business Goodman UK Logistics who want to develop it with Coalville industrial developer Wilson Bowden – part of the Barratt Group.

 

This is understood to be the site, according to planning documents at Blaby District Council

It would be accessed by a new road being built to join Leicester Lane, and the 4,250 home New Lubbesthorpe housing development on the other side of the M69.

A Blaby District Council spokesman said the site already had outline approval for employment use.

The new owners said they hoped to apply for further planning permission for the land – being called Leicester Commercial Park – as soon as possible.

Wilson Bowden managing director Nick Richardson said the two companies had previously worked together on a 130,000 sq ft warehouse at Interlink 130, part of the huge Interlink Park warehousing site at Bardon, near Coalville.

He said: "We now look forward to once again partnering to develop this prime East Midlands site at Leicester Commercial Park.

"Sites like this are few and far between throughout the UK, let alone within the much sought after logistics golden triangle.

"We are therefore confident that this site will attract significant interest from local and national occupiers who want to secure high specification warehouse accommodation in a prime location."

Read more: Mattioli Woods in £3.3 million swoop on rival firm

In total it could have up to 440,000 sq ft of industrial buildings.

Goodman's UK Logistics commercial director Jason Harris said they were lucky to have been able to buy such a "prime site".

He said: "Leicester Commercial Park offers one of the UK's most sought-after, strategic locations for logistics positioned directly in the heart of the logistics golden triangle.

"The development provides unrivalled access directly onto M1/M69 intersection and is ideally suited for distribution and logistics operations and opportunities throughout the East and West Midlands and wider UK motorway network.

"Goodman intend to submit an early planning application with a view to commencing development at the earliest opportunity.

"Due to the popularity of the location we expect to receive strong levels of interest for both build to suit and inventory buildings."

The Blaby District Council spokesman said: "I've been told by the planning team that once the applicant submits their application to us it will be treated the same as any other planning application."

Loughborough chartered surveyors Mather Jamie advised the land owner on the sale.

Read more at http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/40-acres-of-enderby-farmland-could-be-bulldozed-for-warehousing/story-30117634-detail/story.html#CtaUJkYxqEXuoWyT.99

[Wymsey]

Article on how London Road has changed.

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/london-road-in-leicester-through-the-years/story-30079365-detail/story.html

Seen a few new cafes/restaurants on the road but the area doesn't appeal to me really.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

18 hours ago, Wymeswold fox said:

Article on how London Road has changed.

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/london-road-in-leicester-through-the-years/story-30079365-detail/story.html

Seen a few new cafes/restaurants on the road but the area doesn't appeal to me really.

 

The Lansdowne and Marquis Wellington are alright boozers, I like starting up Queens Road then mooching that way into town

[separator]

Another derelict building burnt down overnight, near to Burleys Way. The fire even managed to take out 35 cars in storage from the nearby VW dealership... Expensive!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-38916213

[davieG]

St Martin's Square to undergo multi-million pound investment to transform it into 'Leicester's Soho'

By TomPegden  |  Posted: February 11, 2017

   

  

St Martin's Square is set to undergo a multi-million pound investment to transform it into Leicester's very own Soho.

New owners want to give it the same fresh lease of life that has turned the once run-down central London district into a bustling hub of shops, bars, restaurants and salons.

The plans include bringing in exciting new tenants, opening up the low archway from Cank Street and improving things like the lighting.

Like much of the city centre, St Martin's – which has around 30 units – was affected by the success of Highcross, while missing out on significant investment following the Credit Crunch.

 

More recently trendy bars and restaurants have moved back in, reinvigorating that part of town, and helped by the city council's investment in nearby streets.

The demolition of the old indoor market together with plans for a new public square at the rear of the Corn Exchange have also improved things.

Today, successful tenants include St Martin's Tea and Coffee Merchants, Veeno, The Barber's Lounge and Crafty Burger.

Guy Shearer, managing director of Shearer Property Group, paid an undisclosed sum for the 1980s shopping precinct a few weeks ago.

His business – based in London's Carnaby Street – has been involved in major inner city regeneration projects including the Grand Arcade in Cambridge, the Southgate Centre in Bath, as well as the former Dickins & Jones department store in London's Regent Street.

He said: "St Martin's Square has not seen any significant investment in years.

"Our approach will be to revitalise the centre to encourage the interesting mix of existing operators and to attract exciting new independent operators to the area.

"It is our intention to position St Martin's as the vibrant Soho of Leicester – full of independent high-class operators with a strong emphasis on individualism.

 

SPG and partners Delancey bought House of Fraser's interest when the Dickins & Jones department store closed in London's Regent Street in 2006. The building was sold in 2010 for more than £220m

…

 

"Leicester is a city with a great heritage and a great future, and we are delighted to be playing our part in helping to deliver the city council's ambitious plans.

"When it opened it was a bespoke, high-class boutique retail location and that is what we are looking for again."

Mr Shearer said his company – currently working on a multi-million pound investment in Coventry's Cathedral Lanes area – was committed to long-term investment in Leicester.

He said: "We are not rushing into anything immediately although we want to sort the entrance out quite soon.

"And we want to talk to tenants about what they think needs to be done.

"There are around half a dozen units which are empty or soon-to-be empty which gives us the opportunity to introduce some exciting independents. It's going to be very classy and cool."

Pete Gardner owns chocolate shop Cocoa Amore, in Silver Street, which is part of the complex.

He said he would love to see improvements made, including investment promoting the area.

He said: "This is a really nice area and very foodie

 

 and it needs to be marketed more."

 

The arch into St Martin's Square will be raised, opening up the entrance

City mayor Peter Soulsby, who recently met Mr Shearer, to talk through the plans said: "St Martin's Square has been home to independent shops and quirky cafes for more than three decades, so I'm delighted that its new owners are keen to build on those characteristics and create a unique destination in Leicester.

"A revitalised St Martin's Square will be a further boost to an area that's seen significant investment in the last few years, with recent additions such as the Delilah delicatessen and Middletons restaurant complementing the regeneration of the streets and spaces around the cathedral.

"The Shearer Property Group's investment in Leicester is a strong vote of confidence in our city centre.

"We welcome their investment and look forward very much to working with them."

 

 

Nino Caruso, founder of Veeno Italian restaurant, said: "There has been massive change in the area in the last 18 months, and we are looking forward to the future."

Read more at http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/millions-to-be-spent-creating-leicester-s-answer-to-soho/story-30127511-detail/story.html#QH1z7ieIeQvaqfb4.99

[davieG]

 

Quote

 

£40 million plans for shops and flats complex near Highcross approved

By danjmartin  |  Posted: March 17, 2017

•    

 

image: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/images/localworld/ugc-images/276308/Article/images/30209081/15910865-large.jpg

Ingleby

 

 Comments (3)

Plans for a £40 million complex of flats and shops next to Leicester's Highcross shopping centre have been approved.

 

Leicester City Council's planning committee has given the green light to the major development, on the former All Saints Brewery site off Vaughan Way.

Developer Ingleby is set to build a block of flats, 12 levels high at its tallest point, on the site.

The scheme will have 300 homes, a small supermarket and three other shops.

 

Ingleby is headed by Roy Coley, the managing director of developer Sowden Group.

 

He told the Mercury: "I'm really pleased, because now we can get on with building on a prominent site which has been derelict for quite some time.

"This will be a massive investment in this part of town, and I hope will encourage other developers to press on with schemes for nearby sites."

There were 10 objections to the scheme, ranging from concerns about the design of the complex and the impact of extra traffic to the impact on nearby historical buildings, and a Roman mosaic on the site itself.

 

image: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/images/localworld/ugc-images/276308/binaries/15811549-large highcross.jpg

 

 

However, planning officers recommended councillors approve the scheme.

The project was redesigned after concerns were raised about it dwarfing the adjacent historic church.

Now, the taller elements of the structure will face onto Vaughan Way, away from the church.

 

Councillor Lynn Moore sits on the planning committee.

She said of the plan: "This is tasteful and I am pleased it has taken the (nearby) All Saints church into consideration."

Colleague Councillor Su Barton however said she could not welcome the scheme because she was still hurting over the loss of the former historic All Saints Brewery building which burned down several years ago.

 

image: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/images/localworld/ugc-images/276308/binaries/Highcrossss.jpg

 

 

City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby was however enthusiastic.

He said: "It is a great development and it is important because it is on 'the other side' of the inner ring road.

"It has always been a challenge getting investment outside the ring road.

"We have been very active in the Waterside area and we have generated some momentum that is now seeing large scale private investment."

Sir Peter said he was confident there would soon be announcements from other developers about schemes to regenerate other disused former industrial site in that part of the city.

 

Read more at http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/40-million-plans-for-shops-and-flat-near-highcross-approved/story-30209081-detail/story.html#HsgiagDc7GXDUX3L.99

 

So Classy and awe inspiring and will be admired for generations to follow.

[lgfualol]

1 hour ago, davieG said:

 

So Classy and awe inspiring and will be admired for generations to follow.

Years of sarcasm and being on the internet means I cannot tell if you're being sarcastic or not?  

 

Better than that empty space I guess.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

That looks boring as sin

[Lako42]

What a great location for an outstanding building that makes a statement.

 

 

Insert shit generic box, nice.

[RoboFox]

On 1/26/2017 at 18:41, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

 

On 1/26/2017 at 18:41, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

 

 

 

So bleak

 

Where even is that?