Your opinion of Leicester...

[James.]

If you want to appreciate Leicester more then move somewhere else.

Since I left home I've really started to enjoy going home. Mayeb it's nostalgia but it feels like home to me and that's why I will always have a soft spot for it.

[Samilktray]

Rothwell (not sure if its actually classed as Leicester/Leicestershire) is full of gang warfare.

Literally, mans get merked up on the regz in dem endzzzzzzzzzzz.

[CosbehFox]

The speedway is returning, they're "regenerating" the area at the back of the Beaumont Leys Shopping Centre for it. Apparently it will be completed for next year, and the Lions will be joining the Premier league, I think it is.

For next year, the Speedway will just be a track and a couple of temporary stands in a field. According to them, any build would take a year or so. So to use the momentum built they are making sure at least the Speedway is up and running within a year.

As for Leicester and say this as someone who works for the city and in the process works across it, I am all a bit ''meh'' to it. I don't think I'll have ''lived'' if I don't at least try to work someone else or alteratively, live. There are some real, nice areas of the city which are often forgotten and never made a big deal about it and they are the estates which are sadly polluted by an underclass who abuse it when it was built on the foundations of a hard-working generation who appreciated the opportunity to have their own home.

Sadly, the recent campaign 'OneLeicester' has been built on nothing really bar a theatre and new shopping centre which are just putting us an even kneel with the rest of the country. Add to the cocktail, grey paved street with an abundance of Greggs and you're selling yourself short in the process becoming another city. In the midst of all this, St Martins Square and the Arcades due to sky high rent are pushing smaller independent stores into other units. Them two areas should be preserved and encouraged to become niche and specialised shops. The error made in creating a 'culture quarter' in probably the most dirty and grotty area of the city centre is a major own-goal. No wants to watch a play or a film at the Phoenix Square and then to be met by the sight of the International Hotel.

There has been a lack of recognition by the Council that Leicester is now one of the biggest cities in the country and it's transport needs to be in line with this at least. Tram service at the very least should be under consideration as when the city suffers one bout of roadworks, the rest of the road system suffers with it. We are selling ourselves short...most of all on the history of the place. There seems to be no acknowledge of the history under all this 'OneLeicester'. Fingers crossed an event like the World Cup might release some money in building a transport system.

But it's home and I get that feeling some times. Last time I got it was driving around the city after the Swansea game, that buzz around the place. In the best bits of my job so have been serving the public outside of the ring road in schools, neighbourhood centres and various other public buildings. They are the guardians of the housing estates and appreciative of any effort shown in someone serving their community. Sadly, people are quite happy to 'shit on their own doorsteps'. Thankfully I live in an area where people have pride in where they live and it's nice in itself.

I go Cov once a week for University and their locals are quite happy to shit on their city. We are not by far the worst or a dump. Just there's a lot of untidy corners.

[CosbehFox]

House of Fraser was the shop everyone went to a few years ago and now that's on it's last legs.

That's because the collection of brands who were housed in House of Fraser now have their own stores littered across the shopping centre. It's for the better because now there's a wider choice in the likes of Lacoste, Superdry etc.

Doesn't help either that the company who took over HoF in 2006 also have large says in All Saints, Debenhams, Jane Norman and French Connection.

[AjcW]

As an 18 year old its got better as ive grown up and I like the fact that we have modernised and added some very good shops in the city centre.

I can honestly say that whenever I have visited london its just one big headache and I always come away feeling stressed and ill.

Its simple, Fairly safe, nice people and I would be happy if I had to stay here for years to come.

And its not coventry

[Uncle Albert]

I can honestly say that whenever I have visited london its just one big headache and I always come away feeling stressed and ill.

[AjcW]

Is that an agreement laugh or a piss take laugh

[Uncle Albert]

Is that an agreement laugh or a piss take laugh

The latter.

[Lillehamring]

well, at least leicester now has this beautiful landmark:

and quelle surprise it's a DMU/LCC council co-project...

i assume they got it free when they built 3 student accommodation blocks

[Tommeh]

Leicester will always be home and I really like it. Moving to Sheffield in a month and I'm sure that'll put it to shame and always had a thing for London so hopefully I'll end up there after, and as James said I'm sure i'll appreciate it even more when gone.

[AjcW]

The latter.

Any reason?

[Lillehamring]

The error made in creating a 'culture quarter' in probably the most dirty and grotty area of the city centre is a major own-goal. No wants to watch a play or a film at the Phoenix Square and then to be met by the sight of the International Hotel.

this is what i've always said, and they could hace solved the problem easily, by issuing a CPO on the hotel and building the new theatre there, spend a few quid doing up that section of humberstone gate, so getting to the theatre would be a pleasant stroll down from the clock tower... so simple.

only a rough rendering, and a more suitably designed building would have been required, of course...

but, instead, they use a totally imappropriate vacant plot and shoe-horn it in

[Uncle Albert]

Any reason?

Just that visiting London makes you feel ill.

[AjcW]

Just that visiting London makes you feel ill.

It does , its a bloody ball-ache... its full of twatty foreigners who get angry when you walk infront of their photo, the underground is hot, crowded and if you put a foot wrong your growled at by the nearest underground expert.

You can hardly move for all the people .

The clubs are boring and expensive.

Its got to be one of the most overrated places on the planet.

It takes you and hour and fifteen to get there but once it says welcome to london youve got at least another hour before you can get out the car

But im sure everyone else loves it .

Having said that I went to westfield the other day and its great... I call it london with air conditioning and space.

[Uncle Albert]

It does , its a bloody ball-ache... its full of twatty foreigners who get angry when you walk infront of their photo, the underground is hot, crowded and if you put a foot wrong your growled at by the nearest underground expert.

You can hardly move for all the people .

The clubs are boring and expensive.

Its got to be one of the most overrated places on the planet.

It takes you and hour and fifteen to get there but once it says welcome to london youve got at least another hour before you can get out the car

But im sure everyone else loves it .

Having said that I went to westfield the other day and its great... I call it london with air conditioning and space.

Get a grip.

[Samilktray]

:laugh:

[AjcW]

:laugh:

Go on, treat yourself to a few more words.... You know, only if you can manage.

[Guest]

It does , its a bloody ball-ache... its full of twatty foreigners who get angry when you walk infront of their photo, the underground is hot, crowded and if you put a foot wrong your growled at by the nearest underground expert.

You can hardly move for all the people .

The clubs are boring and expensive.

Its got to be one of the most overrated places on the planet.

It takes you and hour and fifteen to get there but once it says welcome to london youve got at least another hour before you can get out the car

But im sure everyone else loves it .

Having said that I went to westfield the other day and its great... I call it london with air conditioning and space.

Us London experts are all over the shop, stand on the right, walk on the left (if only they applied this to certain streets too).

There's a Westfield in Derby if you really want one that's closer

[acooling08]

My honest opinion of Leicester is that it's ok, but with far too many immigrants.

[Trumpet]

My honest opinion of Leicester is that it's ok, but with far too many immigrants.

This thread has just turned a corner

[Uncle Ben]

Yeah, the immigrants in certan areas do my head in too. The stabby Somalians and smelly, border line gyppo Lithuanians stand out in particular.

[Flynny]

If you want to appreciate Leicester more then move somewhere else.

Since I left home I've really started to enjoy going home. Mayeb it's nostalgia but it feels like home to me and that's why I will always have a soft spot for it.

This has definitely happened to me. I moved to Bristol and was amazed at how shit it made Leicester look in every department. Didn't miss it in the slightest. And then whenever I'm back I'm damned if I don't start to love the place. It's irritating almost. You walk past a place and it's like someone shaking a snowglobe in your head and all these memories are dislodged.

It's got its nice bits. Vicky Park is nice in the summer, bits of South Leicester are quite pleasant and our town centre isn't a disgrace. It feels mucky and run down and badly put together sometimes but depressingly, almost, I don't think there's more than about 6-8 cities in the country that are genuinely 'better'.

[Guest]

This has definitely happened to me. I moved to Bristol and was amazed at how shit it made Leicester look in every department. Didn't miss it in the slightest. And then whenever I'm back I'm damned if I don't start to love the place. It's irritating almost. You walk past a place and it's like someone shaking a snowglobe in your head and all these memories are dislodged.

It's got its nice bits. Vicky Park is nice in the summer, bits of South Leicester are quite pleasant and our town centre isn't a disgrace. It feels mucky and run down and badly put together sometimes but depressingly, almost, I don't think there's more than about 6-8 cities in the country that are genuinely 'better'.

Very true. I've been in London for about 5 years now, and will be moving to Manc soon, but I do enjoy the odd weekend back in the Shire.

[acooling08]

This thread has just turned a corner

Yeah sorry, I joined the thread late

[James.]

You walk past a place and it's like someone shaking a snowglobe in your head and all these memories are dislodged.

Nicely put.

I genuinely look forward to going back. Pretty much all my mates have moved away so it's not even from a social point of view, it's more about memories and nostalgia. You walk through the streets and feel like you actually belong there. I often take the longer route back from the Walkers to St Margaret's Bus Station on a match day just so I can enjoy the city.