Dr The Singh Posted 31 July 2009 Posted 31 July 2009 Indeed. That's the kind of heritage loss that concerns me. There one of the very few bars that would show a city game ahead of any other!!!!
Lillehamring Posted 31 July 2009 Posted 31 July 2009 well, it's taken some time but, sadly, this has been inevitable for way too long... ...exactly what you would expect from a council that aspires to be a capital of culture - another victorian pub gone, and one of the last remnants of what was the most advanced railway line in britain. and, quelle surprise the normal wool-pulling exercise by the council, tricking people into believing they are doing something for the locals in the shape of a leisure centre...but, as ever, a GOOD council would have made sure that it's citizens have both things. the real question is why can't the bridge be incorporated into the design, if DMU want this so much, make them pay for a building that is capable of supporting the end of the bridge, surely they have access to engineers that could solve this problem easily. that's my real beef with the council, that they never make DMU compromise, or put their money where their mouth is.
Jon the Hat Posted 31 July 2009 Posted 31 July 2009 that's my real beef with the council, that they never make DMU compromise, or put their money where their mouth is. Not their money.
Lillehamring Posted 31 July 2009 Posted 31 July 2009 Not their money. ok, well what ever money they use to build acccommodation and halfarsed road re-routing... if they want a sports centre so much (and lets face it, it WILL be used to sell places at the college) then they should be prepared to accept conditions that provide satisfaction for everyone - it wouldn't have been difficult to enforce the retention of the bridge... after all it's not as if they can build where the bridge actually is (ie a road, and a waterway).
Anorak Posted 31 July 2009 Posted 31 July 2009 We need more decent quality traditional pubs like the P&T, not less of them! Studenty bars or shithole rough pubs/little dive bars seem to multiply in comparison.
Ultra Posted 31 July 2009 Posted 31 July 2009 I would argue that after achievement levels a high proportion of students will select a City that is attractive to the eye. All the more reason, then, why the Council should be praised for finally getting rid of the city's most grotesque eyesores. On the west side of Leicester, where I grew up in the 1960s, there were several bridges of this type and design (Blackbird Road, Fosse Road North, Highcross Street). However, once the railways which used them were closed, they fell into disrepair and were demolished. There's no reason why the bowstring bridge should avoid a similar fate, except to placate the "buildings before people" brigade, most of whom in my experience live anywhere but in Leicester. I'm disappointed, however, by the inclusion of the Pump and Tap site in the scheme. That pub had character and will be a genuine loss to the community. But the brewery could perhaps have done a lot more to protect it if it had wished to do so. All major cities work closely with local universities in pursuit of urban regeneration. Leicester is no different. Expansion of DMU will help ensure future prosperity for the city. And if it also involves extra leisure facilities for the community, so much the better.
Bellend Sebastian Posted 31 July 2009 Posted 31 July 2009 We need more decent quality traditional pubs like the P&T, not less of them! Studenty bars or shithole rough pubs/little dive bars seem to multiply in comparison. Well, I'd like that, but unfortunately the great British drinking public like drinking chemical piss in dreadful posing parlours full of haircuts and orange skin. I blame people for everything
davieG Posted 31 July 2009 Author Posted 31 July 2009 All the more reason, then, why the Council should be praised for finally getting rid of the city's most grotesque eyesores.On the west side of Leicester, where I grew up in the 1960s, there were several bridges of this type and design (Blackbird Road, Fosse Road North, Highcross Street). However, once the railways which used them were closed, they fell into disrepair and were demolished. There's no reason why the bowstring bridge should avoid a similar fate, except to placate the "buildings before people" brigade, most of whom in my experience live anywhere but in Leicester. I'm disappointed, however, by the inclusion of the Pump and Tap site in the scheme. That pub had character and will be a genuine loss to the community. But the brewery could perhaps have done a lot more to protect it if it had wished to do so. All major cities work closely with local universities in pursuit of urban regeneration. Leicester is no different. Expansion of DMU will help ensure future prosperity for the city. And if it also involves extra leisure facilities for the community, so much the better. It's only a grotesque eyesore as a result of the Council's total disregard for it's upkeep. If it's so grotesque why did the Council incorporate it into the footpath in the first place. Those bridges didn't have the uniqueness of design that this bridge has, and if you're going to use the argument that we've already destroyed other buildings so what difference doe's another one make then I begin to understand why everything that was good about the past development of this City is disappearing before my very eyes - I really do despair. Yet again you raise the totally irrelevant "live anywhere but in Leicester" into your justification. Yes I don't live in the City currently but I've lived in and around it for over 55 years, longer than you no doubt and spend a good portion of my income in the City let's not forget either that it's people that live outside the City and visit it that help to make it prosperous as why else do the council spend thousands of pounds trying to attract visitors of which this could have been an added attraction. Not everyone is interested in shop clones. Being disappointed in the disappearance of the P&T isn't good enough, besides it must form quite asignificant portion of the land this DMU facility will be built on, they can't build it on the road or the river so if you personally voted for this or have supported it then you are directly responsible for it's disappearance. Expansion of DMU at the expense of the City's culture and heritage will not ensure prosperity in the longer term and as for the Council gaining leisure facilities via and owned by DMU with the Council having little control over it's access to the public seems to me like a total abrogation of their responsibilities and demonstrates their inability to provide these essesntial services.
Raj Posted 31 July 2009 Posted 31 July 2009 DMU bought Gateway(which is moving to HAmilton). Betcha Gateways old buildings will be massacred too,to make way for more shite....
Bellend Sebastian Posted 31 July 2009 Posted 31 July 2009 It's not all bad. The Gimson Cottages on Glenfield Road were saved and they're lovely. I've met a few of the Civic Society bods and know some of the most vociferous campaigners on behalf of the bridge and I think they all live in Leicester
DANGEROUS TIGER Posted 31 July 2009 Posted 31 July 2009 Matter of opinion I guess... its only falling to pieces as the council has purposely let it go as an excuse to pull it down to allow the DMU to extend. They waste far more money on other worthless stuff every year. Some of us would rather keep historical sites going in the city. Maybe its because Im a fossil myself Totally agree. We are abusing our historical heritage, as big money talks. It's is a sad excuse of a council!
Webbo Posted 31 July 2009 Posted 31 July 2009 I'm sad to say that I agree with this. The bridge served no purpose and there is no shortage of Victorian pubs in Leicester. A new swimming pool will be much more useful in the long run. BTW can't we just move the bridge to somewhere where it could be an attraction?
Smudge Posted 31 July 2009 Posted 31 July 2009 This is a 1912 view of Leicester Braunstone Gate; the goods yard to the right later became Frank Berry's scrap yard for many years and is now the site of the DMU buildings.
BoneDog Posted 31 July 2009 Posted 31 July 2009 Knocking down a classic bridge for a fricking swimming pool? I don't live in Leicester but I'm not happy
ob1kanobe0 Posted 31 July 2009 Posted 31 July 2009 A secret report leaked to the Leicester Mercury shows a deal is now in place to help De Montfort University build a swimming pool and sports centre in the West End.On Monday, the council's cabinet is expected to agree to spend up to £472,000 demolishing the Victorian bridge by January. Secret because they know the public will disagree with their views on this. Thousands of people have opposed the plan to knock down the bridge and the pub since it was first suggested in 2005. An online Facebook group called Save the Pump and Tap and Braunstone Gate Bridge currently has 3,089 members, and an online petition on the Prime Minister's website has 1,295 signatures.Campaign founder Lee Mullen said: "If the council goes ahead with this demolition, it deliberately flies in the face of public opinion. They may as well stick two fingers up at the people whose interests they are meant to be serving. "Leicester has more than 2,000 years of history, but the planners seem to have no appreciation of the fact that architectural history is what gives a city character, and the people that live in it a sense of place." Mr Mullen said in "any other city" a landmark such as the Bowstring Bridge would be "cherished". He said: "The loss of the bridge and arches would be a disaster, but also destroying the Pump and Tap, itself a fine Victorian building and a hub for West End residents, is simply appalling." Leicester Civic Society says a decision is imminent from English Heritage – and if the application fails, it is "game over". Civic society chairman Stuart Bailey said: "The council seem intent to carry out these decisions in private and not stand by them in public. They are selling off our heritage, and that is a real tragedy." The public disagree with their elected representatives, time to vote them out? Lets have a campaign to vote out these people, and then lets see if they do a U-turn. Patrick Kitterick, city council cabinet member for regeneration, said the item was only being heard in private because it contained prices.He said: "It is not a secret. You can't just go and remove a bridge in the middle of the night. It is being discussed in private because the document includes the price of selling land. That's always been our policy and there will be more opportunities for people to have their say. Great spin, we're having our say, but it wont change their minds, their minds are made up, unless the public give them a definate sign. Fact is, the namby pamby liberals who run government and councils etc will do all they can to abolish English history, because it stands for everything they hate.
Zingari Posted 31 July 2009 Posted 31 July 2009 All the more reason, then, why the Council should be praised for finally getting rid of the city's most grotesque eyesores.On the west side of Leicester, where I grew up in the 1960s, there were several bridges of this type and design (Blackbird Road, Fosse Road North, Highcross Street). However, once the railways which used them were closed, they fell into disrepair and were demolished. There's no reason why the bowstring bridge should avoid a similar fate, except to placate the "buildings before people" brigade, most of whom in my experience live anywhere but in Leicester. I'm disappointed, however, by the inclusion of the Pump and Tap site in the scheme. That pub had character and will be a genuine loss to the community. But the brewery could perhaps have done a lot more to protect it if it had wished to do so. All major cities work closely with local universities in pursuit of urban regeneration. Leicester is no different. Expansion of DMU will help ensure future prosperity for the city. And if it also involves extra leisure facilities for the community, so much the better. genuine question ; are you sure they were bowstring bridges ? i know very little about structural engineering and bridges etc. but that's not how i remember them , they seemed more of a type of "box" design , but i really am not sure
davieG Posted 31 July 2009 Author Posted 31 July 2009 genuine question ;are you sure they were bowstring bridges ? i know very little about structural engineering and bridges etc. but that's not how i remember them , they seemed more of a type of "box" design , but i really am not sure I haven't got time to find a more technical/reliably explanation but from Wiki; The network of bridges began to the north of the River Soar and included two bowstring lattice girder bridges. The first in Northgate Street was demolished in 1981 but the second, spanning Braunstone Gate, still remains. Known locally as the "Bowstring Bridge", it contains steel lattice girders of 175 feet and 136 feet in length, and weighs in excess of 400 tons.[4] The bridge has been described as "unique" from an engineering point of view as the main supports on either side are not parallel, meaning that the two supporting girders had to be of different lengths
Zingari Posted 31 July 2009 Posted 31 July 2009 I haven't got time to find a more technical/reliably explanation but from Wiki; cheers Yes; the one in Northgates ( from rapidly fading memory ) looked like a bowstring bridge , Was this the one with the Roman Cafe beneath ? But the Fosse Road North and Blackbird Road ones looked like a different design , . Either way , no doubt it will be on a scrap lorry , however unique it's design
Lillehamring Posted 31 July 2009 Posted 31 July 2009 All the more reason, then, why the Council should be praised for finally getting rid of the city's most grotesque eyesores.All major cities work closely with local universities in pursuit of urban regeneration. Leicester is no different. Expansion of DMU will help ensure future prosperity for the city. And if it also involves extra leisure facilities for the community, so much the better. well, that would be lovely if it were true - sadly the council approved architecture of DMU (and other chancers) has provided bigger, more grotesque and more inconsiderate eyesores for the generations to come... Beautiful can't say i was surprised to see you expose your true NIMBY tendancies, either....
Lillehamring Posted 31 July 2009 Posted 31 July 2009 fully booked for the next year though exactly - and yet DMU is still a registered charity
Tomassi Posted 31 July 2009 Posted 31 July 2009 Not being funny guys but this day was always going to come as the bridge and pub are not listed, a campaign to list both should have been soughted years ago. Cant say i blame the council for wanting to improve student services in a bid to attract more, although it is always sad to see historic sites dissapear. Unfortunately, money is the root of all evil
Lillehamring Posted 31 July 2009 Posted 31 July 2009 That is fucking horrendous. it's just a block of 70s council flats with a sloped roof - but it's how they've considered the location and environment when designing it which is the biggest catastrophe... no excuses. i know a lot of people on here will defend leicester (i know i used to, vehemently), but that is just one of many buildings where planners should have said 'no, you can do better than that', and this is the problem - the council will say they only have limited power and money, but it only takes a bit of resilience to say 'lets have something that will be an attractive landmark', or 'sorry, it's just too fucking big' --- can you imagine how it will look in ten years
Guest Posted 31 July 2009 Posted 31 July 2009 the real question is why can't the bridge be incorporated into the design, if DMU want this so much, make them pay for a building that is capable of supporting the end of the bridge, surely they have access to engineers that could solve this problem easily. that's my real beef with the council, that they never make DMU compromise, or put their money where their mouth is. That's what I said!! I'm disappointed, however, by the inclusion of the Pump and Tap site in the scheme. That pub had character and will be a genuine loss to the community. But the brewery could perhaps have done a lot more to protect it if it had wished to do so. Like what? As someone who appreciates a decent boozer, I am gobsmacked at this comment. there is no shortage of Victorian pubs in Leicester Such as? cheers Yes; the one in Northgates ( from rapidly fading memory ) looked like a bowstring bridge , Was this the one with the Roman Cafe beneath ? But the Fosse Road North and Blackbird Road ones looked like a different design , . Either way , no doubt it will be on a scrap lorry , however unique it's design Weren't these demolished in the late 70s/ early 80s? I swear they were about when I was a kid, and if so, they were nothing like the bowstring bridge.
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.