Is the City of Leicester a dump?

[Dr The Singh]

 

1 hour ago, whoareyaaa said:

any idea why that Walkers closed down they used to do some great food

I was asked to be part of samworths retail offering, they loved the walkers brand but Leicester lacks people in the city that want premium goods.  It's a city centre with majority of low earners with low foot fall in large parts

[FLAN]

The building on great central street visible between the new hotel and adjacent building on Vaughan way is looking good. Old railway station?  Anyone know why’s planned there?

[davieG]

36 minutes ago, FLAN said:

The building on great central street visible between the new hotel and adjacent building on Vaughan way is looking good. Old railway station?  Anyone know why’s planned there?

It's the refurb and semi restoration of the defunct Great Central Railway Station plus hotel and apartments

 

From this

 

 

 

Via this

 

To this

 

Artistic Impression before work started

 

[Paninistickers]

On 04/01/2020 at 20:26, The Fox Covert said:

Quite agree. I lived in Donnie for a while and Silver Street is like a small version of Nottingham.

I reckon I've had a weekend booze in just about every city centre in the UK except for Leeds over the last 25 years.

 

Nottingham is by a distance the most intimidating place on a night out. Edinburgh, despite all its loveys and tourists, I've had a rough ride too. Leicester probably third for someone wanting to square up.

 

 

[Langston]

The old station looks good to me, at least we've been a bit sympathetic with what was left of it and haven't just pulled it down as per 

[Wymsey]

A Starbuck's could be based at Fosse Park's new extension area.

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/big-name-chain-could-coming-3759182

Edited 20 January 2020 by Wymsey

[Guest MattP]

46 minutes ago, Paninistickers said:

I reckon I've had a weekend booze in just about every city centre in the UK except for Leeds over the last 25 years.

 

Nottingham is by a distance the most intimidating place on a night out. Edinburgh, despite all its loveys and tourists, I've had a rough ride too. Leicester probably third for someone wanting to square up.

I've never had any aggro at all in Nottingham, always found it quote pleasant. People used to tell me how bad Manchester was as well but I always seemed to be fine.

 

Birmingham and London are where I used to get into bother if I did.

[Strokes]

2 hours ago, MattP said:

I've never had any aggro at all in Nottingham, always found it quote pleasant. People used to tell me how bad Manchester was as well but I always seemed to be fine.

 

Birmingham and London are where I used to get into bother if I did.

Same, also honourable mention to Swansea, love a bit of bother down there.

Edited 21 January 2020 by Strokes

[Rob1742]

21 hours ago, davieG said:

It's the refurb and semi restoration of the defunct Great Central Railway Station plus hotel and apartments

 

From this

 

 

 

Via this

 

To this

 

Artistic Impression before work started

 

Went to the Novotel on Saturday night to see what it’s all about. Looked down the side and saw the old train station and thought how fantastic it looked. Really good.

 

Seems things are changing, finally we are seeing massive improvement in our planning and this could really be a great area.

 

I understand the council have also purchased the car dealership on Woodgate, purely so they can determine what happens there and have something in keeping with the new area.

 

Credit where credit is due. Is it Soulsby? Is it the planning department? Not sure but our City has been a real mess, but the last few years it’s seen significant decent improvements 

[Stadt]

1 minute ago, Rob1742 said:

Went to the Novotel on Saturday night to see what it’s all about. Looked down the side and saw the old train station and thought how fantastic it looked. Really good.

 

Seems things are changing, finally we are seeing massive improvement in our planning and this could really be a great area.

 

I understand the council have also purchased the car dealership on Woodgate, purely so they can determine what happens there and have something in keeping with the new area.

 

Credit where credit is due. Is it Soulsby? Is it the planning department? Not sure but our City has been a real mess, but the last few years it’s seen significant decent improvements 

It’s improving but there’s still a lack of ambition, mediocre proposals get the go ahead when the council should reject them and hold their nerve. The waterside has and is improving but not really being utilised to it’s full potential.

 
Best way to keep tabs on development is here 

https://www.skyscrapercity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=4374#/forums/4374

[davieG]

£9m office complex plan for former factory in Leicester city centre
Plans have been lodged to renovate the property

ByDan MartinPolitics Reporter
16:52, 21 JAN 2020UPDATED17:32, 21 JAN 2020

How the office scheme would look

About £9 million is set to be spent creating a glass-fronted office complex in Leicester city centre.

The city council has outlined proposals to renovate Pilot House, in King Street, off New Walk.

The former factory is currently the council’s post room, and parts of it are leased out to other organisations, but the authority says it is underused.

It plans to create work space for small companies, which could also include independent retail units.

The offices would be based around a central courtyard and atrium for shared use, a business zone for technical and digital businesses and a co-working lounge.

(Image: Leicester City Council)
The existing 20th century building is made up of five separate but inter-connected buildings.

Existing industrial features including parquet flooring and exposed brick and beams would be retained, and a new entrance into the courtyard would be created from King Street.

It is unclear at this stage how many jobs would be created.

Pilot House as it is
City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “Pilot House offers huge potential to provide much-needed, high-quality office space in a very attractive part of the city.

“The investment we have already made in this area has brought in hundreds of jobs thanks to the relocation of Mattioli Woods.

“By redeveloping Pilot House we will be able to bring in hundreds more, and to cement the reputation of this area and the city as a fantastic place to do business.

“We would also expect to make an excellent return on our investment which will generate rental income for many years to come from what is currently a vastly under-used property.”

The council has submitted a planning application for the first stage of the redevelopment of the building. Further submissions will be made over next year.

If approved, the council will be seeking opportunities for external cash for the project.

The city council would work with the small number of organisations in Pilot House to relocate them.  

Subject to planning permission and funding being obtained, it is hoped that work will begin in the spring of 2021.  

 

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/9m-office-complex-plan-former-3763364

[Paninistickers]

2 hours ago, Rob1742 said:

Went to the Novotel on Saturday night to see what it’s all about. Looked down the side and saw the old train station and thought how fantastic it looked. Really good.

 

Seems things are changing, finally we are seeing massive improvement in our planning and this could really be a great area.

 

I understand the council have also purchased the car dealership on Woodgate, purely so they can determine what happens there and have something in keeping with the new area.

 

Credit where credit is due. Is it Soulsby? Is it the planning department? Not sure but our City has been a real mess, but the last few years it’s seen significant decent improvements 

If they get the waterside housing on frog jslandright just down from this novotel/great central development, it will be a super part of the city inside a decade. The plan should be to link the housing along the river towards Abbey park.

 

Speaking of Abbey Park. The space centre park ended up being cheap shit affordable housing and is the exact template of how not to regenerate an area.

[Footballwipe]

2 hours ago, Stadt said:

It’s improving but there’s still a lack of ambition, mediocre proposals get the go ahead when the council should reject them and hold their nerve. The waterside has and is improving but not really being utilised to it’s full potential.

 
Best way to keep tabs on development is here 

https://www.skyscrapercity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=4374#/forums/4374

It's all well and good telling them to hold their nerve, but if they don't refuse on solid planning grounds and with the backup of their local planning policies, the applicants will slam an appeal in, at great cost to LCC, they'll win and it'll get accepted anyway.

[davieG]

1 hour ago, Footballwipe said:

It's all well and good telling them to hold their nerve, but if they don't refuse on solid planning grounds and with the backup of their local planning policies, the applicants will slam an appeal in, at great cost to LCC, they'll win and it'll get accepted anyway.

They could surely overcome that by having better planning rules for certain areas. But then they shamelessly let properties they own fall into a state beyond saving so who knows?  

[CosbehFox]

On 20/01/2020 at 21:09, Wymsey said:

A Starbuck's could be based at Fosse Park's new extension area.

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/big-name-chain-could-coming-3759182

Very surprised that I haven't seen a Starbucks drive through on the a-roads to/from the ring road. They make a packet and are always full. 

[CosbehFox]

On 21/01/2020 at 19:49, Paninistickers said:

If they get the waterside housing on frog jslandright just down from this novotel/great central development, it will be a super part of the city inside a decade. The plan should be to link the housing along the river towards Abbey park.

 

Speaking of Abbey Park. The space centre park ended up being cheap shit affordable housing and is the exact template of how not to regenerate an area.

Yeah I was skeptic of the Riverside development but when you look at from the canal/Fosse Rally. It looks impressive. The railway needed that. 

 

Pilot House needs that too - structural issues were identified in the building's current structure years ago. 

 

Might sound daft but you'll be surprised how council's can use their capital reserves wisely on property investments - literally buying them anywhere in the country but it's the best way of making medium/low term money in the current climate. Interest/yields larger then banks. 

Edited 23 January 2020 by Cardiff_Fox

[Footballwipe]

On 21/01/2020 at 21:35, davieG said:

They could surely overcome that by having better planning rules for certain areas. But then they shamelessly let properties they own fall into a state beyond saving so who knows?  

Absolutely, don't disagree, but Councils need to pass these. It would enable them to have the robust policies in place for sustainable, good developments in the right areas. I don't know what they look like now, but it'd be down to Cllrs to pass anything new. People need to get lobbying.

[Wymsey]

Some of the Royal Family visit Leicester, including Leicester Market.

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/gallery/pictures-charles-camilla-william-kate-3834892

[Wymsey]

People from Leicester back then quiz.

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/celebs-tv/gallery/quiz-guess-11-leicester-celebrities-3894247

 

Didn't get Robbie Savage, John Deacon and Gok Wan.

[Wymsey]

A man, last seen off Narborough Road last Saturday, is still missing.

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/drone-team-called-fears-rise-4018069

[Wymsey]

Only recognise a few famous Leicester-referenced people on the list.

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/celebs-tv/how-well-you-know-leicestershire-143947

[davieG]

Saffron Lane bypass being built in the early 1930's.

 

 

The old Saffron Lane level crossing in 1928

[PAULCFC]

The thing is,where the railway track is on the photo of the Saff is a bus lane (7.30-9.00) and you can still go in it.instead of staying in the bloody middle lane,then getting into the left lane at the last minute.@parafox

[SemperEadem]

Debenhams going is a blow.

[davieG]

The answer to the topic title is obviously - Yes

 

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/aylestone-meadows-nature-reserve-left-4152928

 

A dog walker has expressed his shock at finding piles of rubbish left behind on a Leicester nature reserve during lockdown.

The man, who asked to remain anonymous, came across the rubbish while walking his dogs on Aylestone Meadows on Wednesday (May 20).

He said: "In the summer it can get bad, but not to the extent that I saw.

"The video I took was just one example of mess being left, I could have taken 10 to 12 videos of places with rubbish scattered around."

The anonymous dog walker added that not only are the piles of rubbish an eyesore, but they are also a danger to his pets.

 

 

He said: "The problem is, when they leave rubbish around, the dogs will run up and sniff around and pick things up.

"I heard from another dog walker, that she saw someone having to wrestle a corn on the cob out of their dog's mouth."

The man also claimed he had seen groups of more than 10 people gathered in the park having barbecues, drinking and playing music.

He added: "It is a major concern during lockdown.

"I have been going out there everyday for my exercise with the dogs, and I have been forever dodging groups.

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"Especially when people have been drinking alcohol, it's impossible for them to stay two metres apart."

Last month, groups were photographed enjoying the sun at pebble beach in the nature reserve - despite there then being a ban on sunbathing during lockdown.

Aylestone ward councillor and Leicester deputy city mayor for environment and transport Cllr Adam Clarke, said: "I visit Aylestone Meadows almost every day and it looks amazing for the most part, with visitors largely keeping it very tidy.

"The meadows are now getting busier as lockdown restrictions are eased, and unfortunately that also means we’ve had some non-socially distant gatherings and drinking, particularly at Pebble Beach, and this has resulted in more litter.

"Our parks wardens have been removing litter and fly tipping as it is reported to us, and are working hard to try and ensure sites are kept litter-free and bins emptied as often as possible.

"We are also working with our team of Leicester Environmental Volunteers carrying out litter picking.

"They have also been installing signs and ground markings to aid social distancing and user safety.

"We are monitoring sites across the city and on the whole visitors have been very compliant, with most accepting advice and therefore avoiding the need for police enforcement."