Is the City of Leicester a dump?

[lcfc278]

On 01/08/2020 at 09:51, davieG said:

Well it's not that.

 

There's a few walks near me that I've been using regularly and there's plenty of waste bins and dog bins. I've seen stuff dropped with in a metre or two of those bins and they're certainly not full. Then there's all the tree trimmings with poo bags hanging from them. There's whole section of the population who are just too lazy or ignorant to care.

 

For example just yesterday there's a swing gated entrance to a walk a 100 metres from my house with a waste bin at the entrance just inside there's a little wooded copse and lying there was a large pizza carton and a couple of drinks cans, not 2 metres from the bin.

 

 

Absolutely shocking!

 

I drove to Aldi at Meridian early yesterday morning and I noticed a group of volunteers that were litter picking on Lubbesthorpe Way - can't commend people like that enough they really are unsung heroes. After doing a small shop and driving back, it made me aware of just the sheer amount of rubbish along that road, it's a joke.

[Raj]

Had a few days off work to do some day trips with the family. Had the misfortune  to drive through Narborough rd on a friday eve6 and it really is a fecking shuttle. I reckon Beirut pre blast looks better!

Went into town today and the clientele made me seem upper class. If people outside Leicester,  for some stupid reason feel obliged to come to here for the day they must think we are one inbred city. Some of the sights and sounds are bad enough to  bring back public hanging.

[Free Falling Foxes]

On 03/08/2020 at 09:42, lcfc278 said:

Absolutely shocking!

 

I drove to Aldi at Meridian early yesterday morning and I noticed a group of volunteers that were litter picking on Lubbesthorpe Way - can't commend people like that enough they really are unsung heroes. After doing a small shop and driving back, it made me aware of just the sheer amount of rubbish along that road, it's a joke.

I've challenged lots of people who drop litter and you usually get told to fvck off or, if you don't like it, you pick it up. But the response that grates with me the most is, 'It gives someone a job'. Er no, most litter is collected by volunteers and I am sure they would be rather doing something else.

 

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

On 01/08/2020 at 09:20, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

I maintain the city isn't a dump but Bede Park is an absolute state this morning. Canal needs a good bloody clear out between Belgrave and Frog Island in all, no good making it a feature if you can't make out the water through the rubbish.

 

Looked like they'd given it a drain and a good clean last weekend, long time coming tbqh

[SouthStandUpperTier]

1 hour ago, Free Falling Foxes said:

I've challenged lots of people who drop litter and you usually get told to fvck off or, if you don't like it, you pick it up. But the response that grates with me the most is, 'It gives someone a job'. Er no, most litter is collected by volunteers and I am sure they would be rather doing something else.

 

Pick up their litter. Covertly follow them to their home. And post their litter through their letterbox.

 

If only we had the time.

[The Syrup]

On 01/08/2020 at 09:51, davieG said:

Then there's all the tree trimmings with poo bags hanging from them. There's whole section of the population who are just too lazy or ignorant to care.

 

 

Ive never understood why people do this. Surely the worst part of dealing with dog poo is actually picking it up and bagging it. If someones done this but then decides to hang it from a tree then they might as well leave it on the floor. Would rather deal with a dogshit minefield than a row of dogshit christmas trees.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

40 minutes ago, The Syrup said:

Would rather deal with a dogshit minefield than a row of dogshit christmas trees.

 

Talk about Sophie's choice 

[brucey]

I’m currently considering applying for a job in Leicester and moving back there. It’s a year long contract initially, with potentially a permanent contract after that if I choose to. I studied at Leicester uni but moved elsewhere for work these past few years. I haven’t got connections to any place atm so can pretty much pick to live wherever, but I do want to settle somewhere now.

Is this a bad idea? I didn’t enjoy living in Leicester before, got lots of racist comments in the street and constant harrassment from the neighbours kids. A friend from uni who has recently moved back to Leicester has told me that there seems to be a lot more violent crime about now and she’s been followed by chavs while walking back to her flat etc. Tbh I probably wouldn’t be considering it, if not for easier access to the football  Suggestions of nicer places to live in the UK are welcome...

[Lionator]

6 hours ago, brucey said:

I’m currently considering applying for a job in Leicester and moving back there. It’s a year long contract initially, with potentially a permanent contract after that if I choose to. I studied at Leicester uni but moved elsewhere for work these past few years. I haven’t got connections to any place atm so can pretty much pick to live wherever, but I do want to settle somewhere now.

Is this a bad idea? I didn’t enjoy living in Leicester before, got lots of racist comments in the street and constant harrassment from the neighbours kids. A friend from uni who has recently moved back to Leicester has told me that there seems to be a lot more violent crime about now and she’s been followed by chavs while walking back to her flat etc. Tbh I probably wouldn’t be considering it, if not for easier access to the football  Suggestions of nicer places to live in the UK are welcome...

I lived in Nottingham for two years, then came back to Leicester for nine months last year, now I'm in another north-western city for work purposes. I can honestly say Leicester has very few redeeming qualities. The city centre is dead, crime is up, there seems to be a stabbing every other day, there's very little to do even in pre pandemic times and there's clearly a massive homeless/drug issue in the city. If you wanted to be in close proximity for the football then there's better options which are only an hour or so away max (I'm thinking Notts or Sheffield). I love Nottingham on the other hand, it's a different world. 

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

7 hours ago, Lionator said:

I lived in Nottingham for two years, then came back to Leicester for nine months last year, now I'm in another north-western city for work purposes. I can honestly say Leicester has very few redeeming qualities. The city centre is dead, crime is up, there seems to be a stabbing every other day, there's very little to do even in pre pandemic times and there's clearly a massive homeless/drug issue in the city. If you wanted to be in close proximity for the football then there's better options which are only an hour or so away max (I'm thinking Notts or Sheffield). I love Nottingham on the other hand, it's a different world. 

 

Suggesting Nottingham is another world re: crime and homelessness is very wide of the mark.

I lived there and I'm looking to buy just north of Nottingham, (I work in the Lace Market) but it's as flawed as any other city seems to be at the moment, riddled with the same issues that aren't exclusive to Leicester. It's undoubtedly "better" for a pint in that there are more boozers than Leicester, and it has a bit more of an identity - but it has wide reaching and quite severe issues with drug abuse and knife crime.

I think you need to dig a little deeper if you thought Leicester lacked anything to do pre-COVID, to be honest.

[davieG]

15 hours ago, brucey said:

I’m currently considering applying for a job in Leicester and moving back there. It’s a year long contract initially, with potentially a permanent contract after that if I choose to. I studied at Leicester uni but moved elsewhere for work these past few years. I haven’t got connections to any place atm so can pretty much pick to live wherever, but I do want to settle somewhere now.

Is this a bad idea? I didn’t enjoy living in Leicester before, got lots of racist comments in the street and constant harrassment from the neighbours kids. A friend from uni who has recently moved back to Leicester has told me that there seems to be a lot more violent crime about now and she’s been followed by chavs while walking back to her flat etc. Tbh I probably wouldn’t be considering it, if not for easier access to the football  Suggestions of nicer places to live in the UK are welcome...

Perhaps there's something in this to entice you.

 

 

[Voll Blau]

My missus is not a native of the East Midlands but has spent a fair bit of time in all three of the major cities through work and socially since she moved down with me. Nottingham is the only one of the three she said she'd never want to live in.

[Paninistickers]

12 hours ago, Lionator said:

I lived in Nottingham for two years, then came back to Leicester for nine months last year, now I'm in another north-western city for work purposes. I can honestly say Leicester has very few redeeming qualities. The city centre is dead, crime is up, there seems to be a stabbing every other day, there's very little to do even in pre pandemic times and there's clearly a massive homeless/drug issue in the city. If you wanted to be in close proximity for the football then there's better options which are only an hour or so away max (I'm thinking Notts or Sheffield). I love Nottingham on the other hand, it's a different world. 

I've found the nottm/leics thing fascinating for years. 

 

Nottm is undoubtedly more hipster. I dated a bird there last year who never could stop going on how great and trendy  it was and how uncool Leicester was.

 

 Yet the quality of my leafy, suburban life pissed all over nottms redbrick suburban dreariness where bolting the door three times giarding against white trash neighbours is the norm....but all within reach of Sherwood's soya milk cappuccino served in a faux milk urn 

 

My uncool bitbnice neighbours, my garden, my cycle routes, my 30 min walk to bradgate.or..in the other direction my 30 min walk to a village pub in Ratby. My 30 min walk for edgier drinks.in a Portuguese cafe  on fosse rd. Not cool bit 30 mins nightime walk in any direction from Sherwood was a risky business

 

So yep, superficially, nottm is.cool. but quality.of.life is , imo, way off ours. 

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

8 minutes ago, Voll Blau said:

My missus is not a native of the East Midlands but has spent a fair bit of time in all three of the major cities through work and socially since she moved down with me. Nottingham is the only one of the three she said she'd never want to live in.

Funnily enough man on a similar note my ex was from Lincoln and she wasn't a fan of Nottingham at all, but thought Leicester was top tier.

I mean, go down New Walk from the station rather than Granby St, through Greyfriars, St Martins, Castle Gardens etc rather than past the clock tower - there's loads of lovely little nooks and crannies in Leicester and I'm under no illusion that it's some utopian paradise but folk seem to love putting it down. 
 

The city and it's shopping / nightlife / whatever people would like to improve isn't going to get any better if folk just dismiss it out of hand and don't visit or spend their cash there. 

[Finnaldo]

6 minutes ago, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

Funnily enough man on a similar note my ex was from Lincoln and she wasn't a fan of Nottingham at all, but thought Leicester was top tier.

I mean, go down New Walk from the station rather than Granby St, through Greyfriars, St Martins, Castle Gardens etc rather than past the clock tower - there's loads of lovely little nooks and crannies in Leicester and I'm under no illusion that it's some utopian paradise but folk seem to love putting it down. 
 

The city and it's shopping / nightlife / whatever people would like to improve isn't going to get any better if folk just dismiss it out of hand and don't visit or spend their cash there. 

Had it’s peaks and troughs but generally it’s improved massively in the last 5 years I’ve been going out. Outside of the homeless problem it tends to be DMU kids that cause most the issues when they’re about, but it’s never felt suspect going out in Leicester like I have in Brum or Notts. Hopefully with the Central Station slap up that area of towns picks up as well.

[Sol thewall Bamba]

Was in town for the first time in 6 months or so this weekend and it looked alright to be fair. Walked from Narborough road to Western park and that area looked decent, then this morning took a walk through town back out again. Town was empty as you'd expect at 8.30 on a Sunday morning but all in all it looked alright. A lot less empty shops than you'd see down here atm. 

[BraunstoneFox23]

Went into town for the first time today with the family since lockdown ended. Highcross was alright and that but clock tower/gallowtree gate was particularly rough. Anyone got any idea what they’re doing to the floor around there? Swear it only got redone a few years ago? Stood outside Lush while the mrs chatted to the person working there and was approached by about 5 different guys asking for change in about 10 minutes. I suppose in a few ways that’s like town is back to normal? It was good to see people out and about again shopping and that. 

[RonnieTodger]

9 hours ago, Crashtoasted said:

Went into town for the first time today with the family since lockdown ended. Highcross was alright and that but clock tower/gallowtree gate was particularly rough. Anyone got any idea what they’re doing to the floor around there? Swear it only got redone a few years ago? Stood outside Lush while the mrs chatted to the person working there and was approached by about 5 different guys asking for change in about 10 minutes. I suppose in a few ways that’s like town is back to normal? It was good to see people out and about again shopping and that. 

Good to see that they're off furlough

[Footballwipe]

On 30/08/2020 at 21:44, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

Funnily enough man on a similar note my ex was from Lincoln and she wasn't a fan of Nottingham at all, but thought Leicester was top tier.

I mean, go down New Walk from the station rather than Granby St, through Greyfriars, St Martins, Castle Gardens etc rather than past the clock tower - there's loads of lovely little nooks and crannies in Leicester and I'm under no illusion that it's some utopian paradise but folk seem to love putting it down. 
 

The city and it's shopping / nightlife / whatever people would like to improve isn't going to get any better if folk just dismiss it out of hand and don't visit or spend their cash there. 

All the angry middle aged/old white men and women on Leicester Mercury or heritage groups seem to thrive off putting the place down. Whether it's Angela who moved to Australia in 1975 and hasn't been back since. Or Gerald, who's read stories in the Mercury and hates Mr Soulsby, it's not the idyllic paradise it was "back in the day" with junkies on every corner ready to rob you of your card.

 

I went in last Saturday and the place was well busy. I was genuinely impressed at the numbers in there. It's almost as if what's said on the internet doesn't translate into the reality of it.

 

I'd be intrigued to know what people expect of a City Centre. I mean, find me a city centre where people aren't begging for change, shooting up in some grotty car park or the general complaints. I'd wager Leicester is no worse than anywhere else.

 

 

[Wymsey]

The areas where Cannabis farms have been seized this year.

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/details-pictures-cannabis-farms-raided-4694722

[fuchsntf]

On 24/08/2020 at 18:12, Raj said:

Had a few days off work to do some day trips with the family. Had the misfortune  to drive through Narborough rd on a friday eve6 and it really is a fecking shuttle. I reckon Beirut pre blast looks better!

Went into town today and the clientele made me seem upper class. If people outside Leicester,  for some stupid reason feel obliged to come to here for the day they must think we are one inbred city. Some of the sights and sounds are bad enough to  bring back public hanging.

Leicester is Lobbying for capital punishment...

[worth_the_wait]

On 07/09/2020 at 12:05, Footballwipe said:

All the angry middle aged/old white men and women on Leicester Mercury or heritage groups seem to thrive off putting the place down.

 

Good job you put "and women", otherwise you would've had a hat-trick of ageist, racist and sexist!

[Rob1742]

Took a trawl around Leicester again recently, and like most Cities there is huge concern for how it will develop. 
 

I think Soulsby has been brilliant making changes to certain areas making really impactful and positive changes to the City, around the market, King Richards etc.

 

I really think though Covid has had and will have a massive impact, and I think it will have knocked the long term plan off track and not sure how the City will look.

 

The future of Churchgate, Granby Street and Market Street is far from certain, and likely these areas will fall into the hands of the developers for flats as premium retail space becomes cheaper in the high football areas. These areas are just hanging on, ready to die with retailers desperate to get out of their leases and move out.

 

The real concern to me though is areas that were supposed to be up and coming or destination areas before Covid, and now their futures are uncertain.

 

1. The old council offices at New Walk - developed, looks great, but few takers for the retail units before Covid. I can’t see this now ever taking off as there will be more home working and if it didn’t work beforehand, how will it work post Covid.

 

2. The old railway station, fantastic area, good development, hopefully when we get back to normal it will work for the City, but I suppose point 3 will be a deciding factor in this.

 

3. The Highcross is the hub of the City, the go to destination, but this is now a real concern. Seven restaurants ( maybe half) closed down for good due to administration. The other real issue for me is Debenhams could be turned into flats. I was expecting the outskirts ( Granby Street etc ) to go to flats, but never could imagine any of the Highcross going in that direction. 
 

If the Highcross can’t pull itself round we have a problem as it needs to be desirable to get us to visit the centre. We currently are in that phase of just seeing what it looks like after the bombing and then deciding what to do. Investors have massive issues here and you could well see half the restaurants being turned into flats if that is the only return they can make on it, with the council resisting the changes, but with the only option bring flats or boarded up premises. 
 

Soulsby has created great spaces to keep people wandering around many areas of Leicester, but with what is happening at the Highcross he will be wondering what the fall out will be and nobody really can work this out yet.

 

For me it’s a huge concern, things were looking up, small areas of goodness created, but now we have to start again and see how it pans out. 
 

Haven’t ventured around any other City lately, but genuinely worried how councils and business will react to the changes. The huge change in the consumer shipping habits were driving the death of retail, leaving a more social situation going on. But with the death of so many of the restaurant chains I can’t see anything really plugging the gaps as people and pensions have huge investments in these areas and they will need more long term certainty than small retailers with short leases. 

 

 

 

[Rob1742]

One real positive that is happening in a few areas in the North may well form part of our towns moving forward.

 

In Newcastle and Sunderland they have  what they call a Stack. Basically it’s a social scene created fairly cheaply. Shipping containers are placed around the outside, forming a social square in the middle. It’s open air, with heated burners with small independent retailers taking up the containers to sell food, bars, coffee or smaller services. It’s cheap to construct, so accessible to small businesses, but the vibe in the centre where you eat is incredible. Basically you have the choice of maybe a dozen food outlets and bars , but you all sit in the middle and often there is live music on. 
 

There are bars, so it just moves from day time style customers to night time effortlessly and I have seen a great vibe both at 2 in the afternoon and 12 midnight.

 

I genuinely think this will be the way forward for our Cities. We NEED cheaper retail space to provide areas for smaller retailers to survive and I think the councils will jump on this as they will see it takes the risk away from the centre where there is currently high rents and big corporates who can get swallowed up or go bust overnight leaving town centres decimated.

 

Also could be good for investors too. They might be happy to turn large areas who they currently rent to, over to a Stack style operation where they have seen it work in different areas. Easier to replace smaller retailers if they move out, but also if they see a formula that has worked elsewhere it will give them comfort over just offering their current space to a smaller retailer. It’s the whole package that makes this work. 

 

Check out The Stack Seaburn or Newcastle. I am certain this style venue will be the norm in every City in 10 years. It’s what the towns need, but it’s also great for us too. 
 

[Stuntman_Mike]

20 minutes ago, Rob1742 said:

One real positive that is happening in a few areas in the North may well form part of our towns moving forward.

 

In Newcastle and Sunderland they have  what they call a Stack. Basically it’s a social scene created fairly cheaply. Shipping containers are placed around the outside, forming a social square in the middle. It’s open air, with heated burners with small independent retailers taking up the containers to sell food, bars, coffee or smaller services. It’s cheap to construct, so accessible to small businesses, but the vibe in the centre where you eat is incredible. Basically you have the choice of maybe a dozen food outlets and bars , but you all sit in the middle and often there is live music on. 
 

There are bars, so it just moves from day time style customers to night time effortlessly and I have seen a great vibe both at 2 in the afternoon and 12 midnight.

 

I genuinely think this will be the way forward for our Cities. We NEED cheaper retail space to provide areas for smaller retailers to survive and I think the councils will jump on this as they will see it takes the risk away from the centre where there is currently high rents and big corporates who can get swallowed up or go bust overnight leaving town centres decimated.

 

Also could be good for investors too. They might be happy to turn large areas who they currently rent to, over to a Stack style operation where they have seen it work in different areas. Easier to replace smaller retailers if they move out, but also if they see a formula that has worked elsewhere it will give them comfort over just offering their current space to a smaller retailer. It’s the whole package that makes this work. 

 

Check out The Stack Seaburn or Newcastle. I am certain this style venue will be the norm in every City in 10 years. It’s what the towns need, but it’s also great for us too. 
 

I certainly think this would work in Leicester when it starts to find it's feet. 

 

It sounds similar to this event in the cultural quarter, but more frequent 

http://www.lcbdepot.co.uk/event/lastfriday-1