Is the City of Leicester a dump?

[orangecity23]

Town centre will be saved as soon as we spend 20 million plus rotating the door if the train station 90 degrees. Finally we can all go to the train station and errr... buy coffee.

 

Trains won't be any better, but the door will be moved. Fantastic! Well worth digging up that area again, after the work to halve the front drop off area, the super crossing, the cycle lane etc etc.

[Paninistickers]

7 minutes ago, boots60 said:

but what can be done?

I can only imagine the city (and county) council need to recruit a town planner to literally go to town with experimental ideas.. Make them pitch for the work with as wacky and innovative ideas as they can.

 

Somebody would fancy the job. 

[boots60]

8 minutes ago, Paninistickers said:

I can only imagine the city (and county) council need to recruit a town planner to literally go to town with experimental ideas.. Make them pitch for the work with as wacky and innovative ideas as they can.

 

Somebody would fancy the job. 

The council is brassic. No money to spend. This is the future.

[Parafox]

2 hours ago, boots60 said:

The City centre does need help but what can be done? The downward spiral has set in & will continue as long as it cannot attract people, possibly down to the fact that the majority of new business's are either pop up shops, nail bars or bad chain food outlets. The days of efficiently run family based shops & cafes have long gone. Add to that, Leicester City Council (working for you) haven't got two pennies to rub together & the future looks grim.

At least the future looks bright at the football.

The shit hit the fan for me when Brucciani's went bust. Like losing an old friend that gave me so many childhood memories. No more fresh cream, lemon iced buns or a glass of lemonade with a dollop of ice cream in it..

 

Even after I got married, got older and moved slightly away, a trip to Leicester had to include a visit to Brucciani's. 

Edited 18 December 2023 by Parafox

[Grebfromgrebland]

Country has been in decline for a generation, it's not just Leicester.

 

This is the product of austerity and budget cuts for more than a decade.

[Paninistickers]

49 minutes ago, Grebfromgrebland said:

Country has been in decline for a generation, it's not just Leicester.

 

This is the product of austerity and budget cuts for more than a decade.

But other cities are doing OK. Tell tale giveaway though it's the ones where there's government or institutional infrastructure there.... Manchester BBC, Newcastle BT and Tax offices, Glasgow all sorts, Cardiff Welsh government, Leeds has got Channel Four etc etc

 

Leicester needs an 'anchor tenant' ....a big well known name that pumps 2000 jobs into the city at a brush stroke (like Nottingham have with Capital One and Experian)

 

The obvious industry to try and attract is clothing businesses. We have NEXT and Boohoo as major names on the edges

[davieG]

4 minutes ago, Paninistickers said:

But other cities are doing OK. Tell tale giveaway though it's the ones where there's government or institutional infrastructure there.... Manchester BBC, Newcastle BT and Tax offices, Glasgow all sorts, Cardiff Welsh government, Leeds has got Channel Four etc etc

 

Leicester needs an 'anchor tenant' ....a big well known name that pumps 2000 jobs into the city at a brush stroke (like Nottingham have with Capital One and Experian)

 

The obvious industry to try and attract is clothing businesses. We have NEXT and Boohoo as major names on the edges

We have Walkers any others or in the County Towns or countryside. Where would a 2000 jobs company set up in or near the City?

[Paninistickers]

3 minutes ago, davieG said:

We have Walkers any others or in the County Towns or countryside. Where would a 2000 jobs company set up in or near the City?

Well, that's the game isn't it? 

 

The City is dying on its arse so far as I can see. As someone else said, unless it's a nail bar or some bubble tea gaff, there's literally zero businesses locating to the place. 

 

Centrica pissed off to fosse park. Most major insurance companies had regional offices here once upon a time. Alliance + Leicester HQ in the past. All lost without a fight. Mercury had 200 employees. Tax office had hundreds. I'm not naïve, the business world has changed and mergers and cutbacks. 

 

I think the start is to hire in a consultancy firm to try and create a brand image for the place. The council has no money but as an organisation sloshing hundreds of millions around, it could be found with a will. 

 

Immigration usually is a marker of people who are hungrier and have a bit more about them. I don't think the city makes nearly enough of that energy. Instead, it just kinda lists with letting those communities scramble around for a living. 

 

 

[kenny]

2 minutes ago, Paninistickers said:

Well, that's the game isn't it? 

 

The City is dying on its arse so far as I can see. As someone else said, unless it's a nail bar or some bubble tea gaff, there's literally zero businesses locating to the place. 

 

Centrica pissed off to fosse park. Most major insurance companies had regional offices here once upon a time. Alliance + Leicester HQ in the past. All lost without a fight. Mercury had 200 employees. Tax office had hundreds. I'm not naïve, the business world has changed and mergers and cutbacks. 

 

I think the start is to hire in a consultancy firm to try and create a brand image for the place. The council has no money but as an organisation sloshing hundreds of millions around, it could be found with a will. 

 

Immigration usually is a marker of people who are hungrier and have a bit more about them. I don't think the city makes nearly enough of that energy. Instead, it just kinda lists with letting those communities scramble around for a living. 

 

 

The council put a lot of effort into getting IBM into the city which has bought in a load of IT jobs to the city. They are also very hopeful that the space park will generate thousands of jobs.

 

However, it won't much improve the centre as the people will be living and working elsewhere.

[Paninistickers]

21 minutes ago, kenny said:

The council put a lot of effort into getting IBM into the city which has bought in a load of IT jobs to the city. They are also very hopeful that the space park will generate thousands of jobs.

 

However, it won't much improve the centre as the people will be living and working elsewhere.

Good points. We need more of this. And the City needs to sell itself more.

 

As an example, how comes I know Nottingham has boots, Raleigh, Experian and capital one? 

 

Aside from Walkers Crisps, could anyone in Nottingham name IBM, Next as being flag wavers for our city? 

[Tommy G]

I think Dunelm are based out of Leicester too. Clutching at straws

[Free Falling Foxes]

Wilkinsons and Fenwicks are two recent casualties of Leicester companies that had their origins here but no longer. They do however, still have a presence elswhere in the country - albeit in Wilkos case under a new owner.

Still we do have the 'Golden Mile'..........

 

 

[Wymsey]

1 hour ago, Tommy G said:

I think Dunelm are based out of Leicester too. Clutching at straws

Their head office is in Syston.

 

Their founder, Bill Adderley, is going to release a new book in the new year regarding his commercial success.

 

Started out on Leicester Market.

Edited 18 December 2023 by Wymsey

[kenny]

1 hour ago, Tommy G said:

I think Dunelm are based out of Leicester too. Clutching at straws

A few more....

 

Steris solutions UK Head Office

Breedon Group

Lafarge UK Head Office

Global Payments

Topps Tiles

Ibstock Brick

Triumph Motorcycles

Davidson Homes

Bloor Homes

David Wilson Homes

3 x Universities

 

Smaller end of the scale in Mattioli Woods and Pick Everard at the more £50-100m turnover businesses.

 

There are also plans afoot to ensure that Leicestershire has more business enterprise zones than any other county in the UK. These are designed to encourage business growth, the ones in plans are:

 

Space Park - to generate 5000 space jobs. Phase 3 is planned to be a manufacturing facility for satellites. This is also used for Climate Change studies.

MIRA - Vehicle Test Centre

Loughborugh Science Park - To be the land between the University and the M1

DIRFT - Logistics hub

Twycross Zoo - Unlikely to happen  but they want it to as part of the jobs in ecology & zoological study

[boots60]

Churchgate

 

Mays electrical

Oldhams Tools

Brucciani's

Brees music

Green's Jewellers

Ron's Barbers

Jimmy Walsh (ex City) newsagents

Alpha Toys

Longstop/Loughborough Arms/Fish & Quart pubs

 

& that's just one street, off the top of my head

 

Replaced by pop up's & short lived businesses & nail bars

[SemperEadem]

15 minutes ago, boots60 said:

Churchgate

 

Mays electrical

Oldhams Tools

Brucciani's

Brees music

Green's Jewellers

Ron's Barbers

Jimmy Walsh (ex City) newsagents

Alpha Toys

Longstop/Loughborough Arms/Fish & Quart pubs

 

& that's just one street, off the top of my head

 

Replaced by pop up's & short lived businesses & nail bars

Fox Leisure shop on there was magical as a kid.

[kenny]

5 minutes ago, SemperEadem said:

Fox Leisure shop on there was magical as a kid.

Used to be one in Loughborough too.

[Free Falling Foxes]

52 minutes ago, boots60 said:

Churchgate

 

Mays electrical

Oldhams Tools

Brucciani's

Brees music

Green's Jewellers

Ron's Barbers

Jimmy Walsh (ex City) newsagents

Alpha Toys

Longstop/Loughborough Arms/Fish & Quart pubs

 

Ahh yes, thanks for reminding me of Oldhams.

Bought my first tools from there before beginning my apprenticeship, along with a beautiful wooden tool drawer/chest which my son now has.

There was also a hobby/craft shop on Churchgate - Apex, iirc. I remember they had big model railway layout downstairs.

I recall buying a pack of balsa wood from there as a younster to make some models.

 

Edited 18 December 2023 by Free Falling Foxes

[Tommy G]

Marks Electrical, Samworth Brothers

[Wymsey]

Next.

[los dedos]

5 hours ago, Paninistickers said:

 

 

Aside from Walkers Crisps, could anyone in Nottingham name IBM, Next as being flag wavers for our city? 

Walkers head office where all  the big money jobs are is in Reading. 

To be fair they are massively invest in the Leicester site and employ alot of people here . But I don't see why they can't move the head office here.

[davieG]

3 hours ago, boots60 said:

Churchgate

 

Mays electrical

Oldhams Tools

Brucciani's

Brees music

Green's Jewellers

Ron's Barbers

Jimmy Walsh (ex City) newsagents

Alpha Toys

Longstop/Loughborough Arms/Fish & Quart pubs

 

& that's just one street, off the top of my head

 

Replaced by pop up's & short lived businesses & nail bars

What was the Electrical Shops down there one sold white goods and TVs the other across the road sold electronic/electric components?

[Paninistickers]

4 hours ago, Free Falling Foxes said:

Wilkinsons and Fenwicks are two recent casualties of Leicester companies that had their origins here but no longer. They do however, still have a presence elswhere in the country - albeit in Wilkos case under a new owner.

Still we do have the 'Golden Mile'..........

 

 

Fenwick's still going strong in London's Mayfair, Brent Cross and Newcastle. We were amongst good company nestling amongst those cities..

 

But, alas, they couldn't crack it here. Even paying zero rent (as they owned the building) 

 

Tbf, by modern retail methods, the place was laughably - but loveably - out of date. Beds and chairs and settees somehow crammed onto the third floor. Must've been a nightmare getting them up there. Pots and pans and spoons hanging here there and everywhere as you walked in, no room to swing a cat. 

 

Men's clothes - good brands - all squashed into a corner. Always liked the two fellas who seemed to work there my entire life, Canadian dude and a longer haired local fella. Always told you what you were trying on looked great, even if it was three sizes too big. 

 

Loved the place. 

[Free Falling Foxes]

1 hour ago, davieG said:

What was the Electrical Shops down there one sold white goods and TVs the other across the road sold electronic/electric components?

Mays. They also had a third that carried-out repairs.

[kenny]

1 hour ago, davieG said:

What was the Electrical Shops down there one sold white goods and TVs the other across the road sold electronic/electric components?

Mays?