Is the City of Leicester a dump?

[Out Foxed]

Nottingham nightlife shits on leicester let's not kid ourselves. we're more like a town these days than a city. 

[Parafox]

1 hour ago, Foxdiamond said:

Times like that I wish the mounted branch of the police could dump manure over and into said motor.

 

1 hour ago, Foxdiamond said:

Times like that I wish the mounted branch of the police could dump manure over and into said motor.

Kind of happened to me a few years ago but in reverse:

 

 

 

 

Mixture of dogshit and red fence paint plastered over my response car.

 

Maybe they took offence to the registration letters.

Edited 10 January by Parafox

[Foxdiamond]

22 minutes ago, Parafox said:

 

Kind of happened to me a few years ago but in reverse:

 

 

 

 

Mixture of dogshit and red fence paint plastered over my response car.

 

Maybe they took offence to the registration letters.

Difficult to understand how anyone would want to attack an ambulance. Perhaps they thought it was a police car due to limited reading abilities. I am more likely to think it was more wilful tendencies 

[HighPeakFox]

Some people would rather cut off their own nose than blow it into a handkerchief.

[Parafox]

3 hours ago, Foxdiamond said:

Difficult to understand how anyone would want to attack an ambulance. Perhaps they thought it was a police car due to limited reading abilities. I am more likely to think it was more wilful tendencies 

 

Or just nastiness without any comprehension of consequences. In other words, they don't give a fvck about anything or anyone outside of their own. They are a law unto, and within, themselves.

 

Even the police leave them to get on with it.

[Wymsey]

Adam Richman, from Man v Food, visits Leicestershire as part of an upcoming TV programme.

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/celebs-tv/man-vs-food-star-leicestershire-9028526

 

[Stadt]

Blimey looking through the interactive census data and huge tranches of the city have never worked. Spinney Hills the worst ward at 58.3% 

[Free Falling Foxes]

1 hour ago, Stadt said:

Blimey looking through the interactive census data and huge tranches of the city have never worked. Spinney Hills the worst ward at 58.3% 

There was some figures released some years ago that showed 'economic inactivity' amongst ethnic communities - especially Pakistani - was higher in the country generally.

I worked for the city council for many years and my role during the last few years, was to enable and encourage inclusion, including employment, for folk in many of the areas indicated on that map.

I guess myself and my colleagues may have failed.

However, many Asian and African families brought over elderly parents and other family members from areas such as Somalia, who's working days were well beyond them.

Also, many others were 'coy' about any work they were actually doing, especially as they were claiming several benefits too. Therefore, it is possible they were less than honest on the census form and so the true results are distorted.

This was also apparent in other areas of the city too of course, but were definitely moreso  in the areas the map indicates.

Edited 26 February by Free Falling Foxes

[Wymsey]

 

 

[OntarioFox]

Just back from Bristol and had to return to this thread because once again I return home from an away day thinking what a dive our city centre is in comparison. Nice waterside, friendly people, LOADS of pubs with a great variety, clean streets, cool art and some actual preserved industrial heritage - not many places you can ride a steam train to see a Brunel ship slap bang in a city centre.

 

Even the curry was the best I've had in ages - gave Urban Tandoor a go after seeing it on social media and honestly it lived up to the hype. I was at Paddy Martens this time last week and honestly the one i had in Bristol was better. It's over, we've got nothing left. 

Edited 31 March by OntarioFox

[Paninistickers]

29 minutes ago, OntarioFox said:

Just back from Bristol and had to return to this thread because once again I return home from an away day thinking what a dive our city centre is in comparison. Nice waterside, friendly people, LOADS of pubs with a great variety, clean streets, cool art and some actual preserved industrial heritage - not many places you can ride a steam train to see a Brunel ship slap bang in a city centre.

 

Even the curry was the best I've had in ages - gave Urban Tandoor a go after seeing it on social media and honestly it lived up to the hype. I was at Paddy Martens this time last week and honestly the one i had in Bristol was better. It's over, we've got nothing left. 

I agree. But, tbf, a waterside port city is always gonna have an edge on an inland city. 

 

Plus, it's a regional capital. You can drive 2 hours north, south or east and only find places like Dorchester, Swindon and Yeovil as an economic and social 'competitor' 

 

 

[OntarioFox]

15 minutes ago, Paninistickers said:

I agree. But, tbf, a waterside port city is always gonna have an edge on an inland city. 

 

Plus, it's a regional capital. You can drive 2 hours north, south or east and only find places like Dorchester, Swindon and Yeovil as an economic and social 'competitor' 

Fair, but we really don't have an excuse for how appalling our city centre is based on our population and supposed economic output. It honestly feels like we're 20, even 30 years behind other places in so many ways. Retail, nightlife, how safe it feels. Things to do. We're a city of almost 400,000, a county of over a million. There's absolutely no reason we can't be so much better. 

 

In recent years I've been away to Forest, Leeds, Bristol, Rotherham, Huddersfield, Watford, Bournemouth, Walsall. Various London clubs too, though that's not really a fair comparison so I'll exclude them from this.

 

I'd honestly say that the only place I came out of thinking 'what a sh*thole,  I'm glad I live in Leicester' was Walsall, which was bloody awful. In terms of the actual vibes of the place, even Rotherham, Bournemouth and Huddersfield were no worse than our own centre after some recent regeneration, especially Rotherham which really surprised me and is a pretty damning indictment of how far behind we've fallen. Leeds, Bristol, Nottingham, even Watford had more enjoyable centres to be in. I can get the argument for the first three as 'regional centres' but when I'm left feeling like I'd rather spend time in what is a glorified London commuter town, there's something seriously wrong with our offering. 

Edited 31 March by OntarioFox

[Paninistickers]

6 minutes ago, OntarioFox said:

Fair, but we really don't have an excuse for how appalling our city centre is based on our population and supposed economic output. It honestly feels like we're 20, even 30 years behind other places in so many ways. Retail, nightlife, how safe it feels. Things to do. We're a city of almost 400,000, a county of over a million. There's absolutely no reason we can't be so much better. 

 

In recent years I've been away to Forest, Leeds, Bristol, Rotherham, Huddersfield, Watford, Bournemouth, Walsall. Various London clubs too, though that's not really a fair comparison so I'll exclude them from this.

 

I'd honestly say that the only place I came out of thinking 'what a sh*thole,  I'm glad I live in Leicester' was Walsall, which was bloody awful. In terms of the actual vibes of the place, even Rotherham, Bournemouth and Huddersfield were no worse than our own centre after some recent regeneration, especially Rotherham which really surprised me and is a pretty damning indictment. Leeds, Bristol, Nottingham, even Watford had more enjoyable centres to be in. I can get the argument for the first three as 'regional centres' but when I'm left feeling like I'd rather spend time in what is a glorified London commuter town, there's something seriously wrong with our offering. 

I get it. I'm a huge critic of our city can't find its niche.

 

But, Leicester has it in patches and never underestimate the power of something new

 

Last summer I had two mates.from Cov and Leamington over for a drink. Started at the exchange (next to curve), that other boozer (Manhattan,.now changed name) chutney Ivy, walked up.over Charles at up belvoir street, drinks bottom on new.walk over to st Martin's finish up on  high street and end up jubilee sqaure for kebab and taxi home. 

 

They thought Leicester looked and felt fantastic. 

[OntarioFox]

3 minutes ago, Paninistickers said:

I get it. I'm a huge critic of our city can't find its niche.

 

But, Leicester has it in patches and never underestimate the power of something new

 

Last summer I had two mates.from Cov and Leamington over for a drink. Started at the exchange (next to curve), that other boozer (Manhattan,.now changed name) chutney Ivy, walked up.over Charles at up belvoir street, drinks bottom on new.walk over to st Martin's finish up on  high street and end up jubilee sqaure for kebab and taxi home. 

 

They thought Leicester looked and felt fantastic. 

Oh yeah, I'd mentally washed the Cov away day from my mind in all fairness. It's hard to judge when the ground is so far on the outskirts, but being next to a scrapyard and having a Jobcentre built into the ground isn't a good look. My grandparents, now sadly departed, both survived the Coventry Blitz when they were kids and used to tell me they may as well have left it as rubble afterwards. 😅

 

I'd actually like to know what @Super_horns has to say about it, because I've enjoyed both my trips away to Watford but it's not exactly got a rep as a glamorous destination. What does a Watford fan looking in think about our city centre? 

[Rain King]

2 hours ago, Wymsey said:

 

 

 Talks about Aylestone whilst taking his camera around part of the Monsell. Not biased at all as an Aylestone boy.

[Super_horns]

18 minutes ago, OntarioFox said:

Oh yeah, I'd mentally washed the Cov away day from my mind in all fairness. It's hard to judge when the ground is so far on the outskirts, but being next to a scrapyard and having a Jobcentre built into the ground isn't a good look. My grandparents, now sadly departed, both survived the Coventry Blitz when they were kids and used to tell me they may as well have left it as rubble afterwards. 😅

 

I'd actually like to know what @Super_horns has to say about it, because I've enjoyed both my trips away to Watford but it's not exactly got a rep as a glamorous destination. What does a Watford fan looking in think about our city centre? 

Cannot says I have been to the city centre. - not that I remember anyway!

 

Sorry .

 

Sure like most places there are good and bad parts.

[Heathrow fox]

11 minutes ago, OntarioFox said:

Fair, but we really don't have an excuse for how appalling our city centre is based on our population and supposed economic output. It honestly feels like we're 20, even 30 years behind other places in so many ways. Retail, nightlife, how safe it feels. Things to do. We're a city of almost 400,000, a county of over a million. There's absolutely no reason we can't be so much better. 

 

In recent years I've been away to Forest, Leeds, Bristol, Rotherham, Huddersfield, Watford, Bournemouth, Walsall. Various London clubs too, though that's not really a fair comparison so I'll exclude them from this.

 

I'd honestly say that the only place I came out of thinking 'what a sh*thole,  I'm glad I live in Leicester' was Walsall, which was bloody awful. In terms of the actual vibes of the place, even Rotherham, Bournemouth and Huddersfield were no worse than our own centre after some recent regeneration, especially Rotherham which really surprised me and is a pretty damning indictment of how far behind we've fallen. Leeds, Bristol, Nottingham, even Watford had more enjoyable centres to be in. I can get the argument for the first three as 'regional centres' but when I'm left feeling like I'd rather spend time in what is a glorified London commuter town, there's something seriously wrong with our offering. 

I think from the very early nineties through to when the austerity started to bite.Leicester CC had made massive year on year improvements.The options as far as a night out was concerned seemed to have increased ten fold from when I first started hitting the town.Shopping wise the same.Having the train station so far away does not help now everything has shifted over.I go to Reading a fair bit.It reminds me of Leicester with the way it’s set out.I had Leicester slightly ahead but maybe not so much now.Leicester has a few more nooks and cranies but Readings station is smack bang in the middle and it’s also had a few major developments go up.

For whatever reason there seems to be a reluctance to have a major flat building development right in the city centre.Everywhere else seems to be doing it

[Heathrow fox]

8 minutes ago, Rain King said:

 Talks about Aylestone whilst taking his camera around part of the Monsell. Not biased at all as an Aylestone boy.

The lad has used wards to get his stats so it’s skewed things a bit.

[Heathrow fox]

17 minutes ago, Heathrow fox said:

I think from the very early nineties through to when the austerity started to bite.Leicester CC had made massive year on year improvements.The options as far as a night out was concerned seemed to have increased ten fold from when I first started hitting the town.Shopping wise the same.Having the train station so far away does not help now everything has shifted over.I go to Reading a fair bit.It reminds me of Leicester with the way it’s set out.I had Leicester slightly ahead but maybe not so much now.Leicester has a few more nooks and cranies but Readings station is smack bang in the middle and it’s also had a few major developments go up.

For whatever reason there seems to be a reluctance to have a major flat building development right in the city centre.Everywhere else seems to be doing it

I should add that Reading has the major advantage of being closer to London and a has a major gateway railway station.Plus game changing Queen Elizabeth line.

[OntarioFox]

I think a big aspect of why the centre feels so shit is the main approaches from the transport hubs. Whichever way you arrive, first impressions of the city are pretty terrible.

 

Granby Street / Gallowtree Gate has some decent places to eat, but it's a dump otherwise. The planned station redevelopment isn't going to change how sketchy, crowded and dirty that main approach to the centre is, or the lack of genuinely interesting places to visit.

 

Belgrave Gate / Haymarket is a dated, grotty redbrick dump and the new bus station is a crowded claustrophobic mess. Now it also has a burnt-down building to really complete the derelict  aesthetic.

 

And Churchgate is arguably the worst of the lot, because it's only just been 'regenerated' yet it's still a sketchy, lifeless dump with more and more units lying empty. St Margarets is a better place to arrive after its own rebuild but still placed in a really crap area, between the ringroad, crumbling buildings and a brownfield site or two.

 

What's most frustrating about it is that these areas HAVE had money thrown at them, but the end result has been completely devoid of imagination and hasn't improved anything besides removing cars from the equation. All three are incredibly ugly approaches to Clock Tower and lack anything to make them desirable areas to spend time in themselves. That's reflected in the lack of interesting businesses moving in - Granby is the only one with even a hint of interest and even then it's just a few nice places to eat surrounded by a bunch of mid-size chain restaurants and soulless fast food places you can get in any city or even smaller towns.

 

All three are also teeming with roadmen on deliveroo bikes hanging around  in groups outside restaurants or weaving in and out of pedestrians at full speed, another thing not unique to Leicester but noticeably worse here than in many other places I've visited.

Edited 31 March by OntarioFox

[Langston]

3 hours ago, Wymsey said:

 

 

 

Always know any video like this kicking off with St. Matthew's is a load of bollocks.

[Paninistickers]

9 hours ago, Rain King said:

 Talks about Aylestone whilst taking his camera around part of the Monsell. Not biased at all as an Aylestone boy.

True, tho that was the aylestone side of the monsell, ie this side of glenhills boulevard. 

 

 

[Rain King]

29 minutes ago, Paninistickers said:

True, tho that was the aylestone side of the monsell, ie this side of glenhills boulevard. 

 

 

Shhh

[UniFox21]

17 hours ago, Paninistickers said:

I get it. I'm a huge critic of our city can't find its niche.

 

But, Leicester has it in patches and never underestimate the power of something new

 

Last summer I had two mates.from Cov and Leamington over for a drink. Started at the exchange (next to curve), that other boozer (Manhattan,.now changed name) chutney Ivy, walked up.over Charles at up belvoir street, drinks bottom on new.walk over to st Martin's finish up on  high street and end up jubilee sqaure for kebab and taxi home. 

 

They thought Leicester looked and felt fantastic. 

Understandable from the Cov guy, place does have a few nice pubs but majority aren't anything to shout about.

Huge amounts of the city centre are being demolished and rebuilt, council is at least trying to regenerate the place. 

 

Surprised with person from Leamington, the parade and surrounding area has a good amount of decent pubs/bars, especially for a town. 

[Paninistickers]

7 minutes ago, UniFox21 said:

Understandable from the Cov guy, place does have a few nice pubs but majority aren't anything to shout about.

Huge amounts of the city centre are being demolished and rebuilt, council is at least trying to regenerate the place. 

 

Surprised with person from Leamington, the parade and surrounding area has a good amount of decent pubs/bars, especially for a town. 

Yeah, but Leamington doesn't have the size or energy of a city. 

 

Listen, I think Leicester is dire compared to equivalent cities, but the point t I made earlier is that, if you know the place and show a visitor the best bits, it can actually come across quite well. 

 

The example I have earlier was we sat in the exchange, busy independent bar in a cool flatiron building with a view of curve, hundreds heading in there for an event...and the Art Deco Athena overlooking us too. It looked and felt good, even to me

 

Edit; thinking of all those punters heading to curve, the difference it would.make to the city nighttime economy if the De Montfort Hall was in the city centre in addition to curve. Pity really. 

 

 

 

 

Edited 1 April by Paninistickers