The Reverend Skyblue
Well-Known Member
I love Norwich,brilliant shopping and has so much character.It has the lanes an area of cobbled alleyways full of small independent shops plus two indoor new precincts. I have lived here for 18 months and go to Norwich a lot and always enjoy the outings and the people are friendly,we'll the ones I have met.
One last point why is this thread not in the off topic thread,as I feel a little gay talking about shopping in a supposed manly thread
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Huckerby
Guest
Not quite sure what it has to do with sexuality....but yeah my bad for posting in the wrong forum i guess
Not sure what you are disagreeing with. What some people think about Coventry is irrelevant. I know people from rural Leicestershire who think Leicester itself is a hole, but Leicester is still the regional centre and is better off for it. And besides, I know a lot of people from Warwickshire towns who do identify with Coventry and, for example, see the football team as Warwickshire's team much in the same way the people of Leicestershire would automatically identify with Leicester City.
Coventry is part of an economic sub-region that stretches from Nuneaton in the north to Warwick in the south (and it is good that this has been recognised with the NUCKLE rail link), and all the towns within that region depend on Coventry and the prosperity it generates (just look at the traffic into Coventry on all routes on any given morning as people commute to work).
Coventry needs to make more of its place as the regional centre (because economically it is), but Coventry does lose out to its satellite towns in so many ways, and that decentralisation continues (losing our law courts to Leamington is another recent example of that). It is vital, absolutely vital, that if Coventry is to thrive and prosper it must make more of its place as the beating heart of this sub-region, especially as we continue to edge away from Birmingham and the hugely damaging association with the 'West Midlands'.
Grendel
Well-Known Member
Most people associate cities with its centre. I've lived in Nottingham and it has significant areas of deprivation but has a large and thriving centre which hosts numerous retail outlets and a thriving nightlife.
Leicester and Birmingham councils have worked tirelessly to improve its centres and they are streets ahead of Coventry's. By contrast Coventry has see little attempt by its council at serious redevelopment. It took years to even attract a coffee chain here. There are no exclusive outlets or superior large stores. I had the misfortune to go the other week and meandered down to the arcade area and up to the canopy area where hmv once sat. Jesus, its a hell hole of pound shops, pawn brokers and general tat.
Solihull was a drab 60's precinct before touchwood.
You need inspiration, bravery and vision from your council. When iron lung Mucas croaked that Coventry is sleeping giant you wouldn't know wether to laugh or cry.
The city centre is an embarrassment and a disgrace.
Agree with a lot of this. Solihull (Touchwood) is light years ahead of anything in Coventry. Somehow Leamington has mamnaged to maintain a charm and individuality that attracts shoppers.
How has Coventry fallen so far behind?
Losing half the traditional architecture can't help,which suggests they messed up the re-build with Corbussiere Style replacements ,they may look great in a spacious sunny Climate ,but in the grey of an urban City such as ours or Sheffields,just leave the Impression you're In Prison.
ccfcway
Well-Known Member
Agree about losing half the architecture. My late father aways said that the council did more damage to Coventry than the German Air Force ever managed to do.
Apologies to anyone who lost relatives during the Coventry air raids.
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Huckerby
Guest
On topic on a thread that's not football related on a football forum
does that upset you mate? happens to be a place where there are a lot of coventrians...doesn't all have to be about SISU and the council which is where every single thread ends up anyway
Skybluerevolution (Pt2)
New Member
There are plans to take the roof off Cathedral Lanes and turn it in to an Arcadian (Birmingham) style food. drink units...and opening the view again to the cathedral - with the front units having outside areas onto Broadgate.
Never liked Cathedral Lanes. I remember the view before it was built and much preferred seeing the Cathedral rather then just more shops. Putting it there was like boarding up one of the few treasures of the city centre.
I suggest you go on a more cultural tour, rather than just for shopping. There is a wealth of beautiful old buildings including the Guild Hall, Trinity Church etc. Have a pint in any of the Whitefriars, Inspire or The old Windmill and you get a real feel for what was once around or visit the Motor museum and the Herbert art gallery, both of which are free entry. Cov has some cracking little parts you just have to look beyond your nose.
Moff
Well-Known Member
Amen to that. I love my home city, even though I sadly live down the road near Rugby which has a shocking town centre, but just wish we were nearer to the sea.
Moff
Well-Known Member
Sadly its true, the Luftwaffe did a lot of damage but what was left was pretty much bulldozed by the Council to create their iconic new vision...made of concrete.
I did a study on it years ago for Uni, and it was truly sad waht we lost but at the time it was visionary...its just so sad seeing how that was so sadly wrong.
In support of the City Centre I took my kids around the old Cathedral, Bailey Lane, and all the local roads around the Cathedral at Christmas, and then down to the excavated St Marys Cathedral site, and they loved it. Coventry has some brilliant sites and some fantastic history, it just seems to need to be marketed and advertised better.
ajsccfc
Well-Known Member
They should make the most of the places that Moff and Ashdown mention, and the idea posted earlier about opening Cathedral Lanes up more would be a positive step. I like how Broadgate is more of an open space again compared to it previously being a busy road and an ugly canopy, but the Cathedral Lanes building still sits there in the way.
Hobo
Well-Known Member
Even in the early sixties Coventry had more timber frame buildings than York and Chester. I believe a lot of the components are still in storage. Spon Street contains some of the rebuilt examples. Originally their was going to be a larger Medieval Qtr built around Spon Street.
Coventry seems to miss out on a lot of funding to Birmingham.
Coventry seems to miss out on a lot of funding to Birmingham.
What's Nottingham like to live in?
I am moving there in June, and the only info I can get is from my Mum who left when she was 20. She's 87 now.
Her total help is "You must go to goose fair"
Samo
Well-Known Member
The UK is a very small country, you're never far from the sea! I guess what you surfer types are syaing is... It's a bit of a trek to Cornwall!
J
Jack Griffin
Guest
Cathedral Lanes is an appalling eyesore, OK its better than the temporary shops that were there many years ago, but obscures the cathedral.
The original architects vision for a clear view from the bottom of the precinct to the old cathedral spire got fucked up many moons ago by allowing shops and stupid elevators to be built in the way..
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Deleted member 4439
Guest
How can it be that Cathedral Lanes was built without public support? (Probably an obvious answer that would invite libel).
As for that elevator, there are no words.
However, good to see that successive Labour councils have kept with the original vision by ensuring that no buildings are obscured by trees.
Btw, is that an artist's impression of a young Jimmy Saville in the foreground on the right?
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Rusty Trombone
Well-Known Member
Which successive Labour Councils?
Party in control Years
Labour 1973 - 1978
Conservative 1978 - 1979
Labour 1979 - 2003
No overall control 2003 - 2006
Conservative 2006 - 2008
No overall control 2008 - 2010
Labour 2010–present
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Deleted member 4439
Guest
I stand corrected: successive labour councils over the 30 years up to the turn of the century, excepting the year when fascism was in vogue.
Rusty Trombone
Well-Known Member
Haha, and what a good year it was, Coventry at its best. If I had £1 for every time I heard about the glory year of 78/79. Presumably you are happy with every Council decision taken in the years 2003 to 2010?
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Deleted member 4439
Guest
I think by the time we'd got to the millemium everyone had given up and moved to either Kenilworth, Leamington or Solihull, so it's irrelevant really.
Cathedral Lanes is an appalling eyesore, OK its better than the temporary shops that were there many years ago, but obscures the cathedral.
The original architects vision for a clear view from the bottom of the precinct to the old cathedral spire got fucked up many moons ago by allowing shops and stupid elevators to be built in the way..
Could not agree more. An unobscured view along the pecinct to the Cathedral would be magnificent. Who on earth ever thought it would be a good idea to obscure the view of the Cathedral by sticking a tacky bulding like Cathedral Lanes in the way? Someone should be held responsible for that calamity of a decission!!!
Seem to remember that the elavetor/escalator that goes from the precinct was something to do with Virgin moving into the shop below. I could be wrong, but seem to recall them insisting that for them to open the store where they did they wanted the old water feature/fountain that was there removed and an escalator put in its place. Now look what we are left with!!
I think the whole precinct would look much better if all the stalls selling food etc were removed, and the whole area opened up for shoppers.
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Deleted member 4439
Guest
Presumably, the architects/building contractors and key individuals in the council when lunching out of a brown bag.
