Fleet Street traders want action on slew of empty shops (From Swindon Advertiser)

Fleet St is very unattractive with only cheap Wetherspoon pints for the bargain alcoholics.

Swindon centre had more going for it 1999 than in 2013. It's a town centre in decline. With the town centre regeneration happening I hope they bulldoze most of it down and start from scratch.

A bit narrow minded.

Making it more accessible would be a lot less wasteful

Instead of closing Fleming Way and various other pointless, costly, projects

I come from a town that had the same name to it and I moved south to another town equally as shambolic! Ten years later I decided to go out in to my old town for a looksy to see what had changed as I heard from family that big transport changes were taking place. Its like a new town. New fronts to all the shops, huge tv screen wrapping in itself around the main shopping centre which was the original but had been extended with big high street names and designer shops all taking residence. My hubby, from Swindon said "this is just what Swindon needs to do." So to all the councillors out there wondering how to effectively maximise and grow the positives of the town take a leaf out of DMBC's strategy!!! (Never thought I'd say it, but I miss my home town now! Shoppings brilliant!)

Since when were WHSmith and Burton's in Fleet St.? I've lived here 23 years and can't remember that! I agree it seems that the rubbish pubs/clubs have been forced into an area together at the bottom of town, which is a bad idea, but learn to write so that the meaning is clear please!

1 2 Could B wrote:
A bit narrow minded.

Making it more accessible would be a lot less wasteful

Instead of closing Fleming Way and various other pointless, costly, projects

It's actually very open-minded. The problem is that, despite your view, there's nothing much worth keeping down at that end of town.

As the article, and traders themselves, point out, it's now just a semi-ghost town, mainly used for access during the day and for cheap binge drinking at night.

Can't even remember the last time I bothered walking the stretch from Bridge Street to Alexander House, there's no point going down there.

Why have you switched away from your Fartim Poster and Empty Car Park login today?

PJC wrote:
Since when were WHSmith and Burton's in Fleet St.? I've lived here 23 years and can't remember that! I agree it seems that the rubbish pubs/clubs have been forced into an area together at the bottom of town, which is a bad idea, but learn to write so that the meaning is clear please!

Burtons was the big shop on the corner opposite Wilkinsons and I believe Smiths was probably where Golf Fore All is now. You need to have lived here a lot longer than 23 years to remember the old Smiths. It was two way traffic along there as well and one way up Bridge Street and Regent Street.

Times New Roman

I was criticising exactly what you think you've suddenly made us all aware of.

The bottom of town has been like that for years.

Your eagerness to be condescending makes you seem like a desperate loser

All your idols have done is make it harder to get there by car

You're becoming as boring as the typeface that you've decided to name yourself after

The other problem is that if you build lots of out of town shopping centres then clearly the town centre will decline. Most people have nothing in town they can't get elsewhere with free parking and better laid out shops. Add Internet shopping into the mix and it isn't hard to work out why the centre is in decline. As for regeneration, regenerate what, there is nothing there to rebuild, most of the shops have gone and no one wants to open up in a dying centre. Maybe when the recession is over it might happen but not now.

I'm far more concerned about the serious amount of arm crossing going on in those pictures, there should of been some kind of warning issued.

Always Grumpy wrote:

PJC wrote:
Since when were WHSmith and Burton's in Fleet St.? I've lived here 23 years and can't remember that! I agree it seems that the rubbish pubs/clubs have been forced into an area together at the bottom of town, which is a bad idea, but learn to write so that the meaning is clear please!

Burtons was the big shop on the corner opposite Wilkinsons and I believe Smiths was probably where Golf Fore All is now. You need to have lived here a lot longer than 23 years to remember the old Smiths. It was two way traffic along there as well and one way up Bridge Street and Regent Street.

I remember a big toy shop (Hamleys?) on the corner opposite where Wilkinsons is now but Burtons was further up near the Lamb and Flag. Tunleys was where golf fore all is (I think).

1 2 Could B wrote:
Times New Roman

I was criticising exactly what you think you've suddenly made us all aware of.

The bottom of town has been like that for years.

Your eagerness to be condescending makes you seem like a desperate loser

All your idols have done is make it harder to get there by car

You're becoming as boring as the typeface that you've decided to name yourself after

hahah nice one.

semitonic wrote:

Always Grumpy wrote:

PJC wrote:
Since when were WHSmith and Burton's in Fleet St.? I've lived here 23 years and can't remember that! I agree it seems that the rubbish pubs/clubs have been forced into an area together at the bottom of town, which is a bad idea, but learn to write so that the meaning is clear please!

Burtons was the big shop on the corner opposite Wilkinsons and I believe Smiths was probably where Golf Fore All is now. You need to have lived here a lot longer than 23 years to remember the old Smiths. It was two way traffic along there as well and one way up Bridge Street and Regent Street.

I remember a big toy shop (Hamleys?) on the corner opposite where Wilkinsons is now but Burtons was further up near the Lamb and Flag. Tunleys was where golf fore all is (I think).

Beatties was the toy shop that took over the building where Burtons used to be on the corner (now a closed down pub). The Lucania Temperance Snooker and Billiards Hall was on the two floors above Burtons. I remember getting my wedding suit made there and Freddie Hodgeson was the manager. There was another Burtons further up Bridge Street on the corner of what is now Canal Walk and where Regent Street starts.
Tunleys was further along Fleet Street going towards Manchester Road roughly where Flemming Way joins it. Across the street from Tunleys was Beales Cafe - probably the first 'coffee bar' in Swindon. I would imagine Beales Close is named after it.

I feel really uncomfortable walking down Fleet Street, it feels quite intimidating with half the bars shuttered during the day and the other half having dubious-looking people sitting outside. I used to enjoy going to the shops down there and to some of the bars/restaurants for lunch but now the whole of the area is no-go land and I wouldn't dream of eating at any restaurant down there. I feel really sorry for the non-bar businesses that are left. It could be so nice if it was all a bit more welcoming. Last time I went in one of the bars with a friend during the day for a chat were were joined by a friendly drunk and couldn't get rid of him. The staff did nothing.

1 2 Could B wrote:
Times New Roman

I was criticising exactly what you think you've suddenly made us all aware of.

The bottom of town has been like that for years.

Your eagerness to be condescending makes you seem like a desperate loser

All your idols have done is make it harder to get there by car

You're becoming as boring as the typeface that you've decided to name yourself after

And yet you appear to simply want better access... to, er, what, exactly?

There's nothing there, so better access won't help at all.

But, then, thinking things through has never been your strongest skill. Stick to the dancing, it's hilariously entertaining.

About 13 years ago the bottom end of town used to be packed in the evening on a weekend, when I used to go out more regularly it used to be heaving.It used to get so busy mounted police had to be used to stop trouble if any arose. There were no boarded up pubs at all then. I think now with the recession, and the days of borrowing under Labour long gone, not as many people have spare expendable income to go out every weekend. What I have never understood is why the council of the day decided to put all the clubs and pubs together in such a tight space, other towns and cities they all seemed spaced out.

@ Times New Roman

I think your idols wasted huge sums of money on the Whalebridge junction

Glad you find people that can dance hilariously entertaining

Pretty sure nobody finds you entertaining though

Exactly.

as I said before, Times New Roman's eagerness to be condescending to others makes him look like a desperate loser.

Hardly likely to lose any sleep or stop dancing (professionally or for charity) for the sake of his deranged opinion

roberto5 wrote:
About 13 years ago the bottom end of town used to be packed in the evening on a weekend, when I used to go out more regularly it used to be heaving.It used to get so busy mounted police had to be used to stop trouble if any arose. There were no boarded up pubs at all then. I think now with the recession, and the days of borrowing under Labour long gone, not as many people have spare expendable income to go out every weekend. What I have never understood is why the council of the day decided to put all the clubs and pubs together in such a tight space, other towns and cities they all seemed spaced out.

@roberto5: it's a policy supported and encouraged by the police. The thinking goes that it's easier, and require less manpower, to police drinkers in a restricted area than when they're spread out across a larger area.

There is some logic to the idea, but the problem is that by putting all the pubs/bars in one small area you create more problems than you solve.

And then when a recession hits, the area becomes deserted as there's nothing else there to sustain it.

Always Grumpy wrote:

PJC wrote:
Since when were WHSmith and Burton's in Fleet St.? I've lived here 23 years and can't remember that! I agree it seems that the rubbish pubs/clubs have been forced into an area together at the bottom of town, which is a bad idea, but learn to write so that the meaning is clear please!

Burtons was the big shop on the corner opposite Wilkinsons and I believe Smiths was probably where Golf Fore All is now. You need to have lived here a lot longer than 23 years to remember the old Smiths. It was two way traffic along there as well and one way up Bridge Street and Regent Street.

I can't remember WH Smiths in Fleet Street, but remember Burtons, Trents toy store, Tunley's arts supplies, and a shop that sold school uniforms.

Used to be a busy part of town.

MrAngry wrote:

Always Grumpy wrote:

PJC wrote:
Since when were WHSmith and Burton's in Fleet St.? I've lived here 23 years and can't remember that! I agree it seems that the rubbish pubs/clubs have been forced into an area together at the bottom of town, which is a bad idea, but learn to write so that the meaning is clear please!

Burtons was the big shop on the corner opposite Wilkinsons and I believe Smiths was probably where Golf Fore All is now. You need to have lived here a lot longer than 23 years to remember the old Smiths. It was two way traffic along there as well and one way up Bridge Street and Regent Street.

I can't remember WH Smiths in Fleet Street, but remember Burtons, Trents toy store, Tunley's arts supplies, and a shop that sold school uniforms.

Used to be a busy part of town.

Yes, not forgetting Fosters, Dunn and Co., Home and Colonial, Weaver to Wearer, Cliffords, Co-op (where Weatherspoons and the Piri Piri place is now) Timothy Whites, Wymans and loads of other great shops, sadly gone.
Do these ring any bells?