New John Lewis Store Leeds.

[MarkF]

And the Kirkgate-Arndale Centre may soon be going. How long has that been there, mid 70's?

It's only another in a series of catastrophic decisions, so nowt to worry about. Any fool could have told the council that Bradfrod already had too many shops, too many vacant ones and too much long term empty space. It's "spenders" had long left to shop eleswhere. So a shitty mall on the periphery had an easily predictable affect, the same low footfall moved down to it and left a ghost town in it's heart. Retail was the last thing Bradford should have been chasing with Leeds joined on to it, it's like watching a dog chasing it's tail.

 

[classic33]

It's only another in a series of catastrophic decisions, so nowt to worry about. Any fool could have told the council that Bradfrod already had too many shops, too many vacant ones and too much long term empty space. It's "spenders" had long left to shop eleswhere. So a shitty mall on the periphery had an easily predictable affect, the same low footfall moved down to it and left a ghost town in it's heart. Retail was the last thing Bradford should have been chasing with Leeds joined on to it, it's like watching a dog chasing it's tail.

Why not John Street then?

I was there when they built the Kirkgate-Arndale Centre. To see it come down...

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Retail is changing and only the regional winners will survive, Leeds is that. I think Leeds is the 3rd biggest UK City isn't it? I think people forget that it also co-joined to the 5/6th biggest! Where do Bradfordians shop? I live in the Aire Valley and at Shipley the train lines split, on weekend the trains to Bradford are pretty much empty, the ones to Leeds often standing room only.

Look at what Bradford got, 14 years late, a downsized, already old fashioned, indie-free, McMall, compare it to the Victorian Qtr!

Looks better than that godawful 'Trinity Walk' monstrosity we have in Wakefield

Then, only a few years after cock-crowing the new market hall (a third, or less, of the size of the old one - whose site in occupied by 'T W'). it being demolished to build a cinema/eateries complex
This is when there's a 7(?) screen multiplex in the city already, & a mouldering, neglected 3-screen cinema on KirkGate that's been closed for 20 years

 

[MarkF]

Looks better than that godawful 'Trinity Walk' monstrosity we have in Wakefield

Then, only a few years after cock-crowing the new market hall (a third, or less, of the size of the old one - whose site in occupied by 'T W'). it being demolished to build a cinema/eateries complex
This is when there's a 7(?) screen multiplex in the city already, & a mouldering, neglected 3-screen cinema on KirkGate that's been closed for 20 years

Some shops have closed within the first year, to be replaced by lower end ones, so it will go.............

The cinema thing is happening in Bradford too, it already has the media museum for world/arthouse/Imax cinema and a massive Cinema World, a new multi screen cinema is being built next door to the mall (on the site of one that closed in the 80's) and another large one is proposed for the old PO site next to the Midland Hotel.
Yet Google tells you it's a declining industry.

I don't know about Wakefield but Mon-Thurs evenings in Bradford, there is not enough footfall to fill one bar never mind a cinema. I saw a film at the Cubby Broccoli cinema with Mrs F last year and we were the only customers!

 

[MarkF]

Why not John Street then?

I was there when they built the Kirkgate-Arndale Centre. To see it come down...

I can remember it from when I was a small child, that's where Bradford keeps going wrong, it's always on some regeneration "scheme", "Rebirth of Bradford", "Bradford's Bouncing Back", "One Landscape, Many Views" (), they all fail. It keeps on knocking down "Bradford" and replacing iconic structures with short term sheds, FFS the last city centre lasted what? 40 years? And what Bradford has that Leeds would die for, Little Germany, has been neglected and pretty much empty my entire life.

Edit:- Sorry for hi-jacking the Leeds John Lewis thread! I worked in Leeds 1988-1999 and just prior to that time time there wasn't a huge difference between the 2 centres. Leeds made all the right decisions, Bradford continues to make the wrong ones, it was incredible to witness the changes in Leeds, it's re-invention is on a par with Barcelona's IMO, I am not joking either.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I can remember it from when I was a small child, that's where Bradford keeps going wrong, it's always on some regeneration "scheme", "Rebirth of Bradford", "Bradford's Bouncing Back", "One Landscape, Many Views" (), they all fail. It keeps on knocking down "Bradford" and replacing iconic structures with short term sheds, FFS the last city centre lasted what? 40 years? And what Bradford has that Leeds would die for, Little Germany, has been neglected and pretty much empty my entire life.

Edit:- Sorry for hi-jacking the Leeds John Lewis thread! I worked in Leeds 1988-1999 and just prior to that time time there wasn't a huge difference between the 2 centres. Leeds made all the right decisions, Bradford continues to make the wrong ones, it was incredible to witness the changes in Leeds, it's re-invention is on a par with Barcelona's IMO, I am not joking either.

There's some gorgeous Victorian buildings in LIttle Germany
Everyone just thinks of Leeds, as the architectural jewel of West Yorkshire, but there's also Salts Mill (World Heritage Site) & the Piece Hall and Dean Clough Mills (in Halifax)

 

[NorthernDave]

There's some gorgeous Victorian buildings in LIttle Germany
Everyone just thinks of Leeds, as the architectural jewel of West Yorkshire, but there's also Salts Mill (World Heritage Site) & the Piece Hall and Dean Clough Mills (in Halifax)

Dean Clough is an amazing place, and there is a lot of other great architecture in Halifax.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Dean Cough is an amazing place, and there is a lot of other great architecture in Halifax.

I've climbed Wainhouse Tower, on one of its open days

 

[DCLane]

There's comments / complaints on the Leeds Cycling Campaign FB page since there appears to be 800 car park spaces but no cycle parking in the Victoria Gate centre.

 

[classic33]

There's some gorgeous Victorian buildings in LIttle Germany
Everyone just thinks of Leeds, as the architectural jewel of West Yorkshire, but there's also Salts Mill (World Heritage Site) & the Piece Hall and Dean Clough Mills (in Halifax)

The Piece Hall will have been ruined when it's reopened. New Italian style square replacing the traditional cobblestones. 19 cafe's and a planned entry fee.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

The Piece Hall will have been ruined when it's reopened. New Italian style square replacing the traditional cobblestones. 19 cafe's and a planned entry fee.

Oh dear!!!
I knew it was undergoing work, but didn't know what
Not been in for a while though, since they used to have a Land Rover gathering there every year
(my last Landie is in that picture, a 110 CSW)

On 2 other Calderdale note
1. Let's hope that no-one gets it into their head to rip up, & tarmac, the simply wonderful 'Magna Via' (the eastern section is also known as Dark Lane, because someone's slipped on those glorious (if relaid) stone setts
(I've ran down there, 'at full tilt', during the 'Bluebell Trail 10Mile', & it's fine, even after rain has washed mud onto them)
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/38276

2. Or, resurfaces roads like 'Shibden Wall' (officially Lee Lane, from the Shibden Mill Inn?), to the Ski-Slope, or Trooper Lane
(article on 'Wall', follows Trooper
http://cyclinguphill.com/trooper-lane/

 

[mjr]

There's comments / complaints on the Leeds Cycling Campaign FB page since there appears to be 800 car park spaces but no cycle parking in the Victoria Gate centre.

Should never have gotten planning permission without a cycle parking condition

 

[classic33]

Oh dear!!!
I knew it was undergoing work, but didn't know what
Not been in for a while though, since they used to have a Land Rover gathering there every year
(my last Landie is in that picture, a 110 CSW)

On 2 other Calderdale note
1. Let's hope that no-one gets it into their head to rip up, & tarmac, the simply wonderful 'Magna Via' (the eastern section is also known as Dark Lane, because someone's slipped on those glorious (if relaid) stone setts
(I've ran down there, 'at full tilt', during the 'Bluebell Trail 10Mile', & it's fine, even after rain has washed mud onto them)
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/38276

2. Or, resurfaces roads like 'Shibden Wall' (officially Lee Lane, from the Shibden Mill Inn?), to the Ski-Slope, or Trooper Lane
(article on 'Wall', follows Trooper
http://cyclinguphill.com/trooper-lane/

This is what The Piece Hall may end up looking like.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GzPlA4fbAY

 

[MarkF]

I'll visit the Piece Hall when it opens, I was sat in it a couple of summers ago and though that I could be in a major City square in Spain or Italy, it's a stunning place with the hill backdrop & sunshine.

I went to the Victoria Gate today and was impressed, it's a high quality development full of aspirational products, so I didn't buy anything then.................it was packed, in fact the whole centre was extremely busy this afternoon.

 

[classic33]

I'll visit the Piece Hall when it opens, I was sat in it a couple of summers ago and though that I could be in a major City square in Spain or Italy, it's a stunning place with the hill backdrop & sunshine.

I went to the Victoria Gate today and was impressed, it's a high quality development full of aspirational products, so I didn't buy anything then.................it was packed, in fact the whole centre was extremely busy this afternoon.

Entry fee is planned on its reopening.