New Coventry Council House Why??? (1 Viewer)

hotrod

Well-Known Member
Hi Guys

I have recently returned to Coventry to live so I am out of touch with recent events.
Can anybody tell why the need for a new Council House and what is happening to the old one?
Regards.
 

Otis

Well-Known Member
The old one will still be used for some stuff, but I think one of the main thoughts in moving was to be right next to the train station.

I do believe that will be better for any business dealings and meetings etc. going forwards with outside parties. I indeed how many other council houses up and down the country are right next door to the main train station.

Best thing for the old council house in my opinion is to turn it into a museum. Some very rich history mum there. Think it might also be a ideal for a swish hotel or wedding venue.
 

hotrod

Well-Known Member
The old one will still be used for some stuff, but I think one of the main thoughts in moving was to be right next to the train station.

I do believe that will be better for any business dealings and meetings etc. going forwards with outside parties. I indeed how many other council houses up and down the country are right next door to the main train station.

Best thing for the old council house in my opinion is to turn it into a museum. Some very rich history mum there. Think it might also be a ideal for a swish hotel or wedding venue.

Not sure how this would justify the millions spent on the new building to the detriment of other Council services, which are now being cut back.

Regards.
 

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
They want to kickstart Friargate and sell off the old one (it's not fit for purpose even though it looks nice. IIRC costs a bomb to heat and is too small meaning people have to go all over the city centre).

Sadly, it's looking like Friargate needs a bigger kick than they can give as now they're sharing Friargate 1 with RICS instead of building Friargate 2 for them.

I fully expect the old one to be something shit like a Lidl in no time.
 

NorthernWisdom

Well-Known Member
and is too small meaning people have to go all over the city centre).

Always find such things ironic. Meanwhile, other sites in other councils will split into a number of smaller offices, to allow for specialisation.

Always suspect reorganisations end up costing more than they save, as nobody ever sticks with them!

(Worth noting the old shire hall in Warwick is empty, so probably still costs a whack to maintain, despite not being used...)
 

fernandopartridge

Well-Known Member
I don't often give the council credit but I don't see anything wrong with them moving to a new office block. The university are taking the land and civic centre buildings and will be redeveloping them into a proper HQ and a hotel (should be pretty good). I notice the University of Manchester have got Crowne Plaza to build one for them, that'd be great in Coventry.

That said, the fact that the new office block is now going to be shared with RICS and some council staff will remain in older buildings, does make it all seem so typically Coventry.
 

eastwoodsdustman

Well-Known Member
The bottom line is that the Council have got the University to redevelop the city centre and the council have a few million tucked away. Rather than use it on services that we pay for they'll spunk it away on a new building whilst claiming the credit for the city centre's redevelopment.
 

LastGarrison

Well-Known Member
Yeah the Uni has got it and will be redeveloping that whole area (cue bloody students comments).

I did hear a rumour from people at RICS that they actually were looking to move out of Cov so will be interesting to see what happens there.

Their building up at Westwood is great so always seemed a strange decision to move to the city centre and a lot of the staff were
not happy. We will see I suppose.
 

NorthernWisdom

Well-Known Member
Yeah the Uni has got it and will be redeveloping that whole area (cue bloody students comments).
No bloody student comment, but a little worried the city centre is throwing all its eggs in one basket.

Means everywhere gets deserted in summer, and if anything happens ot the uni to throw it off course, it could all end up a wasteland.

Still, glad to see the building has a plan, this is a good thing.
 

LastGarrison

Well-Known Member
Postgraduate students study 12 months a year. Coventry University College enrols students every 6 weeks as they teach on a modular basis. The Uni now has a May intake for both undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as intakes in September and January. Some International students study between 30 and 5 weeks English leading up to these intakes. The Uni also offers summer schools.

It is a fallacy that all students disappear in the summer.
 

Gazolba

Well-Known Member
The old one will still be used for some stuff, but I think one of the main thoughts in moving was to be right next to the train station.

I do believe that will be better for any business dealings and meetings etc. going forwards with outside parties. I indeed how many other council houses up and down the country are right next door to the main train station.
<snip>
It will make it easier to get to Birmingham for all those West Midlands meetings.
 

NorthernWisdom

Well-Known Member
Postgraduate students study 12 months a year. Coventry University College enrols students every 6 weeks as they teach on a modular basis. The Uni now has a May intake for both undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as intakes in September and January. Some International students study between 30 and 5 weeks English leading up to these intakes. The Uni also offers summer schools.

It is a fallacy that all students disappear in the summer.
Postgraduate students are the vast minority.

Having been one myself and being left there as the others went home... the students disappear in the summer!
 

Captain Dart

Well-Known Member
No bloody student comment, but a little worried the city centre is throwing all its eggs in one basket.

Means everywhere gets deserted in summer, and if anything happens ot the uni to throw it off course, it could all end up a wasteland.

Still, glad to see the building has a plan, this is a good thing.

Useful for summer accommodation if there is a festival or other big events.
 

wingy

Well-Known Member
Like the Govt then I suppose.
Spending how much on propping up the Palace of Westminster, not to mention the gazillions going on Buck house.
Sometimes it's cheaper to start from scratch.
 

chiefdave

Well-Known Member
Sometimes it's cheaper to start from scratch.
Would be much better off building a new parliament outside of London, the Midlands would be ideal. Have all the modern facilities you need and have accommodation so there's none of this claiming for second homes.

Could keep Westminster for tourism / historical purposes.
 

fernandopartridge

Well-Known Member
Like the Govt then I suppose.
Spending how much on propping up the Palace of Westminster, not to mention the gazillions going on Buck house.
Sometimes it's cheaper to start from scratch.

Something similar is happening with Manchester Town Hall, £330m is the cost of refurbishing it!
 

wingy

Well-Known Member
Sometimes heritage counts for more than cold, hard cash though.
Yeah I know and understand your values around this.
Out of Interest how old is the Council house?
Is it a mock style of some era?
In other council news and off topic, not sure if this is 'Nee ',news
But I think it's been announced today Chris West is standing down from the council with early retirement.
Was he the head honcho or was that Simon Reeves?
Again sorry for bringing up here.
 

NorthernWisdom

Well-Known Member
Yeah I know and understand your values around this.
Out of Interest how old is the Council house?
Is it a mock style of some era?
In other council news and off topic, not sure if this is 'Nee ',news
But I think it's been announced today Chris West is standing down from the council with early retirement.
Was he the head honcho or was that Simon Reeves?
Again sorry for bringing up here.

tbh, if the council house isn't fit for purpose, that's a decent reason to move elsewhere.

The fact they have a use for the building is good, too.

Do get nervous however when people just up sticks and leave places.

Now, I could tell you the history of Warwick's Shire Hall... or even Rugby's Town Halls but Coventry's? Not a clue really ;)

Maybe I'll go a-hunting!
 

LastGarrison

Well-Known Member
Postgraduate students are the vast minority.

Having been one myself and being left there as the others went home... the students disappear in the summer!
Of course, however, the Uni is expanding and let's be completely honest here our town centre has been shit for a number of years so, students aside, what the council need to start doing is enticing the local population back to the city centre and this is slowly happening with new shops, restaurants and bars opening but unless, is, the locals buy into it, it is never going to happen.

I have drank local for years with the odd (cough) foray to Scholars, however, I have now started going up the Cosy Club, Daddy Cools, The Empire and the like and have also began buying clothes up there again and regularly go in for a nose but the local population really needs to start doing the same instead of grumbling and moaning too each other whilst sat in their favourite seat in their local boozer!
 

Terry Gibson's perm

Well-Known Member
Would be much better off building a new parliament outside of London, the Midlands would be ideal. Have all the modern facilities you need and have accommodation so there's none of this claiming for second homes.

Could keep Westminster for tourism / historical purposes.


But chief who would decide to move it out of London MPs the very people who cream the cash off with the second homes
 

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
I'm Post Grad, after April I have no lectures so will barely be in uni.
Would be much better off building a new parliament outside of London, the Midlands would be ideal. Have all the modern facilities you need and have accommodation so there's none of this claiming for second homes.

Could keep Westminster for tourism / historical purposes.

This is my hobby horse. Move Parliament to Birmingham!

They talk a lot about rebalancing the economy, but something simple like this that would actually do it they don't want to because they all love London.
 

chiefdave

Well-Known Member
They talk a lot about rebalancing the economy, but something simple like this that would actually do it they don't want to because they all love London.
HS2 is the prime example of how they don't care about anything outside London. Everything you hear is about how you can get to London quicker. Why not focus the other way and suggest to businesses that a move to Birmingham doesn't cut them off from London.
 

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
HS2 is the prime example of how they don't care about anything outside London. Everything you hear is about how you can get to London quicker. Why not focus the other way and suggest to businesses that a move to Birmingham doesn't cut them off from London.

I'm a sucker for new infrastructure projects, especially high speed rail. But leaving my inner geek aside, you're spot on.
 

Terry Gibson's perm

Well-Known Member
I'm a sucker for new infrastructure projects, especially high speed rail. But leaving my inner geek aside, you're spot on.

Is it much quicker though for all the cash being spent only takes a bit over an hour anyway.
 

Liquid Gold

Well-Known Member
I think the best thing for Parliament would be to build a whole new town somewhere in the midlands/north. Brasilia/Canberra being an example of places built especially for the purpose of governance. You could have all the buildings built especially for purpose all around the 2 houses of parliament (both of which will be elected in this utopia). Benefits include lower cost of expenses for MPs, lower maintenance costs, boost to the economy while building the town/infrastructure (roads and high speed rail links to major cities) and the short term benefit of the millions and millions of pounds of prime London property to sell. Houses of parliament can be kept as a museum of British politics but who would care if the home office was sold.

Like people have said it will never happen but an obvious way to boost the economy.
 

fernandopartridge

Well-Known Member
Of course, however, the Uni is expanding and let's be completely honest here our town centre has been shit for a number of years so, students aside, what the council need to start doing is enticing the local population back to the city centre and this is slowly happening with new shops, restaurants and bars opening but unless, is, the locals buy into it, it is never going to happen.

I have drank local for years with the odd (cough) foray to Scholars, however, I have now started going up the Cosy Club, Daddy Cools, The Empire and the like and have also began buying clothes up there again and regularly go in for a nose but the local population really needs to start doing the same instead of grumbling and moaning too each other whilst sat in their favourite seat in their local boozer!

Good point mate. I don't even live in Cov but get sick of hearing the moaning. As somebody who lives away from Cov I can actually see incremental improvements happening, it's easier to notice when you don't spend as much time somewhere. I am going for a pint before the game Saturday in town, might give the Golden Cross a bash since it's been done out.
 

skybluetony176

Well-Known Member
No bloody student comment, but a little worried the city centre is throwing all its eggs in one basket.

Means everywhere gets deserted in summer, and if anything happens ot the uni to throw it off course, it could all end up a wasteland.

Still, glad to see the building has a plan, this is a good thing.

I wish Rugby had a Uni willing to help redevelop the town centre TBH. It's a hole full of empty shops, pound shops, card shops, charity shops and bookies and a shopping centre and multistory car park that are an eye saw and need knocking down. The out of town shopping on the Leicester road is great but without doubt will be the final nail in the town centres coffin. Rugby isn't exclusive to this phenomenon, it's a national issue. Trust me, Coventry is lucky having the Uni. The city centre would be a wasteland already without it
 

NorthernWisdom

Well-Known Member
I wish Rugby had a Uni willing to help redevelop the town centre TBH. It's a hole full of empty shops, pound shops, card shops, charity shops and bookies and a shopping centre and multistory car park that are an eye saw and need knocking down. The out of town shopping on the Leicester road is great but without doubt will be the final nail in the town centres coffin. Rugby isn't exclusive to this phenomenon, it's a national issue. Trust me, Coventry is lucky having the Uni. The city centre would be a wasteland already without it
It is, I repeat, the all or nothing. Anywhere, anything that does that takes an allmighty risk.

I will agree with you ref: Elliot's Field. Thought Rugby town centre had stood up pretty well, really, but losing M&S will be the start of a slippery slope I fear.

Don't think there's much wrong with the Clock Towers as a space btw!
 

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