Cov city centre (9 Viewers)

[the rumpo kid]

Evan though I live in Coventry I seldom visit or get a chance to visit the city centre.
Today I left my van to be mot,d and walked in to town, OMG what a fukin dump.
So many shops vacant, pound shops everywhere, nothing in the west orchard centre .
People's pitifully meger belongings huddled in door ways.
May be two shops worth a visit.
A city with 400,000 plus population should be able to do better than this surely . It really was sad to see what I can remember as a youth to be a vibrant busy place drop it's standards so low.
I'm not going to go to in depth into the reasons but I think this cv one company who runs the city centre are changing astronomical rents for the properties.
So sad.

 

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[Otis]

Evan though I live in Coventry I seldom visit or get a chance to visit the city centre.
Today I left my van to be mot,d and walked in to town, OMG what a fukin dump.
So many shops vacant, pound shops everywhere, nothing in the west orchard centre .
People's pitifully meger belongings huddled in door ways.
May be two shops worth a visit.
A city with 400,000 plus population should be able to do better than this surely . It really was sad to see what I can remember as a youth to be a vibrant busy place drop it's standards so low.
I'm not going to go to in depth into the reasons but I think this cv one company who runs the city centre are changing astronomical rents for the properties.
So sad.

I agree with a lot of what you say, but many of the shops are deliberately vacant, as they have all been given notice to quit. The whole of the south side of the city centre is being redeveloped.

It does look bad because there are so many empty shops, but they were all served notice to quit and most of them have now gone.

 

[LastGarrison]

This isn’t just a Coventry problem though as many cities and towns are also experiencing it due to peoples change in shopping habits with a large number of people now doing their shopping online.

Rumpo is a prime example, lives in Cov but seldom goes in, and without that footfall and spend it is not sustainable for businesses to survive or to attract new business.

I would argue, however, that in certain regards like designer clothing shops and restaurants we haven’t had it as good and certainly not in my lifetime.

 

[the rumpo kid]

I don't go there because there nothing there to attract me.
I do know about the renovation which will take place, but that is only the south side , bull yard Shelton square city arcade, the rest of it is just as depressing.

 

[Otis]

This isn’t just a Coventry problem though as many cities and towns are also experiencing it due to peoples change in shopping habits with a large number of people now doing their shopping online.

Rumpo is a prime example, lives in Cov but seldom goes in, and without that footfall and spend it is not sustainable for businesses to survive or to attract new business.

I would argue, however, that in certain regards like designer clothing shops and restaurants we haven’t had it as good and certainly not in my lifetime.

Yup, the restaurant and cafe business is booming.

 

[David O'Day]

As has been said it's changing retail habits that mean retailers are retrenching their physical outlet portfolios.

Lot's of the landlords in Cov centre are actually private landlords who are only now just realising that retail has changed and they need to be more realistic with rents.

Even London outside of the west end and other famous areas is the same.

Online shopping, the pandemic and the changes in habits that made and the reduced footfall due to remote working all adds up.

It's in the councils plans to rezone areas

 

[covhead1]

Why don't they just demolish the fucking lot and build a football stadium there!

 

[SkyBlueSoul]

Really hope they produce another musical for when it's finished

 

[ccfctommy]

I used to work in town so used to pop in most days on my lunch break. Been recently and they have moved the job centre into west orchards and the old Debenhams is now an Iceland FFS. Looks well out of place.

 

[LastGarrison]

I made that post earlier and now can see that Tessuti is closing down

 

[Flying Fokker]

I don't go there because there nothing there to attract me.
I do know about the renovation which will take place, but that is only the south side , bull yard Shelton square city arcade, the rest of it is just as depressing.

The out of town centres killed most city centres. Given over to eateries and pound shops. That is the planner‘s fault as much as anyone.

 

[skybluetony176]

The out of town centres killed most city centres. Given over to eateries and pound shops. That is the planner‘s fault as much as anyone.

Not necessarily. Talking to my local councillor some time ago about the Elliot’s field redevelopment in Rugby and he basically said that only reason the attracted the original tenants to rugby was exactly because it was an out of town development with a ton of free parking. They wouldn’t have come to Rugby to set up shop in the town centre.

 

[Saddlebrains]

Its not a town centre anymore its just one massive student campus lets be honest

The council know full well that retails dead on its arse and thats why its all being catered towards the student population in town now.

Cathedral Lanes is a lovely place full of restaraunts etc now, and decent for a meal out or a few drinks but nothing else in town is there?

Look at nightclubs, none of them around anymore

 

[wingy]

Its not a town centre anymore its just one massive student campus lets be honest

The council know full well that retails dead on its arse and thats why its all being catered towards the student population in town now.

Cathedral Lanes is a lovely place full of restaraunts etc now, and decent for a meal out or a few drinks but nothing else in town is there?

Look at nightclubs, none of them around anymore

Yeah,but kids don't drink no more.
Into other gear.

 

[clint van damme]

I made that post earlier and now can see that Tessuti is closing down

Probably due to Flannels

 

[Deleted member 5849]

Not necessarily. Talking to my local councillor some time ago about the Elliot’s field redevelopment in Rugby and he basically said that only reason the attracted the original tenants to rugby was exactly because it was an out of town development with a ton of free parking. They wouldn’t have come to Rugby to set up shop in the town centre.

It also killed the town centre however. M&S moving out was the start

 

[David O'Day]

Probably due to Flannels

yeah it is owned by the same company and is about 20 metres away, it was never going to stay open even if bricks and mortor retail was booming

 

[Nick]

It's alright all the cycle lanes will fix it.

 

[David O'Day]

It's alright all the cycle lanes will fix it.

The ones in the low emissions work?

 

[Sick Boy]

Yeah,but kids don't drink no more.
Into other gear.

There's definitely a lot less binge drinking compared to 20 years ago, there's probably more 'other gear' going on but I wouldn't say that much more.

 

[David O'Day]

There's definitely a lot less binge drinking compared to 20 years ago, there's probably more 'other gear' going on but I wouldn't say that much more.

i do sometimes wonder what cov some people grew up in, in my teens and 20s Cov was awas with cheap and good pills

 

[Macca]

To be honest wherever I lived I would have little inclination to go “into town”. Absolutely zero need. I remember 30 years ago my Grandparents lived on the 36 bus route. Bus every 10 mins and the moment one left the bus stop was filling again. Pensioners popping into town for a couple bits and bobs. Todays pensioners just go to Amazon

 

[fatso]

They

To be honest wherever I lived I would have little inclination to go “into town”. Absolutely zero need. I remember 30 years ago my Grandparents lived on the 36 bus route. Bus every 10 mins and the moment one left the bus stop was filling again. Pensioners popping into town for a couple bits and bobs. Todays pensioners just go to Amazon

They GO to Amazon, don't the dumb fuckers realise that Amazon deliver?

 

[Otis]

To be honest wherever I lived I would have little inclination to go “into town”. Absolutely zero need. I remember 30 years ago my Grandparents lived on the 36 bus route. Bus every 10 mins and the moment one left the bus stop was filling again. Pensioners popping into town for a couple bits and bobs. Todays pensioners just go to Amazon

Yup. I see it everywhere

I am currently living in Maidstone and there is a shed load of money in those parts (not a day goes by without my seeing Lamborghini's and Ferrari's etc driving about).

Yet the high street has so many empty units and M&S have just moved out.

It's happening in so many places.

 

[David O'Day]

To be honest wherever I lived I would have little inclination to go “into town”. Absolutely zero need. I remember 30 years ago my Grandparents lived on the 36 bus route. Bus every 10 mins and the moment one left the bus stop was filling again. Pensioners popping into town for a couple bits and bobs. Todays pensioners just go to Amazon

aye my mum is always on amazon, with my prime account see gets stuff delivered cheaper than it would cost in town so she even buys stuff like washing up liquid on there

 

[Otis]

aye my mum is always on amazon, with my prime account see gets stuff delivered cheaper than it would cost in town so she even buys stuff like washing up liquid on there

So much more clued up than my dad then, because he actually believes there is a Mr. Internet.

No word of a lie.

 

[eastwoodsdustman]

So much more clued up than my dad then, because he actually believes there is a Mr. Internet.

No word of a lie.

I used to know someone (she's passed away now) who was a season ticket holder. We were talking about the issues the club had and she blamed it all on Mr Sisu saying that he was responsible. I just gave up talking about it to her then.

 

[shmmeee]

City Centres need to be entertainment and living spaces now really. Students and young single people, and even some assisted living or retirement stuff too all makes sense. Keeps transport costs low, lots of social activity near by. Office/coworking space too, whatever that looks like these days.

There should be parks/event space, things to do/see, bars and restaurants and the odd boutique or service based retail. The days of flicking though HMV for a Saturday afternoon are well over. I can see clothing, services, and maybe homeware sticking around, I’d encourage showroom style places like kitchens back to the centre, anywhere that doesn’t need customers to take large boxes to their car. But beyond that I can’t see much sustaining itself.

 

[JAM See]

Popped in last Sunday to see Dippy.
Had a pint in the Golden Cross, a pint in the Yard and a nice feed in the Noodle Bar.
Had a lovely afternoon, but it didn't even cross our minds to do any shopping.
The city centre needs to be primarily an experience destination, with some shopping. Not the other way round.

 

[David O'Day]

City Centre South has evolved to include a lot more housing and entertainment in the plan

 

[Macca]

They

They GO to Amazon, don't the dumb fuckers realise that Amazon deliver?

 

[David O'Day]

Amazon also have physical stores so you can actually go to Amazon

 

[Ashdown]

We spent an afternoon/ early evening in Cov last Saturday. Train over so we could have a few drinks. Went to favourite picture framer on the market, bought a shaver at Boots and a top for the Mrs at M&S, then went to the Gatehouse for a brief pit stop for lunch and a pint…..ran into some friends and stayed for a few hours, we came back home via the noodle bar, Wards I think it was called and Inspire where they had a singer outside. We had a good day but the problem with Cov is the disloyalty of its inhabitants….for too long, they have done their shopping in Birmingham and their socialising in Warwick/ Kenilworth/ Leamington….Use it or lose it !!

 

[Macca]

We spent an afternoon/ early evening in Cov last Saturday. Train over so we could have a few drinks. Went to favourite picture framer on the market, bought a shaver at Boots and a top for the Mrs at M&S, then went to the Gatehouse for a brief pit stop for lunch and a pint…..ran into some friends and stayed for a few hours, we came back home via the noodle bar, Wards I think it was called and Inspire where they had a singer outside. We had a good day but the problem with Cov is the disloyalty of its inhabitants….for too long, they have done their shopping in Birmingham and their socialising in Warwick/ Kenilworth/ Leamington….Use it or lose it !!

They weren’t 30 years ago though. Town was heaving. I lived in Warwick for 15 years used the shires all the time but went to the town centre of Leam about 3 times. Change of shopping habits

 

[Ashdown]

Every pound spent in the City Centre is a good pound. There are still plenty of decent pubs in CV1 plus quite a few good restaurants now. I’m loyal to Cov and I live in SW Leics…..I wouldn’t dream of going to LE1 to spend money I could spend in the City of my birth.