50 Reasons to Not Visit Coventry (14 Viewers)

[Otis]

Look I don't want to argue too much but like it or not Coventry is designed for a low demographic.

Sorry to disappoint but when you said John Lewis wasn't that great you are wrong. City planners with ambition dream of John Lewis. It is an AB demographic store and pulls people in with spending power.

M and S used to be the same. Less so now but it ranks it's store in terms if expenditure from 1 (high) to 4 (low) and invests and stocks accordingly. Guess what - we are a 4.

That's the reality. It's nor aspirational and has never attempted to be. It's a place that attacts a low demographic population. Only one of the managers I work with live in its boundaries.

It's poor and it attacts the poor and unless advocated as you clearly are accept it needs the John Lewis type of store it will always be poor and shunned by all middle management. Seriously where I work most shudder when you mention it's name.

Strikes me as snobbery that.

As I said much earlier, the food side of JL is great, but the rest of the store I find very over priced for the most part. In saying that though, I would be happy if John Lewis came here.

My point about the students was that it doesn't matter whether you or I are students or not, the fact we are in the top 50 is a positive for the city.

Same as, if a royal opera house came to the city that would be a great positive too, even though I completely detest opera with a passion.

 

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[Nick]

Look I don't want to argue too much but like it or not Coventry is designed for a low demographic.

Sorry to disappoint but when you said John Lewis wasn't that great you are wrong. City planners with ambition dream of John Lewis. It is an AB demographic store and pulls people in with spending power.

M and S used to be the same. Less so now but it ranks it's store in terms if expenditure from 1 (high) to 4 (low) and invests and stocks accordingly. Guess what - we are a 4.

That's the reality. It's nor aspirational and has never attempted to be. It's a place that attacts a low demographic population. Only one of the managers I work with live in its boundaries.

It's poor and it attacts the poor and unless advocated as you clearly are accept it needs the John Lewis type of store it will always be poor and shunned by all middle management. Seriously where I work most shudder when you mention it's name.

Don't even think it's that. I wouldn't say I was poor, I wouldn't say I was rich. I am not going to make the effort to go somewhere just because there is a John Lewis or a posh shop.

I'd much prefer ease, I hate queuing and never really have time to piss about when I need to get something / go somewhere.

 

[Otis]

If anything, that puts me off.

Not too fussed about Fargo although I won't comment on it until I have been there. The web site / pictures kind of show me it isn't really my thing though.

It puts me off too if it's too busy, but someone much earlier in the thread, a few weeks back, was talking about the city centre being dead and it clearly isn't.

I think I mentioned way back too, that we tried 14 restaurants on a Saturday at 5.45 and couldn't get a table at any of them. All full.

 

[Grendel]

Strikes me as snobbery that.

As I said much earlier, the food side of JL is great, but the rest of the store I find very over priced for the most part. In saying that though, I would be happy if John Lewis came here.

My point about the students was that it doesn't matter whether you or I are students or not, the fact we are in the top 50 is a positive for the city.

Same as, if a royal opera house came to the city that would be a great positive too, even though I completely detest opera with a passion.

Snobbery or just Coventry?

 

[Nick]

It puts me off too if it's too busy, but someone much earlier in the thread, a few weeks back, was talking about the city centre being dead and it clearly isn't.

I think I mentioned way back too, that we tried 14 restaurants on a Saturday at 5.45 and couldn't get a table at any of them. All full.

Again, even when you go to places like Solihull, why on earth would I want to stand about for 2 hours for a table at a generic restaurant? Have shit to do, I'd just get a Subway and be on my way.

 

[Otis]

Again, even when you go to places like Solihull, why on earth would I want to stand about for 2 hours for a table at a generic restaurant? Have shit to do, I'd just get a Subway and be on my way.

Well that's where we're different. We eat out all the time. My parents are now 85 and don't like cooking, so we eat out just about once every week or so.

 

[Grendel]

Well that's where we're different. We eat out all the time. My parents are now 85 and don't like cooking, so we eat out just about once every week or so.

When I eat out I eat in Solihull, leamington or kenilworth. Far nicer far better demographic and far safer.

 

[Nick]

Well that's where we're different. We eat out all the time. My parents are now 85 and don't like cooking, so we eat out just about once every week or so.

You can eat out without standing around for ages waiting for a table though.

No way on earth I'd go into a town centre on a Saturday and pop into a place and hang around for an hour for a table, another 30 - 40 minutes for the food like I was on about.

 

[Grendel]

You can eat out without standing around for ages waiting for a table though.

No way on earth I'd go into a town centre on a Saturday and pop into a place and hang around for an hour for a table, another 30 - 40 minutes for the food like I was on about.

Unwittingly Otis is part of the problem. Calling people with spending power snobs. The fact is most people with money would go into Coventry if you paid them. Not snobbery but an assesment it is not for them.

 

[Otis]

You can eat out without standing around for ages waiting for a table though.

No way on earth I'd go into a town centre on a Saturday and pop into a place and hang around for an hour for a table, another 30 - 40 minutes for the food like I was on about.

When we went on the Saturday, we went to one place and when we couldn't get in, we rang the other 13 places. We didn't queue anywhere.

 

[Otis]

Unwittingly Otis is part of the problem. Calling people with spending power snobs. The fact is most people with money would go into Coventry if you paid them. Not snobbery but an assesment it is not for them.

Where have I said people with spending power are snobs?

 

[Rusty Trombone]

I've the day off tomorrow as my good lady wants me to buy some clothes for upcoming holiday, apparantly I look like a tramp, we were going to go to Solihull, but I was swayed by the argument that all the shops I'm likely to buy from are in Cov, the place where we would eat has places in Cov. There really is no point travelling to Solihull and paying extra for parking.

I've relayed all this to her ladyship and we're off to Solihull as it's got a John Lewis.

 

[Nick]

When we went on the Saturday, we went to one place and when we couldn't get in, we rang the other 13 places. We didn't queue anywhere.

Nooo I am not saying you did, just that I can't see the appeal of it. I get hangry.

 

[Otis]

I've the day off tomorrow as my good lady wants me to buy some clothes for upcoming holiday, apparantly I look like a tramp, we were going to go to Solihull, but I was swayed by the argument that all the shops I'm likely to buy from are in Cov, the place where we would eat has places in Cov. There really is no point travelling to Solihull and paying extra for parking.

I've relayed all this to her ladyship and we're off to Solihull as it's got a John Lewis.

Yep, JL has gone pulling power, totally accept that.

If it was here I would go in on the odd occasion I would reckon, just for a browse.

 

[Otis]

Nooo I am not saying you did, just that I can't see the appeal of it. I get hangry.

We never queue. If they say come back in 40 mins, we book the table, but only as a contingency and go and look elsewhere.

 

[LastGarrison]

"Far safer" has now been mentioned a few times on this thread.

Pray do tell the last time any of you were assaulted or robbed in the town centre?

 

[Macca]

"Far safer" has now been mentioned a few times on this thread.

Pray do tell the last time any of you were assaulted or robbed in the town centre?

Indeed. Perception instead of reality. However it's still a valid reason to choose one place over another, human nature.

 

[chiefdave]

Indeed. Perception instead of reality. However it's still a valid reason to choose one place over another, human nature.

And of course if you are avoiding an area because you don't feel safe there you won't be assaulted or robbed there.

It's never a great advert for the city when I bring touring bands to the Kasbah and the first thing they get told is not to go out of the building as they'll get mugged. One band decided to ignore the warning and went out and promptly got mugged. A mate of mine took another band there who got shot at with air pistols from one of the nearby tower blocks and another band I know of found someone on their tour bus trying to rob them so clearly that's not in the best part of the city!

There are parts of Pompey that are a no go at weekends due to the high chance of trouble, same when I lived in London. Not sure Cov is quite at that level is it?

 

[Otis]

And of course if you are avoiding an area because you don't feel safe there you won't be assaulted or robbed there.

It's never a great advert for the city when I bring touring bands to the Kasbah and the first thing they get told is not to go out of the building as they'll get mugged. One band decided to ignore the warning and went out and promptly got mugged. A mate of mine took another band there who got shot at with air pistols from one of the nearby tower blocks and another band I know of found someone on their tour bus trying to rob them so clearly that's not in the best part of the city!

There are parts of Pompey that are a no go at weekends due to the high chance of trouble, same when I lived in London. Not sure Cov is quite at that level is it?

Another odd one. My daughter went to drama for 2 years at Sidney Stringer, directly across from the Kasbah and I would sit in my car or go for a bit of a wander round and I never encountered any problems anywhere.

I'm beginning to think that maybe I am invisible.

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

Another odd one. My daughter went to drama for 2 years at Sidney Stringer, directly across from the Kasbah and I would sit in my car or go for a bit of a wander round and I never encountered any problems anywhere.

I'm beginning to think that maybe I am invisible.

or you look too mean for anybody to take on Otis

 

[Otis]

or you look too mean for anybody to take on Otis

Think I look more like Julian Clary than Jason Statham to be honest.

More Wincey Willis, than Bruce Willis.

More Barney than Arnie.

 

[Joy Division]

A mate of mine took another band there who got shot at with air pistols from one of the nearby tower blocks

Was that a band from Birmingham by any chance?

 

[Nick]

Another odd one. My daughter went to drama for 2 years at Sidney Stringer, directly across from the Kasbah and I would sit in my car or go for a bit of a wander round and I never encountered any problems anywhere.

I'm beginning to think that maybe I am invisible.

Know a few people who have had knives pulled after going to the colly by people lurking about.

Further up past there is like a war zone too where the shops are.

Wouldn't say you are invisible, maybe just blind to it

 

[Otis]

Know a few people who have had knives pulled after going to the colly by people lurking about.

Further up past there is like a war zone too where the shops are.

Wouldn't say you are invisible, maybe just blind to it

I'm never there late, Nick. No later than 8. Wouldn't go closer to the witching hour. But then I wouldn't either in Brum, or Manchester, or Liverpool, or many parts of London.

 

[Joy Division]

I'm intrigued with this thread as to why the main focus on this topic is about high street brand shops and retail places. Surely there is more....or should be more to a city than generic high street stores that can be found anywhere across the country? Especially comparing Coventry to Solihull, not very aspirational surely?

 

[Nick]

I'm intrigued with this thread as to why the main focus on this topic is about high street brand shops and retail places. Surely there is more....or should be more to a city than generic high street stores that can be found anywhere across the country? Especially comparing Coventry to Solihull, not very aspirational surely?

For people that live in the city, their needs and expectations are different a tourist coming here for the day aren't they? Not many people who live in Coventry are going to go to the Cathedral every day or round the Herbert, they are going to go to town to go to work, shopping or for food mostly aren't they?

 

[Joy Division]

But then being an attractive city to tourists and somewhere where people want to stay for the day would boost the quality of retail and outlets that want to brand themselves somewhere maybe?

If all you want from a city is to serve a purpose, work and do your shopping it will never go anywhere. Its quite an insular view of a city.

 

[Nick]

But then being an attractive city to tourists and somewhere where people want to stay for the day would boost the quality of retail and outlets that want to brand themselves somewhere maybe?

If all you want from a city is to serve a purpose, work and do your shopping it will never go anywhere. Its quite an insular view of a city.

Surely that is what most people think of their own cities? Of course the cathedral etc is nice but realistically how often do people from Coventry go there for a look round? How often will people go to the car museum for example?

How many people go into town without a purpose and just for a stroll round? (People from Coventry I mean) Surely the more reason for people to go there, the easier it is will make more people go?

 

[Joy Division]

I agree you want those things if you live there. But when I think of somewhere where I live I want it to be a place I'm proud to live and somewhere boast to others as to why its such a good place and what it has to offer. For too long Coventry has had a bad reputation and has never been able to shake those shackles. I left the city at a young age and have never moved back, but I'd love a reason to make me want to other than being able to buy a house a lot cheaper than where I am now.

 

[Otis]

Surely that is what most people think of their own cities? Of course the cathedral etc is nice but realistically how often do people from Coventry go there for a look round? How often will people go to the car museum for example?

How many people go into town without a purpose and just for a stroll round? (People from Coventry I mean) Surely the more reason for people to go there, the easier it is will make more people go?

I would say I go to the transport museum and Herbert, 3 to 4 times a year, each, so not a great deal, but then they are there for everyone and most definitely for tourism too.

How many people who live in London go to the Tower of London, or on the London Eye, or to visit St. Pauls?

AS JD says, the better we are for tourism, the better the quality of shops will be.

 

[Nick]

How many people who live in London go to the Tower of London, or on the London Eye, or to visit St. Pauls?

That's my point.

That's why my view of Coventry is different to a tourist. Thats why what I need from Coventry is different also.

 

[Joy Division]

I've just seen that top 50 student cities list and its quite interesting. Being in that top 50 is something the city should be massively proud of, as I don't live here has there been much local coverage of that? I'd be proudly shouting from the rooftops if I was in some kind of position of developing the city. If you want to change the perception of a somewhere its down to the younger generation with passion and creativity to do that.

The city needs to focus more on creating more places like Fargo than bringing in a Wagamama. It needs a creative hub that has that uniqueness to it and welcomes new independent businesses.