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Watch this - would you welcome a new updated version of Hole In The Road in Sheffield?


Sheffield History

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The concept of the hole in the road scheme was based on people keeping separated from traffic. The problem was that the underpasses became dangerous to walk in a night and perceived danger for many people real or otherwise during the day. Creating traffic free roads meant that people could wonder around freely and feel safe and so getting shut of the need to create underground walkways.  However this created bottlenecks of traffic, as people still need to get to the traffic free zones. Plus the reduced road capacity. If anything it would have been better for the traffic to go underground. But it was probably cheaper to put the people underground, as you have to dig deeper for traffic, due to things like double decker buses. 

The problem remains in that you have to people coming into the City in large numbers in motor transport. So the City looks like a motorway junction in various parts of it now. And nobody wants to visit those parts of the City, not alone live or operate a business from there.  

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This is an observation, not a rant, but I n my view, Sheffield City Centre is gradually becoming one gigantic University campus. Between Sheffield Hallam and ‘Uni of’, they are buying up more buildings in the centre and extending their sites (e.g. GPO Fitzalan Square), which in some cases is not such a bad thing you may say?

What is very noticeable is the areas of the city that are being turned into student accommodation and when you think about it, they are almost every where you look.In the centre. The ones that immediately come to mind are the old  Redvers House and Telephone House buildings. On the periphery, if you start on Suffolk Road, across Leadmill Road, Shoreham Street, Sidney Street, Bramall Lane, London Road. Up Hanover Way and down between Netherthorpe and Broad Lane. Green Lane, Shalesmoor, Corporation Street, across to Wicker and Blonk Street. Back across Broad Lane and Park Hill Flats, gets you back full circle. Just try doing a Google Map view and see how many label of ‘Student Accommodation’ There are 

The saddest thing is there are virtually no shops, nor venues worth going into town for any more. Any shop worth visiting has closed, or relocated out of town. Headline bands would rather play at The Arena, than City Hall and probably only The Crucible and Lyceum theatres are still managing to cling on, as there are no out-of-town alternatives.If any open up, the days of those two are probably numbered.

Try and park in town to see a show, or go for a bite to eat and you are charged a FORTUNE in the car parks closest to where you want to be. Between NCP and Q Park, they have some exorbitant rates. Fortunately we live close to one of the tram routes, but it’s not always convenient.

The centre is almost devoid of any decent shops, but crammed with bars, clubs and restaurants, which all seem to be always packed with aforementioned students, every night of the week and overflowing at weekends. Maybe it’s just my bad luck, but on the few occasions when I’ve been invited to a ‘do’ in town, it really does feel like you are stepping back into ‘studentville’. Mind you, it wasn’t like that in the 80’s, as I recall it 😆

So, would I welcome a new ‘hole in the road’? Why bother? It will cost us the taxpayers a fortune, be no use whatsoever, as pretty soon the whole of the centre will be a huge pedestrian precinct anyway…

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I have been in town just once since March 2020.

. I not only had an office near the Town Hall but after retiring still visited at least once a week. Sadly, I have to admit I haven,t missed these trips at all. Parking is difficult and expensive and the withdrawal of the City Rider made accessing different parts difficult ( I have some mobility problems) but I still went in. The lockdown reduced my enthusiasm which has still not returned.

Town is not what it once was….but, then again, neither am I"😏

 

 

 

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On 23/10/2021 at 11:39, Sheffield History said:

 

What happened to the fish in the tank which was sited Next to bus enquiry office?I worked for an advertising agency, our advertising board was next to the tank - hope they found good homes !!

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27 minutes ago, AndrewKlymczuk said:

 

What happened to the fish in the tank which was sited Next to bus enquiry office?I worked for an advertising agency, our advertising board was next to the tank - hope they found good homes !!

Some of them were re-homed in a tank at Bennett's fishing tackle shop on Stanley Street.

Edit: My mistake sorry ..

"

Half of the fish belonged to the attendant so on the day of reckoning

the wild fish were let into the rivers of the keeper's favourite fishing spots

and the domestic fish he took back home with him to his own tank.

It was suggested to have them on show at the Ponds Forge Leisure

Centre but the council at the time didn't seem too willing and a little dark

corner out of the way in the Centre was offered but alas it never happened."

 

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Considering the amount of NF lads who hung around there, plus the drunks and the idiots looking for a fight, no, I wouldn't want it back at all.  Like any other, semi out of the way place, it developed its own ecology, and a lot of it, given human nature, ain't great.

Maybe it'd work if someone wanted to post security all over the place but that would only be viable if they were there 24/7, and given the state of some streets above ground in the daytime, well... naah.

As the cannibal sausage maker said, "People are the wurst".

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