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Fitzalan Square


Sheffield History

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32 minutes ago, Sheffield History said:

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Has Fitzalan Square ever looked as fine as it down right now?

Surely this is  the best it's ever looked?

it does look good but not being around when the square was first created I can’t really compare, i do think it’s a mistake leaving the kiosk that just sells vape refills and other rubbish, that should have been demolished, there’s no balance with it still being there, I just hope the powers that be can keep the alcoholics, druggies and the skate-boarders away.

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On 08/06/2020 at 11:18, tozzin said:

it does look good but not being around when the square was first created I can’t really compare, i do think it’s a mistake leaving the kiosk that just sells vape refills and other rubbish, that should have been demolished, there’s no balance with it still being there, I just hope the powers that be can keep the alcoholics, druggies and the skate-boarders away.

I was just going to post the same - what possible reason can they have for leaving that trashy vape shop in place? I can't believe they would willingly leave it there, is there some sort of long lease on it they can't get out of? It's like making an extravagent wedding cake and crowning it with a small dog turd.

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32 minutes ago, RichK said:

I was just going to post the same - what possible reason can they have for leaving that trashy vape shop in place? I can't believe they would willingly leave it there, is there some sort of long lease on it they can't get out of? It's like making an extravagent wedding cake and crowning it with a small dog turd.

My sentiments entirely.

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On 08/06/2020 at 11:00, Sheffield History said:

103507539_2814110078699026_7483535644312188724_o.jpg

Has Fitzalan Square ever looked as fine as it down right now?

Surely this is  the best it's ever looked?

I haven't been down there for ages and I'm pleasantly surprised. It's a big improvement! Is the red brick building (centre) the original Bell Hotel building?

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 A little anecdote from my late Father about the square. When he was a young man maybe 1937/38...the Square was a meeting place for lads on a Saturday night out in town. They would congregate and sit on the surrounding walls until there was no more room for anyone else to sit down. Then when someone got up and left, a lad who fancied himself as a bit of a hard man would chuck his cap onto the vacant place as a challenge to anyone to knock it off the wall. Lads being lads, he didn't have to wait for long and a fight would start. Apparently, this was a regular scenario on a Saturday night. Nothing changes Eh!

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I reckon that ‘Bertie’ will join his mum in Endcliffe Park before long, the square has long lost it’s sparkle, you can’t even have a legal pee there anymore.

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1 hour ago, DaveJC said:

I reckon that ‘Bertie’ will join his mum in Endcliffe Park before long, the square has long lost it’s sparkle, you can’t even have a legal pee there anymore.

The best it’s looked in my lifetime. 

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11 hours ago, makapaka said:

The best it’s looked in my lifetime. 

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11 hours ago, makapaka said:

The best it’s looked in my lifetime. 

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I much preferred it with people going about their business, such as visiting the GPO, having a pint at the Elephant/Bell/Marples, visiting the News Theatre (Classic), waiting for a bus, hiring a cab or just passing the time of day with each other. The current square would be better named Nothingness Square IMHO, but everyone to their own.

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Guest leksand
2 hours ago, makapaka said:

The best it’s looked in my lifetime. 

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Yeah, marvellous.

Welcome to Stevenage.

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13 hours ago, DaveJC said:

 

I much preferred it with people going about their business, such as visiting the GPO, having a pint at the Elephant/Bell/Marples, visiting the News Theatre (Classic), waiting for a bus, hiring a cab or just passing the time of day with each other. The current square would be better named Nothingness Square IMHO, but everyone to their own.

I was talking more in looks than it’s current functionality.

that end of the city is struggling for footfall at pre pandemic and we are still in lockdown - hopefully if things get better and the grey to green scheme kicks on it will be used more.

making it look better in preparation can’t be a bad thing.

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13 hours ago, leksand said:

Yeah, marvellous.

Welcome to Stevenage.

It was more like welcome to sodom and Gomorrah previously tho.

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6 hours ago, makapaka said:

I was talking more in looks than it’s current functionality.

that end of the city is struggling for footfall at pre pandemic and we are still in lockdown - hopefully if things get better and the grey to green scheme kicks on it will be used more.

making it look better in preparation can’t be a bad thing.

That side of the city will (IMHO) only improve when it discovers it’s function. The Hallam University must play a part in this, they have already thrown their hat into the ring in respect of the old GPO building and student accommodation, it needs much more of the same plus places of interest for all. Some sort of a police presence would not go amiss as the square along with surrounding areas could easily develop into scroatsville.

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On 05/03/2021 at 11:00, DaveJC said:

 

I much preferred it with people going about their business, such as visiting the GPO, having a pint at the Elephant/Bell/Marples, visiting the News Theatre (Classic), waiting for a bus, hiring a cab or just passing the time of day with each other. The current square would be better named Nothingness Square IMHO, but everyone to their own.

 


It's not finished yet though remember - only the basics have been done

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I disagree that it looks nicer.

It looks like any open square in any town or city in the entire country with no character whatsoever.

One day, we will go out and not even recognise where we are because every part of the country will look identical.

As soon as you walk a hundred yards or two, you will find yourself knee deep in litter, food waste etc and walk down streets with no business's except pound shops and betting shops.

That, to me, is not what a City centre should look like and I yearn for the days when Sheffield looked like Sheffield and was truly, HOME.

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On 08/06/2020 at 11:00, Sheffield History said:

103507539_2814110078699026_7483535644312188724_o.jpg

Has Fitzalan Square ever looked as fine as it down right now?

Surely this is  the best it's ever looked?

Where is Sheffield dissapearing too?

Get rid of the planners before the city looks like a computer game.

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 Other than for nuking the bogs and laying some turf and paving , what are some of you guys actually congratulating the council for? 😠

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29 minutes ago, DaveJC said:

 Other than for nuking the bogs and laying some turf and paving , what are some of you guys actually congratulating the council for? 😠

For improving it from before.

1C75D07A-2097-4374-AF25-83BE5941580D.jpeg

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1 minute ago, makapaka said:

For improving it from before.

1C75D07A-2097-4374-AF25-83BE5941580D.jpeg

Yes I see, getting rid of buses, taxis, cars and people is improvement, this photo makes the square look interesting, not to mention clean and tidy, sorry I just don’t get it.

 

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Guest leksand
23 hours ago, makapaka said:

For improving it from before.

1C75D07A-2097-4374-AF25-83BE5941580D.jpeg

I recollect trees in full leaf casting shade down below, a rather beautiful canopy (whether verdant or bare) oft enlivened by starling chatter. Perhaps not quite Parisian but a unique island recess in the city. A far cry from the Formica/Dettol aesthetic of the latest incarnation.

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On 09/03/2021 at 11:25, leksand said:

I recollect trees in full leaf casting shade down below, a rather beautiful canopy (whether verdant or bare) oft enlivened by starling chatter. Perhaps not quite Parisian but a unique island recess in the city. A far cry from the Formica/Dettol aesthetic of the latest incarnation.

That is a very rose tinted view of fitzalan square. Add litter,bird muck,graffiti, noisy fumy buses and taxis, a derelict post office, awkward road crossings - and you’re a bit closer.  

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27 minutes ago, makapaka said:

That is a very rose tinted view of fitzalan square. Add litter,bird muck,graffiti, noisy fumy buses and taxis, a derelict post office, awkward road crossings - and you’re a bit closer.  

I recall it from the 1950’s when it was nothing like what you describe, you’re talking about the end of the 20th century onwards, not really a fair description. Also birds have always s**t on anything they wish to s**t on, and to my best knowledge some of the most beautiful and famous squares worldwide have been s**t on by all kind of animal life for centuries. I’m trying to picture Times Square without traffic noise and am failing miserably, and as for graffiti, some is classed as art, whilst some is classed as vandalism, it’s all in the eye of the beholder at the end of the day.

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2 hours ago, DaveJC said:

I recall it from the 1950’s when it was nothing like what you describe, you’re talking about the end of the 20th century onwards, not really a fair description. Also birds have always s**t on anything they wish to s**t on, and to my best knowledge some of the most beautiful and famous squares worldwide have been s**t on by all kind of animal life for centuries. I’m trying to picture Times Square without traffic noise and am failing miserably, and as for graffiti, some is classed as art, whilst some is classed as vandalism, it’s all in the eye of the beholder at the end of the day.

Here it is in 1963 - I’m still not sure why this is better than the present version - it doesn’t look it?

15845D40-ABAD-48EE-BB14-5E0FF9CC9BFA.jpeg

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Bottom left, for the benefit of younger forum posters this is a police officer, often found patrolling the streets of Sheffield, directing traffic, helping folk and apprehending villains back in the good old days.They now reside in the buildings scattered around Sheffield with the word POLICE in white lettering on a blue background attached to them. These buildings are not meant for anyone other than members of South Yorkshire Police to occupy and do god knows what in.

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3 hours ago, makapaka said:

Here it is in 1963 - I’m still not sure why this is better than the present version - it doesn’t look it?

15845D40-ABAD-48EE-BB14-5E0FF9CC9BFA.jpeg

This photo is bereft of alcoholics, druggies and “ homeless” I use that term very loosely, I never ever saw any street drinkers etc in the fifties or sixties until it became fashionable when it was realised that you could earn more money begging than working. I much prefer the old square when it had the stone shelters for tram passengers, the only people you would see would be mainly men chatting and waiting for the Bell or the Elephant to open, you had to live it to appreciate just what I lived through.

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