CLARE1 2 Posted August 31, 2016 Report Share Posted August 31, 2016 Sorry if I have posted this in the wrong section, this is my first post, so be kind please! Visited Nottingham, my home town yesterday and felt sad at how the city centre's shops now look. When I left in 2006 the place was a shopper's paradise but now there is just a mass of shops to let, banks, coffee shops, restaurants and charity shops. Realise that this is a nationwide problem but was shocked at how I had basically seen everything I needed to in 1 hour whilst once upon a time I would need more like 5. As I had a few hours to kill before I caught my train back home, I ventured up Derby Road, as I worked in a business up there many years ago and always enjoyed the eclectic, rather eccentric nature of the shops and district. Ended up eating my lunch whilst watching the clear up scene in Canning Circus following a house fire there. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Sparrow 10,328 Posted August 31, 2016 Report Share Posted August 31, 2016 Welcome, Clare1, to Nottstalgia and look forward to sharing your memories. As you say, Nottingham has changed so much that on the odd occasions when I visit, I feel lost and dismayed at what's happened to this once beautiful city. I admit, I prefer to remember it as it was years ago. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CLARE1 2 Posted August 31, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2016 Thank you for your reply. I have to say that even on a beautiful sunny day like yesterday, I could have weeped at some of the sights I saw. The Broad Marsh Centre was a particular low for me. I remember catching a free return bus from Victoria Centre to Broad Marsh back in the day, along with all the other happy shoppers. Today, it seemed to be just a thoroughfare for people getting from A to B who had zero interest in the dismal array of shops left. I am no doubt part of the problem for why the British High Street is in such dire straits as I prefer to order pretty much everything online. Having said that, John Lewis was a fantastic experience and was pretty packed, even on a Tuesday afternoon. Wonder how they manage to get it so right even in this age? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,488 Posted August 31, 2016 Report Share Posted August 31, 2016 Broad Marsh is indeed a disaster. I remember it when it was built (in fact, even before it was built) and in the early days it was better than Vic Centre. It started to go downhill around the mid-90s, and it suffered by having a number of owners in quick succession who all had plans to update and expand it, but who lost interest before they really got started. It is currently owned by intu who also own Vic Centre. They've improved that, so they may eventually get round to Broad Marsh as well. I suspect the reason you found John Lewis and other places packed this afternoon is that this is the last day of the school holidays so everybody was having a final fling. I was in the city centre as well, and soon wished I wasn't; I'd assumed the schools had gone back and life in town would be relatively civilised. Mistake. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Sparrow 10,328 Posted August 31, 2016 Report Share Posted August 31, 2016 Clare1, you appear to live in Leeds and that was always a favourite place of mine as the family had friends there. I've not been for a long time but remember the Victorian shopping arcades and their unusual shops. Hope they've survived to tell the tale. Most places now are the usual run of Primark, Wilko's, Costa Coffee...boring and repetitive. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted August 31, 2016 Report Share Posted August 31, 2016 Welcome Clare 1, please stay..we don't bite!! I did disco's at the girls halls of residence at Leeds Uni,Beeston was where I used to kip. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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