Swindon Town Centre

[Ardiles]

I rarely find myself in the centre of Swindon these days - but sometimes walk through on my way from the pub to home games.  What strikes me is how little the place has changed since I left Swindon for the last time nearly 10 years ago.

And this is what I don't understand.  The last 10 years have seen something of an economic boom (albeit one fulled by excessive levels of credit), and neighbouring towns and cities have forged ahead with development plans of their own.  Bristol and Reading, in particular, have improved their centres immeasurably.  Even though I live nearly 20 miles away from Reading, we frequently make the trip there for shopping etc., and I have to say it's rather good.

But Swindon, a similar sized place, isn't even on the same page - and can't understand why.  Why has Swindon stagnated?  How did the boom town of the 1980s become an 'also ran'?  I don't live there any more, but have many friends who do and still have a great affection for the place (not to mention STFC).  So I find it very sad to see the town failing when, surely, it should have moved on so much more than it has.

[michael]

I am just about to take me and my disposable income off to the new shopping precinct in Bristol to buy myself some new shoes and other tangible goods.

My carbon footprint is bigger than Jesus.

[Sippo]

Its in 'progress'. They're developing the town centre.

Look at the massive 'waste of money' screen they've whacked up on the side of a car park.

[Ardiles]

Its in 'progress'. They're developing the town centre.

Really?!

But this is my point.  I know there's some sort of plan to do something in Swindon, but nothing seems to be happening.  In the time it's taken the authorities in Swindon to put a screen up on the side of a car park, other places have built shopping centres, link roads, bars, restaurants.  Why is it that Swindon's plans remain 'in progress' while other places have gone on to complete their projects?  Like I said, I don't get it.

[flammableBen]

I think part of the problem is that generally the people of Swindon aren't bothered. They'll agree that the town centre is shit, but whenever anybody suggests something a bit different then the negativity sets in and it's all a waste of money and there's no point.

This is why the people of Swindon should be ignored and someone should be allowed to go mental, or all we'll ever end up with is identikit shopping zones.

I quite like the screen. And the canal idea.

[Batch]

Agreed Ardiles, if Basingstoke can manage it, Swindon should have. You have to wonder if they have left it all too late now the economy is ruined.

[Arnold.J.Rimmer]

there are big plans to redevelop the whole of the town centre. http://www.newswindon.co.uk/regenerationAreas/

A deal was signed last month to redevelop Regent Place (morley street car park) for retail, leisure and residential use and the college at Regent circus will be replaced with bars, cafe's, hotel and a cinema.

[Arnold.J.Rimmer]

Really?!

But this is my point.  I know there's some sort of plan to do something in Swindon, but nothing seems to be happening. 

the library is almost finished

[Ardiles]

the library is almost finished

Would that be the library I remember being talked about when I was a child in the 1980s?

[janaage]

It is a disgrace, I mean why hasn't that college been knocked down at the bottom of Vic Hill?  It's an eye sore of the highest order, why keep a empty derelict building standing in the centre of town like that.

[LucienSanchez]

I also like the canal idea, but am struggling to see why they don't use the old original route and seem to be hell bent on running it down Faringdon Road - one of the main roads into the town. There is probably a reason, but i've yet to find it.

[Barry Scott]

The biggest problem imo, is Swindon is ran by a bunch of village idiots. The town progressed and grew, but the town was still being run and poorly managed by people stuck in the past, with a village mentality opposing progression.

Inevitably, growth isn't going to happen when we have a council that doesn't have a scrap of foresight or inspired thought between them. Once i get my assassin licence...

[Don Rogers Shop]

It is a disgrace, I mean why hasn't that college been knocked down at the bottom of Vic Hill?  It's an eye sore of the highest order, why keep a empty derelict building standing in the centre of town like that.

There are no builders doing any work in today's climate

[flammableBen]

Bloody global warming.

[Fred Elliot]

There are no builders doing any work in today's climate

I know

its cold as fuck here this morning