Swindon Town Centre

[horlock07]

I walked through the town centre at Christmas when i visited my dad, The town centre and most of the town has fallen to a state of dystopia, mis managed, lack of investment whatever. its pawn shops and bookies, boarded up windows. Walkabout used to be ok, but its called the liquor lounge?? (I imagine that is shut now)

It's quite bad, a shame  

As is pretty much every town centre in England, not sure who you think should be managing it, but with the changes in the PD rules there is even less that Councils can do through the planning system. Ultimately its up to freeholders what they do with their properties and at the moment many seem to be struggling to come up with solutions and are just sitting on their hands hoping for th9ings to miraculously change for the better.

Main issue is people now buy stuff online so bricks and mortar retailing is dying on its arse, I know I bang on about this a lot but its no different to post offices/pubs etc people don't use them, then moan like fuck when they close.

With the changes in PD from office/retail to residential as noted above the big coming change is that town centres are going to become much more residential based, so going back to how they historically were, and whilst there will be a degree of revitalisation of trade/leisure etc to service that, town centres as we grew up with them have pretty much gone.

What the Councils can do is to embrace this and use the radical changes to make towns generally more accessible/attractive/safer for pedestrians/cyclists etc, we need to depend less on cars in this country, other countries have managed it so don't understand why its such a non starter over here.

[derbystfc]

I moved to Swindon in 2005, and the council published a 50 point plan for the town centre. I moved out of Swindon in 2010.

it's now 2023, how much of that 50 point plan has been done? have no idea but I'm sure it's a pretty low number.

[Posh Red]

I've never lived in Swindon, but a few years back we came down and stayed for a couple of nights to go to a show at the Wyvern, watch the Town play & go to the Ice Hockey.

My other half, who is originally from Poole, actually thought the |Town centre was ok, in fact she said much nicer than Poole is.

I do wonder if its just a case of people not being able to see beyond the warts of their own Town

[sir windon]

Yeah I mentioned this the last home game I went to, we walked from the Glue Pot through the town and it was what I imagine a zombie apocolypse might be like. Seemingly the only services available in that part of town were for people that Vape, gamble or drink alcohol. The old Debenhams building looming over the area like a degenerate God.

It sounds like the regeneration is going to take quite a while, that bus bit is slated for completion autumn next year. It's not even remotely comparable for lots of reasons but when we lived in London the Battersea Power Station regeneration seemed to happen almost overnight, it's pretty sad that places outside of the capital seem to take so long to get anything done about them for one reason or another.

We're a decent place to be in the case of a zombie apocalypse apparently...
https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/23323522.swindon-ranked-among-best-places-survive-zombie-apocalypse/

[Batch]

I do wonder if its just a case of people not being able to see beyond the warts of their own Town

That, or Poole is a massive shit hole from hell
--
Swindon's shop offering has declined massively in the last 2-3 years

To be fair, Swindon's problems are far from unique. But at the same time, if I had a choice I'd rather shop at the last place I lived near. Basingstoke.

[BambooToTheFuture]

But at the same time, if I had a choice I'd rather shop at the last place I lived near. Basingstoke.

That feels very telling of how bad Swindon Town centre is. I always found Basingstoke, whilst practical, very uninspiring and soulless; maybe that's the point you are making that you'd rather spend time there than in Swindon. The Anvil is an ok venue though but again, nothing from the outside of it to really wow anybody.

The joys of a nodnoL commuter town ey 

[Batch]

Genuinly just prefer Basingstoke centre to our own - more modern precinct. They used to have a slightly worse shop selection, but they did have a cinema and restaurants which I used to live 10 minutes walk from.

I hoped regents circus would promote a similar vibe and resurgence, but it just died on its arse.

To be fair I've not been back to Basingstoke for 2 or 3 years, it could be barren now too.

Old Basingstoke was a soulless hellhole of shite when we first moved there. They knocked down a massive area of the centre and started again. Festival place was opened in 2002.

[molepar]

Regents circus has the potential to be a good social hub. A few of the restaurants have shut and I think it’s now just Nando’s, cinema and boom battle bar. Anyone know if there are plans for any new restaurants in there?

[Batch]

Anyone know if there are plans for any new restaurants in there?

No. So many have been and gone I guess viability is a bit suspect

[molepar]

No. So many have been and gone I guess viability is a bit suspect

I thought that may be the case. It’s a shame as with all the units filled it looks like a buzzing, vibrant area. I suppose there are quite a few competing restaurants in the adjacent area.

[Jimmy HaveHave]

People I know that used the restaurants complained that they were too expensive but anything nice is always going to be costly it just depends on what you want and can afford.

[Legends-Lounge]

People I know that used the restaurants complained that they were too expensive but anything nice is always going to be costly it just depends on what you want and can afford.

Anywhere in the € zone or the $ zone is expensive in relative terms. I’m currently in SA. Fuck me, cheap? You’ve no idea unles you’ve been here. Teneriffe in the winter? Benidorm? No way Hose. This is the place to get an air B&B for six months.

[molepar]

Anywhere in the € zone or the $ zone is expensive in relative terms. I’m currently in SA. Fuck me, cheap? You’ve no idea unles you’ve been here. Teneriffe in the winter? Benidorm? No way Hose. This is the place to get an air B&B for six months.

What are the going rates like for the staples like beer, food etc?

[Bennett]

People I know that used the restaurants complained that they were too expensive but anything nice is always going to be costly it just depends on what you want and can afford.

From memory they were all chains, or at least have online menus...I am always amazed people complain at prices

[Jimmy HaveHave]

From memory they were all chains, or at least have online menus...I am always amazed people complain at prices

I think you're right they were all chains.