Thetownend.com

Quite interesting article that talks about the lack of new anything in Bristol, specifically stadiums. Compares it with Cardiff too, which amuses me greatly as it's likely to piss off Bristolians.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-24924792

They have had a city centre redeveloped. Cardiff is the capital of Wales, hence the national stadium. Bristol should build one decent stadium that city and rovers could share  :)

They sure know how to redevelopment stuff though. The transformation of the Harbourside area in the last 10 years is very impressive, great area now.

I'll drink to that, hadn't been to central Bristol in years till a few months ago and barely recognised the place.

If we could do half of what they've done in Brizzle City Centre to our town centre over the past decade, Swindon would be a much better place to live and work. But while they've got on with it, our lot have pissed about and focused on the important issues - Riki Hunt's wifi scam and building yet more out of town developments to ensure that in the unlikely event we ever do regenerate the town centre, it's got no chance of succeeding. Hurrah for strategic vision!

I love Swindon - I grew up there, I still think of it in some way as home, and of course its home to my club.  However, having been away 11 years and lived and worked in towns with far less favourable locations and economic opportunities achieving impressive and sustainable redevelopments, I'm sad to say that when I come back and see Swindon Town center it makes me quite angry.  Surely, it could and should be a nicer, more welcoming and desirable place that it is.

We Swindonians have no reason to mock Bristol. Our town is a disgrace thanks to the bloody awful councils past and present. A sprawl of houses with no infrastructure or culture.

How about this...

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jan/12/bristols-streets-history-horror-slavery

This

Yay for another round of Swindon bashing!

Same for me, having been away 11 years myself, it has so much potential yet achieved nothing.

It's not really. If it was just people saying "Oooh, Swindon's a shithole" with no basis then fair enough. But look at what Reading, Bristol etc have done in the same time our council have sat on their hands (or pointed fingers at each other) and look at the abject failure to progress our town centre and tell me there isn't a problem there? The town is being allowed to rot through neglect, incompetence and failure of political will. if anything, it's council bashing, not Swindon bashing

Same here. Even my wife who first visited Swindon 15 years ago remarks on the decline she has seen in that period.

They are building another cinema though on the old college site.

Wahoo!

I was born and dragged up in the Medway Towns area. My link to Swindon was born when I met SWMBO and decided to stay attached. I started to visit the town in the early 80's and my link developed when Swindon was one of the fastest developing towns in Europe.

Oh how times change.

Swindon's fine, it's not a shit hole, it's just not Bristol - which is a splendid city.

You haven't been to south brizzle then Dave?

That applies to anywhere in the world. Manchester is the coolest city in the UK (except London) but I wouldn't hang around Moss Side.

Agree with earlier comments.  There is a big difference between pointless Swindon-bashing/giving abuse and constructive criticism.  Pointing out aspects of the town that could (and should) be improved is healthy, in my view.

The opening post in the 'Swindon Town Centre' thread I started more than 5 years ago, sadly, still holds just as true today as it did then.

TEF (Oct 2008): Swindon Town Centre (http://thetownend.com/index.php?topic=31343.0)

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.

OH GOD I DIDN'T MEAN IT TO END UP LIKE THIS WHAT HAVE I DONE

Oooh, Swindon's a shithole

I can't wait until a new cinema and a fucking nandos fix the town centre.

This. I don't hate Swindon. But by christ do I fucking despise the council and the way they've neglected the town centre and occasionally spend money on harebrained schemes that only damage it further.

Agree with you and PaulD.

Having that loathesome cunt Martin is mayor and the equally loathesome cunt Perkins is around sums up where Swindon are as a town.

yep,also lets not forget they sold the good ol Tabernacle for zilch...spent £360,000 quid on buying it back,just to keep it in storge :hmmm: :hmmm:

Where it still is in slumber.

+1
Remember a while back that the Oasis was going to be revamped(sold) and turn into a top class leisure facillity,including the largest indoor ski slope in Europe  :yay:
As an aside.The Deers Leap has been revamped and is quite tidy.
Goes to show that the impossible can be achieved.