General Category > Chesterfield Discussion
Chesterfield.. booming town or doss hole!
Sorastro:
Over the past few weeks there has been much debate about the state of Chesterfield town and it's centre. I believe I kicked it off a few weeks back with a letter in the D.T. about how Chesterfield had "had it's day". This was countered by a D.T. reporters opinion and a business owner in the towns opinion about how "vibrant" it was and I'd got it all wrong and subsequent letters, for and against,on the subject.
Since the start of the year my bank of 50 plus years rode off into the sunset, M&S are moving, the rear of Burlington house on Burlington street STILL looks like a bombs site, the building on Knifesmithgate {known as the Vic veranda} that building is owned {apparently} by a company in London {who probably don't even know where Chesterfield is} and now Eyres have gone bang leaving a big empty property just like Elder way, that apparently is still only half full, and the old Council offices on Saltergate, the market is a joke and to top it all the car parking charges have recently gone up.
The only NEW building I can see is the Northern gateway building on the donut island, I'll give it five years and it will be a fast food outlet.
The new multi storey car park opposite looks like a psychedelic cheese grater, it's a carbuncle .
As I put in my D.T. letter virtually everything I need I can get by going to Clay Cross and it's free parking, I find less and less reasons to visit Chesterfield.
smithy266:
It is just so easy and quick to buy online these days....but you cannot beat wandering around the shops, it is a much more social way to shop...The out-of-town developments don't help though....car parking charges....etc.
Old Cruser:
I'm wondering what Clay Cross will be like after all the alterations have been completed?
Chesterfield is a let down now for us!
Sorastro:
According to what appears in the D.T. it looks like the town centre will eventually end up being just up market flats and yuppy bars and the businesses of Chesterfield will end up on the periphery.
Every time someone mentions a large empty building in town there's talk of flats.
wollygobble:
Booming town or doss hole? A bit of both. I think the town as a whole IS booming as far as business is concerned, but the former shopping centre has taken a double hit. Having expanded southwards across Markham Road in the boom years (crucially with free parking), it has now been hit by internet shopping. Shrinkage is inevitable, but because both shops and shoppers want to be where the free parking is, it's shrinking from the north (Co-op, Victoria Centre, Knifesmithgate and now Eyres and M&S).
Free parking is key. Markham Road is the new town centre. Yet still the council persists with its famed Northern Gateway, with its row of empty units forever proclaiming "coming soon" eateries. It will soon be a gateway to nowhere.
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