Sha Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 quote;-"If delivered, the Bridge Street Quarter will contain 800,000 sq ft of commercial space including a new market hall, shops, cinema, bars and restaurants. New office accommodation for the council is likely to underpin the development and the council said compulsory purchase orders will probably be needed to assemble the site." Whilst being in such 'dire straights' as to have even had to charge for use of the town centre public toilets the 'wonder boys of WBC' are still determined to go ahead with a ?200 million 'Town centre renewal'. Worrying or what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 Its been clear for some time that the lunatics have taken over the asylum This is just typical of the political mindset - cost means nothing to them because its not their money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harry hayes Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 It's a funny time for doing it, provided it gets the go ahead. I assume the vast majority of the money will come from private and government sources However, that part of the town is rapidly going downhill and something has to be done, and it will at least provide work. Happy days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legion Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 At the risk of being repetitive my biggest nark is the way that Warrington has turned into a clone town with the big names eating all the prime retail space. Warrington was founded as a market town. we have hundreds of shops lying empty in town center thanks to the extortionate rates being charged to lease them small shops newsagent sized iro ?1million a year. no room for the small businessman in this town. so if they are going to spend ?200million redeveloping the area what will the rates be then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 The problem with this is, that it's not "the Town Centre", but a segment of it. So they'll be making the same mistake as they did with Golden Square and it's extension, which drew retail away from Bridge St in the first place. It would be far better to come up with an holistic plan for the whole of the T/C rather than these piece meal, developer driven opportunistic ventures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 I completely agree with you there Obs and like Legion also points out the rent and business rates charged on town centre premises is extrtionate and will scare many prospective businesses off. I would imagine they will get a lower 'enticement' rate for the first couple of years but then it will shoot up and businesses will move on or struggle to survive. Will be interesting to see if any move out of the golden square to the new business quarter... or indeed if any of the existing market traders will be able to afford to stay/go into the newly proposed market hall. A cinema sounds good though... maybe it can go back in the old cinema building that then became Mr Smiths/Halo Infact let's just put the whole of Warrington back to how it was years ago... it was no worse than it is now even though so much has been spent on it in recent years... infact maybe it was even better before Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 A New market hall. They're joking. Do they realise how many stalls have closed because of their extortionate rates? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 Exactly... but as the current Market is almost DEAD thanks to the Golden Square and demise of Bridge Street then I would hope that the council or 'whoever' funds the new market development will take into account the traders who have persevered in the depths of the despair of the existing market and offer them the same rates as they are currently paying.. or preferably LESS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 You only need to look at the contrived access/exit arrangements for the GS extension and the pathetic round-about access to the bus station, to get a sense of the opportunism and myopia of the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomJenningsMYP Posted February 28, 2011 Report Share Posted February 28, 2011 Can anyone link to me to this information? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted February 28, 2011 Report Share Posted February 28, 2011 Not sure if this is the info you meant Tom... but here is the 'master plan' document for the Bridge Street Quarter development drawn up in 2008. Not read it myself yet as it's huge..... there may be a newer version though. http://www.warringtonandco.co.uk/Images/BridgeStQtr_Final_report_tcm37-36274.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted February 28, 2011 Report Share Posted February 28, 2011 Didn't the original include demolishing the NEW Youth Centre? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted February 28, 2011 Report Share Posted February 28, 2011 Just a thought but as this Bridge Street Quarter development has not actually started yet and investors are required.. not to mention the timescales involved then....... rather than spen money revamping an old bank buiding wouldn't it be a better idea to turn the boarded up Time Square pub into the teenagers cafe bar for now as it already has similar facilities to a cafe/bar and is all on one level and open plan so easier to manage. Seems a waste for it to just be borded up doing nothing since the council bought it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted February 28, 2011 Report Share Posted February 28, 2011 STOP thinking outside of the box. Why has Times Square shut? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted February 28, 2011 Report Share Posted February 28, 2011 I will think 'wherever' I want to think Peter It's an annoying little yuppee/management saying that ie 'thinking outside of the box'. It doesn't annoy me as much as when people say 'I'll touch base with you later'.... anyway.... I have no idea why Time Square Pub has shut but when I went past last week all the windows and doors had metal sheets over them and it was clearly borded up. I just presumed it had either gone bust but then remembered Andy Farrell saying the council had acquired/bought all the buildings around there not so long ago to pave the way for their special quarter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 I will think 'wherever' I want to think Peter It's an annoying little yuppee/management saying that ie 'thinking outside of the box'. It doesn't annoy me as much as when people say 'I'll touch base with you later'.... anyway.... I have no idea why Time Square Pub has shut but when I went past last week all the windows and doors had metal sheets over them and it was clearly borded up. I just presumed it had either gone bust but then remembered Andy Farrell saying the council had acquired/bought all the buildings around there not so long ago to pave the way for their special quarter. OK thanks. I like the "outside of the box" one as it can highlight peoples limitations ie council. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 Well back to my Time Square Pub plan........ forget it as just been past and it's up for sale by Fleurets in Manchester. ?100,000 LONG LEASEHOLD & CONTENTS ?Prominent position ?Modern town centre unit ?Open plan trading areas ?3 bed accommodation ?May suit alternative use (SPP) I thought the council were getting compulsary purchase orders on the buildings round Time Square ... I'm confused now.. maybe that was just Bridge Street etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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