Arcade Odysseus - John Menzies

Bods

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Agreed. I was in Kirkcaldy town centre at the weekend. Don't get me wrong, there are some great things about the place. The hight street, however, is not one of them. An absolute sh1th0le of boarded up stores, vape shops and pound shops. Ugly and dodgy AF. It was genuinely depressing walking round that and remembering what we used to have. I suppose we're all to blame for buying our stuff from Amazon and the like. For me, it's getting to the point that I'd happily pay more to buy local... if only it was a possibility...

not been to the town centre there, just that old derelict hospital :LOL: just put in town centre to have a look on google, now there's a surprise

Kirkcaldy is undergoing a major £20 million waterfront and town centre redevelopment backed by the UK Government's Growth Mission Fund. Led by Fife Council alongside design firms Collective Architecture and Montagu Evans, the masterplan focuses on tearing down derelict structures, boosting local business connections, and creating modern public green spaces. Funny as I thought We have loads of green spaces outside of town centres but for some reason they want them where shops should be (can't imagine why they want more living space in city centres,15 minutes anyone) easy to monitor everyone I guess

Yeah just same as every other town centre, Car Park Demolition: Removal of the multi-storey Thistle Street and Esplanade car parks to clear outdated structures.
New Waterfront Park: Creation of an Esplanade park and better pedestrian links between the High Street and the seafront
Growth and Community Hub: Development of a flexible multi-use building featuring event spaces, exhibition areas, and a café inspired by Adam Smith.
Affordable Housing: Separate brownfield high street plans adding dozens of new residential apartments

They are knocking down car parks in loads of em, take Solihull for example big decent carpark next to Morrisons with petrol station in front GONE ready for more Inner City Living Space (Flats) Coffee Places the usual useless crap no doubt with more emphasis on cycling and walking
https://www.solihull.gov.uk/about-council/mell-square-masterplan

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I was going to M&S in Witney few months back, looking where I could Park, oh what a surprise plans to close Car Park to build on it yep living space

The controversial redevelopment plan for Witney's Woodford Way car park by West Oxfordshire District Council proposes replacing a major free long-stay public parking area with roughly 70 affordable social homes. Following massive public pushback and petitions with thousands of signatures, the council revised the scheme to include 77 public parking spaces (including EV bays) alongside resident allocations, though local opposition and debate over town-centre parking capacity continue

Same thing I find In Kettering, plans to redevelop area with more car parks going
Again in Birmingham

The Birmingham Central Heart Prospectus, which outlines one of the most exciting investment opportunities in the UK, has been unveiled
  • Proposals include over 5,000 homes, up to 8,000 jobs, over 400,000 sqm of commercial floorspace and over 7 hectares of new public space.
  • A new Birmingham Central Heart Prospectus sets out plans to transform around four hectares of under-used retail and office space at the heart of the city into a vibrant mixed-use neighbourhood, supported by new transport connections, green spaces and public realm improvements.
The ambition is to double green space in the central area, creating new places to relax, play and meet in the city’s busiest streets.
Unlock major improvements to streets, squares and green spaces, including safer, more accessible routes for walking, wheeling and cycling and better connections to public transport. :LOL:

Seems like it's either contagious or one big coordinated plan for all City Centres to have less parking, more housing, more green space, more public transport, more walking, Cycling, more bars, restaurants while everyone has less money to spend in them and they are a dump I would never go apart from having to for work

Obviously Manchester is not being left out
Manchester is undergoing a massive building boom with major vertical growth and large-scale regeneration projects like the £4 billion Victoria North scheme, aiming to position the city as a leading global European metropole outside London
Skyscraper Boom: Manchester's skyline is expanding rapidly, with approved plans for 76-story skyscrapers (such as the project backed by Saloy near Lower Moseley Street) aiming to make it Europe's fourth tallest city by 2030
Expanded City Centre: Under draft local plans, Manchester's official city centre boundary is set to grow to absorb surrounding inner-city zones like Ancoats, New Islington, and Great Ducie Street
Affordable Housing: Delivery of localized brownfield and social housing projects continues alongside luxury high-rises, targeting local housing shortages
Victoria North: Spanning 155 hectares across seven neighborhoods, this 20-year project by FEC and Manchester City Council will deliver 15,000 new homes, parks, schools, and transport links.

Manchester City Centre’s vision for 2040 focuses on creating a zero-carbon, highly sustainable urban hub. Guided by the City Centre Transport Strategy and local growth plans, the city aims for 90% of morning peak travel to be via walking, cycling, or public transport, alongside tens of thousands of new homes and jobs
Active Travel: Walking and cycling will account for a massive share of movement, backed by expanded pedestrian-friendly corridors and safer junction upgrades
Public Transport: Greater integration via the Bee Network, targeting major boosts in Metrolink tram, bus, and rail capacity
Fewer Cars: Private car trips during peak hours are targeted to drop to just 10%, supported by a reduction in off-street parking spaces to repurpose land

Sounds so good I can't wait lol, funny when I last watched The Parole Officer Movie, I heard something that I didn't previously
In the 2001 comedy film The Parole Officer starring Steve Coogan, there isn't a famous or widely-quoted line delivered through a public address (PA) system
Funny because what he says is, We'll make it impossible for the cars to enter Manchester, Bicycles are a symbol of the New World Order, strange thing to say that ain't it :ROFLMAO:
 

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Sometimes I would really like to buy things local, today I had a look for some 30mm Steel Box Section, 2 places local came up, one 1/2 mile away it said until I find that's just head office :( not even got a store anywhere near head office, next place 12 mile away Online Seller, can collect after bought online, ffs I just wanna pop over get what I need and pay without handing over my life storey online prior to collection when they decide its okay
Other time I bought a big drill bit or tap from local engineering place I paid a fortune compared to what I could get off ebay for 2nd hand good make stuff like I bought so you can't win lol
Remember when you'd go out and hunt for something (thrill of the chase) maybe get some nice advice from friendly staff or a shop owner. Meet people on the way. Spot an old friend. Help an old lady across the road. Finally get the item you were looking for and feeling excited. All these types of scenarios we are not getting in the modern artificial shopping environment. Can remember being a kid in the 70s & 80s and the excitement in people's eyes while shopping. Maybe the family taking the kids out for food shopping on a Saturday afternoon and maybe a toy after for the children with their pocket money from a large selection of awesome retro toys. I can remember seeing pensioners, old boys and girls doing a small shop and sitting having a natter and meeting up with others then going for a cuppa. The same area now they would be too terrified to go out because of the crime and environment. I don't buy food shopping online, i go out and find what i need.
 

RygarR

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Where I got many cheap games / Barnstaple
Dude, that's Dunfermline.
 

Stokers

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Bristol's city centre has suffered greatly over the last 25 years. These days, I walk around like Marty McFly visiting the bad version of Hill Valley in Back to the Future Part II.

The Galleries was the biggest shopping centre when it opened in 1991, though it was quickly dealt the one-two punch of a recession and the opening of Cribbs Causeway in 1998. To add insult to injury, Cabot Circus opened virtually next door in 2008, further accelerating the decline of The Galleries and the surrounding streets. I worked in Electronics Boutique for about three years; I also used to skive off college (and university) to spend all day in the arcades or Virgin Megastore.

When I was at university, I'd finish for the day, have four pints of cider in the student union, and wander back into Virgin Megastore (or Zavvi, as it was by then) to make a few drunk DVD purchases. I have plenty of fond memories of the city centre, which makes seeing it now quite depressing.

There are the usual issues of decaying 1960s brutalist architecture, empty shops, and congestion. However, what really kills it for me is the rise of anti-social behaviour. The centre is regularly full of people wandering around drunk and screaming at nobody in particular, smoking massive joints, or using the doorway of a now-abandoned Greggs as a toilet. I understand that homelessness and addiction are terrible, complex issues, but the last time I took my son into town, I simply didn't want to be there.

Basically this (I didn't take this picture)

images


The Galleries in 2007
0_AD_BL_03-02-2025_galleries_02JPG.jpg

And in 2023
the-galleries-bristol-uk-v0-4i869vqh4r5c1.jpg


The art deco masterpiece Odeon Cinema in 1993
maxresdefault.jpg

And again in 2024
0_MS_BGS_09_07_25_Fire-3jpeg.jpg
 

RygarR

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Bristol's city centre has suffered greatly over the last 25 years. These days, I walk around like Marty McFly visiting the bad version of Hill Valley in Back to the Future Part II.

The Galleries was the biggest shopping centre when it opened in 1991, though it was quickly dealt the one-two punch of a recession and the opening of Cribbs Causeway in 1998. To add insult to injury, Cabot Circus opened virtually next door in 2008, further accelerating the decline of The Galleries and the surrounding streets. I worked in Electronics Boutique for about three years; I also used to skive off college (and university) to spend all day in the arcades or Virgin Megastore.

When I was at university, I'd finish for the day, have four pints of cider in the student union, and wander back into Virgin Megastore (or Zavvi, as it was by then) to make a few drunk DVD purchases. I have plenty of fond memories of the city centre, which makes seeing it now quite depressing.

There are the usual issues of decaying 1960s brutalist architecture, empty shops, and congestion. However, what really kills it for me is the rise of anti-social behaviour. The centre is regularly full of people wandering around drunk and screaming at nobody in particular, smoking massive joints, or using the doorway of a now-abandoned Greggs as a toilet. I understand that homelessness and addiction are terrible, complex issues, but the last time I took my son into town, I simply didn't want to be there.

Basically this (I didn't take this picture)

images


The Galleries in 2007
0_AD_BL_03-02-2025_galleries_02JPG.jpg

And in 2023
the-galleries-bristol-uk-v0-4i869vqh4r5c1.jpg


The art deco masterpiece Odeon Cinema in 1993
maxresdefault.jpg

And again in 2024
0_MS_BGS_09_07_25_Fire-3jpeg.jpg
Oh dear. O'Deans to Lidl. Not even a Wetherspoons? Sad times. The Galleries must have felt very fancy bitd.

As for Cribbs Causeway... those big out-of-town retail parks fired the starting pistol on high-street decline everywhere. Online retail just pushed it over the finishing line.

Kirkcaldy town centre was gubbed when the coonsil decided to allow high street chains to open at the Fife Central Retail Park - at the same time as ramping up the cost of town centre parking to the most expensive in this part of Fife.

The £20 million investment mentioned above will just about pay to rip out the worst parts of the decay. That, imo, is a good thing. But it won't bring anything back. The coonsil's determination to spend money on a local business growth hub (or whatever they're calling it) seems to be something they dreamt up after watching some US TV dramas. From what I can gather, small businesses don't need access to brainstorming hubs, or hi-speed internet. Tax breaks might help though...
 

John Bennett

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Yeah just same as every other town centre, Car Park Demolition: Removal of the multi-storey Thistle Street and Esplanade car parks to clear outdated structures.
New Waterfront Park: Creation of an Esplanade park and better pedestrian links between the High Street and the seafront
Growth and Community Hub: Development of a flexible multi-use building featuring event spaces, exhibition areas, and a café inspired by Adam Smith.
Affordable Housing: Separate brownfield high street plans adding dozens of new residential apartments

They are knocking down car parks in loads of em, take Solihull for example big decent carpark next to Morrisons with petrol station in front GONE ready for more Inner City Living Space (Flats) Coffee Places the usual useless crap no doubt with more emphasis on cycling and walking
https://www.solihull.gov.uk/about-council/mell-square-masterplan

To be fair, what else can you do?

Back when I was a kid it was out-of-town centres killing the 'central business district'. Now it's online shopping killing them all.

But online shopping is wonderful and we're not going to give it up, so the only obvious way to get people back into the city centres is to literally put people in them.
It might not lead to the revival of loads of department stores, but it might keep some shops alive and save a few nice historic buildings from sitting empty and then burning down (I'd even rather have vape shops and barbers than that too)

They're moving the marine college to our down centre as a last-ditch effort to save it. Not ideal, but I've no idea what else you do.
(for the record, I do like a walk through the shops, and I'd always go to town to get something rather than mail-order....when it is actually available)
 
To be fair, what else can you do?

Back when I was a kid it was out-of-town centres killing the 'central business district'. Now it's online shopping killing them all.

But online shopping is wonderful and we're not going to give it up, so the only obvious way to get people back into the city centres is to literally put people in them.
It might not lead to the revival of loads of department stores, but it might keep some shops alive and save a few nice historic buildings from sitting empty and then burning down (I'd even rather have vape shops and barbers than that too)

They're moving the marine college to our down centre as a last-ditch effort to save it. Not ideal, but I've no idea what else you do.
(for the record, I do like a walk through the shops, and I'd always go to town to get something rather than mail-order....when it is actually available)
When police, councils and governments let crime take over an area it doesn't help.
 

Bods

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Remember when you'd go out and hunt for something (thrill of the chase) maybe get some nice advice from friendly staff or a shop owner. Meet people on the way. Spot an old friend. Help an old lady across the road. Finally get the item you were looking for and feeling excited. All these types of scenarios we are not getting in the modern artificial shopping environment. Can remember being a kid in the 70s & 80s and the excitement in people's eyes while shopping. Maybe the family taking the kids out for food shopping on a Saturday afternoon and maybe a toy after for the children with their pocket money from a large selection of awesome retro toys. I can remember seeing pensioners, old boys and girls doing a small shop and sitting having a natter and meeting up with others then going for a cuppa. The same area now they would be too terrified to go out because of the crime and environment. I don't buy food shopping online, i go out and find what i need.

Parents would take us into town centre after Christmas, I bought some small lego kits with money I had and remember sitting in local Brucciani’s building it while we had Coffee/Tea and Scone, they apparently opened in 1937 and closed 2019 :(
Great Times.

Would love to see the old videos they used to run in Boots with the Computer Games Reviews and Top 10, there are some online from WH Smiths but not seen old boots ones, remember playing Kung Fu Master in there on the NES and watching Dragon's Lair on the Top 10 Video

When I get job in Banbury I used to park near the Range shop if it was after 6pm or Sunday as only single yellow, last visit they have put double yellow on that road now just to remove some free parking, go in the range carpark ANPR Camera's only ONE pay machine with big LCD screen you can barely read screen when sun shining and all you get is a QR Code no receipt, all this just adds to me never visiting Town Centres, there is so much more to all the Camera's, E-Gates etc and the Discount cards like Tesco Clubcard, Google was telling me some interesting stuff like your paying a Privacy Tax and kingtreelo has said a few times the internet will be turned off at somepoint, well it's close but it won't be turned off for everyone, will be inaccessible to anyone that doesn't give photo ID or accept Digital ID just like below the Total App Gatekeeping, well that's what Google AI was telling me anyway

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Parents would take us into town centre after Christmas, I bought some small lego kits with money I had and remember sitting in local Brucciani’s building it while we had Coffee/Tea and Scone, they apparently opened in 1937 and closed 2019 :(
Great Times.

Would love to see the old videos they used to run in Boots with the Computer Games Reviews and Top 10, there are some online from WH Smiths but not seen old boots ones, remember playing Kung Fu Master in there on the NES and watching Dragon's Lair on the Top 10 Video

When I get job in Banbury I used to park near the Range shop if it was after 6pm or Sunday as only single yellow, last visit they have put double yellow on that road now just to remove some free parking, go in the range carpark ANPR Camera's only ONE pay machine with big LCD screen you can barely read screen when sun shining and all you get is a QR Code no receipt, all this just adds to me never visiting Town Centres, there is so much more to all the Camera's, E-Gates etc and the Discount cards like Tesco Clubcard, Google was telling me some interesting stuff like your paying a Privacy Tax and kingtreelo has said a few times the internet will be turned off at somepoint, well it's close but it won't be turned off for everyone, will be inaccessible to anyone that doesn't give photo ID or accept Digital ID just like below the Total App Gatekeeping, well that's what Google AI was telling me anyway

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The first time i saw a NES was in Boots. They had a really cool display area with all those Black Box Nes Games (be worth a fortune now!) Even the WHS next to Boots had a massive selection of amazing retro toys like Motu, Thundercats, Transformers etc. (Now Smiths have hardly anything apart from overpiced board games!) Remember how magical Christmas was in the stores and high streets around these times. People in Christmassy spirits, religious or not. To much digital now. Everyone try and fight to keep cash alive and go spend and socialise in the wide open fresh air like our ancestors enjoyed for centuries which helps keep the communities alive and positive.
 
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