'Save the Odeon' appeal is rejected (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

How long will it's replacement last?

A curious turnaround of opinion.

I suppose this means there is no impediment left now for them to send in the wrecking ball. Shame. Call me naive but I held on to the slender possibility that the council, given time, would come to their senses (hah!) and eventually capitulate to the demands of nearly all Bradford residents in their appeals to modify the building into the much-needed concert venue. Alas, too late: it'll either end up as the proposed and dismal 'mixed use' scheme or - as likely given this council's record - be demolished and left as empty wasteland (which, in time, will get turfed over and tagged on to the eagerly-awaited 'city park' that we all clamoured for..)

“nationally important monuments and archaeological remains in England”-
If this is the case, why have English Heritage given the status to the Park Hill flats in Sheffield which are neither.

It probably didn't help that the council wouldn't have backed it. A bit like the crossrail scheme and various other useful schemes. They'd rather build a pointless pond.

Another missed opportunity. Add it to the list. Alexandra Hotel, Swan Arcade, Kirkgate Market etc etc etc.

Back to basics. Why does Bradford have little footfall? Because there are hardly any shops or 'things to do'. That leaves the city centre littered with drunkards and lowlifes, worsening its image and making it even less appealing.

Solution? Build a new hotel, offices and resteraunts and bars?.... Really?? Who in their right mind is going to want to open an office in a town where business rates and greater than Leeds (i heard on the grape vine), or open a bar where the only clientèle are unemployed alocholics.

Start with the basics. Make the place look nice. They've done something to tick that box with the city park and heritage streets. Well done council!

Secondly, encourage business to set up in the empty shops that you have just repaved around. Offer them incentives like reduced business rates (its not like your making anything off them now).

Thirdly, build stuff for people to do! Bradford is boring because there is not a lot to do. We could do with a nice concert venue, akin to an o2 academy, where people will come from all over to watch a large concert, after which they will go out into a safe city centre, spend some money in the resteraunts and bars, before hitting the hay in one of the new hotels.


Couple this with good policing of the lager louts and this will create a thriving city centre.

Am I wrong? Probably not. Am I dreaming? Most likely. Will I see this happen? Definitely not.

Come on council, create the demand first, then watch all the companies fight to grab a shop unit facing No.1 City Park, Bradford.

So will it now be knocked down and left a waste site site like Westfield?
Why not knock down what remains of Market Street and we can have grass and parks all the way from Canal Road to Thornton Road with the Council in thier City Hall in the middle.

Knocking down the Odeon will only reveal the ruins behind it - a row of dilapidated mills that are falling down.

Bradford needs a concert venue or something to bring in people with money to spend.

An anonymous office block isn't going to attract many people to the city. You need to create attractions that will provide a market for shops, bars and restaurants.

Ok so now what? Is it getting knocked down or being left as a danger and eyesore?

Mekon wrote:
Ok so now what? Is it getting knocked down or being left as a danger and eyesore?

Being "wilfully neglected" would be a more more accurate description.

Knocking it down will only reveal other "eyesores" behind it.

Will the council keep knocking things down all the way up Thornton Rd as they're eyesores all the way up it?

This city is going to have so many open spaces it's going to look like it did before the industrial revolution!

futurethinking wrote:
Back to basics. Why does Bradford have little footfall? Because there are hardly any shops or 'things to do'. That leaves the city centre littered with drunkards and lowlifes, worsening its image and making it even less appealing.

Solution? Build a new hotel, offices and resteraunts and bars?.... Really?? Who in their right mind is going to want to open an office in a town where business rates and greater than Leeds (i heard on the grape vine), or open a bar where the only clientèle are unemployed alocholics.

Start with the basics. Make the place look nice. They've done something to tick that box with the city park and heritage streets. Well done council!

Secondly, encourage business to set up in the empty shops that you have just repaved around. Offer them incentives like reduced business rates (its not like your making anything off them now).

Thirdly, build stuff for people to do! Bradford is boring because there is not a lot to do. We could do with a nice concert venue, akin to an o2 academy, where people will come from all over to watch a large concert, after which they will go out into a safe city centre, spend some money in the resteraunts and bars, before hitting the hay in one of the new hotels.


Couple this with good policing of the lager louts and this will create a thriving city centre.

Am I wrong? Probably not. Am I dreaming? Most likely. Will I see this happen? Definitely not.

Come on council, create the demand first, then watch all the companies fight to grab a shop unit facing No.1 City Park, Bradford.

No, you're not wrong and there are some excellent points.
There must be a stage where the number of hotel rooms will reach saturation point and an older ones such as the Hilton or Victoria will close because of the ridiculously cheap offers that Jurys are giving.
An O2 Academy like cities much smaller than Bradford have (converted cinemas- ring any bells?) would attract thousands of people with disposable income in to the city.
Regardless of whether it's just a perception, people won't go in the city because they think it's unsafe. Either the perception needs to change or it actually needs to become safer.
No doubt there are good reasons why none of this can happen, so it would be nice for Messers Green & MacRuari who only ever appear when there's a cheap platitude to be made to actually explain to the people paying their wages what their actual strategy is (assuming there is one)
Rant Over.

angry bradfordian wrote:
“nationally important monuments and archaeological remains in England”- If this is the case, why have English Heritage given the status to the Park Hill flats in Sheffield which are neither. It probably didn't help that the council wouldn't have backed it. A bit like the crossrail scheme and various other useful schemes. They'd rather build a pointless pond.

Park Hill is one of the best examples of architecture of its time that is left in this country. Whilst the Odeon is an important local landmark, its not exactly nationally important.

Off topic, but what happened to the 'Incident at St Jospeh's' story comments?

Curious.

futurethinking wrote:
Back to basics. Why does Bradford have little footfall? Because there are hardly any shops or 'things to do'. That leaves the city centre littered with drunkards and lowlifes, worsening its image and making it even less appealing. Solution? Build a new hotel, offices and resteraunts and bars?.... Really?? Who in their right mind is going to want to open an office in a town where business rates and greater than Leeds (i heard on the grape vine), or open a bar where the only clientèle are unemployed alocholics. Start with the basics. Make the place look nice. They've done something to tick that box with the city park and heritage streets. Well done council! Secondly, encourage business to set up in the empty shops that you have just repaved around. Offer them incentives like reduced business rates (its not like your making anything off them now). Thirdly, build stuff for people to do! Bradford is boring because there is not a lot to do. We could do with a nice concert venue, akin to an o2 academy, where people will come from all over to watch a large concert, after which they will go out into a safe city centre, spend some money in the resteraunts and bars, before hitting the hay in one of the new hotels. Couple this with good policing of the lager louts and this will create a thriving city centre. Am I wrong? Probably not. Am I dreaming? Most likely. Will I see this happen? Definitely not. Come on council, create the demand first, then watch all the companies fight to grab a shop unit facing No.1 City Park, Bradford.

Nice ideas, but who is going to provide a concert venue and how can the council create the demand when we're in the middle of a pretty dire economic downturn?

The £4million Council overspend on the pond would have sorted the Library!!

futurethinking wrote:
Back to basics. Why does Bradford have little footfall? Because there are hardly any shops or 'things to do'. That leaves the city centre littered with drunkards and lowlifes, worsening its image and making it even less appealing.

Solution? Build a new hotel, offices and resteraunts and bars?.... Really?? Who in their right mind is going to want to open an office in a town where business rates and greater than Leeds (i heard on the grape vine), or open a bar where the only clientèle are unemployed alocholics.

Start with the basics. Make the place look nice. They've done something to tick that box with the city park and heritage streets. Well done council!

Secondly, encourage business to set up in the empty shops that you have just repaved around. Offer them incentives like reduced business rates (its not like your making anything off them now).

Thirdly, build stuff for people to do! Bradford is boring because there is not a lot to do. We could do with a nice concert venue, akin to an o2 academy, where people will come from all over to watch a large concert, after which they will go out into a safe city centre, spend some money in the resteraunts and bars, before hitting the hay in one of the new hotels.


Couple this with good policing of the lager louts and this will create a thriving city centre.

Am I wrong? Probably not. Am I dreaming? Most likely. Will I see this happen? Definitely not.

Come on council, create the demand first, then watch all the companies fight to grab a shop unit facing No.1 City Park, Bradford.

I agree in theory that is what the city needs but for the council to actually do that is near impossible. I don't see the logic behind them leaving the shops/offices vacant instead of offering reduces\free business rates, in fact offering grants and incentives.

PS Those talking about making the city centre safer, what makes it more unsafe or dangerous to other city centres or part of the city?

Patrick Bateman wrote:
Off topic, but what happened to the 'Incident at St Jospeh's' story comments?

Curious.

The animal got caught.

knock it down and build a pound shop

Knock it down and make another big hole - were getting used to them now.