dippyhippy Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 Yes Two Wheels, I remember it well. Also have in the back of my mind, that before C and A took up this place, Debenhams were in the frame to go in there......but the Chadds family put a stop to it! Anyone else remember this??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SON OF GRIDKNOCKER Posted January 1, 2014 Report Share Posted January 1, 2014 Bit of lateral thinking coming up here, peeps. Probably far and away too sensible to ever get beyond first base when the Plough Lane suits take a look at it. TKMax is emigrating across the road to the Edgar Street Grid. The liquidator is going to have a hellava job finding a new anchor tenant for the vacated two-level space, yet Maylords without a powerful anchor will shrivel on the vine (sorry, I've got a feeling that there's three mixed metaphors in there already!). Right, ready? Offer the space to Herefordshire Council to fit out at its own expense as a new City Library (the Victorian building in Broad Street could eventually be turned into a full-scale Museum, Art Gallery & Visitor Centre with a whole gallery dedidicated to poor old Brian Hatton, whose family got well and truly stuffed some years ago when the gallery they'd paid to have built up in Churchill Gardens was closed by the Council). Good civic libraries are hugely successful anchors: take a look at Cardiff or see the crowds who flock into Worcester's wonderful Hive. Comments please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenda Powell Posted January 1, 2014 Report Share Posted January 1, 2014 Grid Knocker, I like your thinking, what an exellent idea TKMax premises as a library, and the library in Broad Street as a Art Gallery, Museum and Visitor Centre. There is much of our heritage locked away in the vaults that never see the light of day for lack of space to display it. There is a council meeting on 17th January why don't you write in as a member of the public and ask the question.HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dippyhippy Posted January 1, 2014 Report Share Posted January 1, 2014 I think this is a great idea Grid Knocker! I have long thought Tourist Information and the library should share premises, to save money, and hopefully jobs - your take on this situation ticks SO many more boxes, it's inspired!! Hope everyone had a great New Year last night, and aren't suffering from the consequences too much today! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragwert Posted January 1, 2014 Report Share Posted January 1, 2014 Doom and gloom merchants strike again Same old same old Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloudberry Posted January 1, 2014 Report Share Posted January 1, 2014 Lots of positive ideas for the New Year! Now how can we try and make some of them work, as part of a holistic, overall plan for central Hereford? If there are ways to get round the issues of land ownership, high business rates, and all the other funding problems, let’s find them! Like many on this thread I am very uneasy about the potential prosperity of OLM, as the spending boom has long gone. Most people have to check their spending very carefully, and that situation is not improving and could easily get worse if mortgage rates rise. So it will continue to be very hard for all retailers to maintain, (let alone increase), their profits. Anyway, we have a lot of empty premises, and we know we could put them to very good use to promote the assets of Hereford to attract more tourists and students. A traditional “university†probably wouldn’t work as Hereford would not attract top academic lecturers and would not be competitive for funding. But we do have a lot of local expertise and skills to share, including from retired people and other volunteers - everything from the geological and environmental research of the Woolhope Club to cider-making and knitting scarves for endangered trees! Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have galleries and workshops with a cafe in the Left Bank, so that visitors to Hereford could actually enjoy the river frontage? I really like the idea of moving the Library to the Maylords too, and making the present library premises solely a museum and gallery. The more there is for visitors to look at in Hereford, the more visitors we will get. And the more visitors, the more they will spend here in shops and cafes and help to keep our retailers in business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenda Powell Posted January 1, 2014 Report Share Posted January 1, 2014 Will you be using the facilities of the new development Glenda? I will no doubt have an invitation to the opening, but personally there will be nothing there that will attract me to spending my money there. Debenhams like a lot of the big names stores are not exclusive they have a lot of franchise departments from other shops within their stores.Waitrose is an expensive supermarket I do most of my shopping in M&S. I personally think shopping malls are 20 years out of date and desimates all other shops in a town, a prime example of that was in Newport Wales, the Kingsway Centre it did to Newport that is the OLM site is doing to Hereford KILLED IT! and that Centre was located as part of the high street shopping area! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted January 1, 2014 Report Share Posted January 1, 2014 Bit of lateral thinking coming up here, peeps. Probably far and away too sensible to ever get beyond first base when the Plough Lane suits take a look at it. TKMax is emigrating across the road to the Edgar Street Grid. The liquidator is going to have a hellava job finding a new anchor tenant for the vacated two-level space, yet Maylords without a powerful anchor will shrivel on the vine (sorry, I've got a feeling that there's three mixed metaphors in there already!). Right, ready? Offer the space to Herefordshire Council to fit out at its own expense as a new City Library (the Victorian building in Broad Street could eventually be turned into a full-scale Museum, Art Gallery & Visitor Centre with a whole gallery dedidicated to poor old Brian Hatton, whose family got well and truly stuffed some years ago when the gallery they'd paid to have built up in Churchill Gardens was closed by the Council). Good civic libraries are hugely successful anchors: take a look at Cardiff or see the crowds who flock into Worcester's wonderful Hive. Comments please? Sorry but this is a shopping centre smack bang in the middle of our city and in my opinion should be kept as one! A library oh yes that will please all of the other surrounding stores like Wilco... They should of took over the old tax office in Broad St right next door to the Museum, this would of been the perfect building, you could of then turned the current Museum/Library into this good idea of a visitors centre but I just don't like the idea of the library going into Maylord Orchards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dippyhippy Posted January 1, 2014 Report Share Posted January 1, 2014 Cloudberry, I think The Left Bank would make a wonderful craft village - we have many, many artists within our county, and collectively bringing their work and skills together would be fantastic! A craft village, café and a space for local music events could be a wonderful use of this beautiful space. It really is a crime that it's empty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twowheelsgood Posted January 1, 2014 Report Share Posted January 1, 2014 I'd support the idea of a library in Maylords - the additional footfall would be welcome by all of the shops I'm sure. It would need planning permission of course - and that’s where it all may go go a bit pear shaped - senior offices with their own agendas ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Beynon Posted January 1, 2014 Report Share Posted January 1, 2014 We can only hope that all the OLM hype was true and that Hereford will magically enjoy 10% more shoppers. Just how these people will actually get in and out of town with no significant infrastructure improvement remains to be seen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dippyhippy Posted January 1, 2014 Report Share Posted January 1, 2014 Excellent point, Harry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin James Posted January 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2014 I have added another 2 empty shops in Widemarsh Street we are now up to 39 and I have not been everywhere yet... Still, it was not that much different around 30 years ago... Photo courtesy of Old Hereford Pics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megilleland Posted January 2, 2014 Report Share Posted January 2, 2014 from left to right: at present - Hibiscus the florists, Powells the butcher and Cancer Research uk charity shop. In the background the ground looks cleared for inner ring road and Garrick House. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragwert Posted January 2, 2014 Report Share Posted January 2, 2014 Photos 2 and 6 are let.Will be furniture shop36 under offer now sold http://www.crossandjames.co.uk/detail.asp?propcode=CRJA_00105537 and 38 are part of the CPO's for urban development25 is under offerhttp://www.turnerandco.co.uk/details.asp?type=3&offset=10&propid=40816 is to be turned into self contained flatsYou missed the premier shop and black fronted shop next to it in high town.Both under offer.http://www.crossandjames.co.uk/detail.asp?propcode=CRJA_00103534 is under offer http://www.crossandjames.co.uk/detail.asp?propcode=CRJA_001048. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dippyhippy Posted January 2, 2014 Report Share Posted January 2, 2014 Blimey! Two furniture shops opening then! I see from an earlier post (page 1.) that Subway and the premises next to it are also to be a furniture store. If that's the case, good news! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twowheelsgood Posted January 2, 2014 Report Share Posted January 2, 2014 Photos 2 and 6 are let.Will be furniture shop 36 under offer now sold http://www.crossandjames.co.uk/detail.asp?propcode=CRJA_001055 37 and 38 are part of the CPO's for urban development 25 is under offerhttp://www.turnerandco.co.uk/details.asp?type=3&offset=10&propid=408 16 is to be turned into self contained flats You missed the premier shop and black fronted shop next to it in high town.Both under offer.http://www.crossandjames.co.uk/detail.asp?propcode=CRJA_001035 34 is under offer http://www.crossandjames.co.uk/detail.asp?propcode=CRJA_001048. 37 and 38 are not shown as part of the CPO's for urban development (according to the Council's Compensation Guide for Owners and Occupiers). I can't find a planning application for 16 (to be turned into self contained flats) and it wouldn't accord with policy anyway - where has this info come from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biomech Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 Just because something is under offer or let doesn't mean that it isn't currently empty or won't be empty for a period of time. I imagine that the River Island building is under some kind of ownership/let but that doesn't negate the fact that it's been a construction site for the last 3 odd years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twowheelsgood Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 G rowberry is not a shop anymore.It was bought in an auction earlier this year and plans are to convert into flats. The empty Phase eight store and the two empty shops next to it have been sold to a development company. The empty unit that was subway and the unit next to it have been knocked into one and will open as a furniture store early next year. There are around 260 shop units in the City with around 20 empty I see the former Subway and the unit next door are to become a charity shop selling furniture - rather different to a real shop selling furniture. Ok, it own't be standing empty, but it'll be a temporary arrangement - it avoids the landlord paying rates on an empty building and the charity have a rates concession. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aylestone Voice Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 I feel it is a shame that we get another charity shop but there must be a market for what they sell - and it is recycling. On balance I am happier to see the unit in use rather than empty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin James Posted January 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 G rowberry is not a shop anymore.It was bought in an auction earlier this year and plans are to convert into flats. The empty Phase eight store and the two empty shops next to it have been sold to a development company. The empty unit that was subway and the unit next to it have been knocked into one and will open as a furniture store early next year. There are around 260 shop units in the City with around 20 empty Yes, it's yet another charity shop! A second British Heart Foundation shop for Hereford...more of a business now than a charity shop. I have also added more empty shops from Maylord Orchards so we are now up to 42 shops and counting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aylestone Voice Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 How many are you aiming for!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin James Posted January 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 How many are you aiming for!!! I did not see it as a competition in fairness, just counting actual empty shops. I would rather see less than half a dozen but it's clearly way over that number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biomech Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 To be honest, that end of town is an absolute dive. It's like the back end of a shitty London street market. By all means, move your business in, whether it be a tat shop or a charity shop, but for gods sake make it look respectable. Are there not any rules on how these places need to appear? Dirty windows with stock lining the streets and the shop signage is a canvas banner hung over a half removed previous sign. It's absolutely disgusting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twowheelsgood Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 To be honest, that end of town is an absolute dive. It's like the back end of a shitty London street market. By all means, move your business in, whether it be a tat shop or a charity shop, but for gods sake make it look respectable. Are there not any rules on how these places need to appear? Dirty windows with stock lining the streets and the shop signage is a canvas banner hung over a half removed previous sign. It's absolutely disgusting. Its made all the worse by dirty streets with broken and sunken paving, huge puddles, broken, dirty and superfluous street furniture, litter and all that goes into making a shitty back end of a street market … except its meant to be one of our main shopping streets (for now at least). I am ashamed to walk through town these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biomech Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 I see they have "repaired"? a pothole? outside HSBC.... I should have taken a photo. What is a slabbed street covered in interlinking grey bricks, now has a huge misshapen dump of black tarmac in the middle. Anyone know why they haven't fixed the hole(?) with actual bricks like the rest of the road? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin James Posted January 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 I see they have "repaired"? a pothole? outside HSBC.... I should have taken a photo. What is a slabbed street covered in interlinking grey bricks, now has a huge misshapen dump of black tarmac in the middle. Anyone know why they haven't fixed the hole(?) with actual bricks like the rest of the road? This is off topic but feel free to create a new topic discussing pot holes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biomech Posted January 18, 2014 Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 Ah yeah sorry :P kind of went down the dire straight of high town.... On another note, I think you should follow the anti competitive / anti monopoly law angle on the hot food issue! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin James Posted January 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 Ah yeah sorry :P kind of went down the dire straight of high town.... On another note, I think you should follow the anti competitive / anti monopoly law angle on the hot food issue! Can you point me in the right direction? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biomech Posted January 19, 2014 Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 I popped a bit in the other thread here:http://www.herefordvoice.co.uk/topic/772-herefordshire-council-refused-my-hot-food-curfew-petition/ Essentially, I believe that the nightclubs serving hot food whilst forcing a curfew and refusal of longer hours on independent traders constitutes a monopoly - which is illegal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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