BlogPreston

Add my vote for a Roller Rink

Those all sound like great ideas, though I might betray my age by saying I have no idea what Mango, Zara and Mac are, still I’m the guy that tried to buy cufflinks and a tiepin from Fat Face.

I’d add plenty of seating for older people, at present the only way you can get to sit down in the city centre is if you also fork out for a cup of the overpriced froth that passes for coffee these days, oh, and a ‘changing places’ style toilet for people with severe disabilities.

I vote for the tai chi option!

So much to suggest, so little real chance of it happening!

Keep the Bus Station, an absolute must for the City. Pedestrianise the City Centre, re-draw the one-way system to make it less of a hassle to get from A-B via J.

Focus on improving the city centre in bits, not the “mini-Manchester in one go” idea which appears to have corrupted the minds of Town Hall peeps. Put a halt on the number of takeaways; promote independent shops like Tea Room on Cannon Street.

The free internet booths and free internet provision at the Harris must be retained…but the systems are so outdated and slow it’s becoming impossible to work properly. Investment (maybe more from the European Union through whom the booths came?) must be given to ensure those without internet access can still use these services in the future.

Preston is NOT some supersized city on the verge of greatness. The sooner our elected (and unelected!) types stop trying to turn it into Manchester, the better for all.

Before I start, I know I certainly don’t want anything like the current Tithebarn proposals, nor the proposed changes to the flag market. The latter riles me the most, why attempt to modernise something for the sake of it? I’m sure there’s a way of revitalising the square and keeping it’s originality and character. Otherwise it’s going to turn into a replica of many squares/plazas across the world.

As for the bus station… Well, if they were going to move it, it should have gone where the Aldi and Blockbuster are now. There’s nowhere else to move it to that would be an improvement. That said, the building itself is a disgrace and should be knocked down so we can start again. It looks terrible, it’s uninviting and it’s the type of place that just attracts troublemakers.

A city centre leisure facility is a must for me. West View and Fulwood are out of the way and a pain for many to get to. Incorporate one around a swimming pool and you’ve got a winner in my eyes.

I like the idea of a cultural/creative quarter, I’ve always felt something like that should be in place around Winckley square. It just feels like the right place to me and could revitalise the park without ruining it.

I also like the idea of an ice rink. Many people go to Blackburn or Altrincham to skate – it would retain a heck of a lot of money in the city.

A new city centre cinema. The Odeon should never have closed.

I’d also like to see more emphasis on independant cafes and eateries. I’m fed up of Starbucks, Costa Coffee and the like. Not only are they overpriced and overrated, but it’s turned Preston into an identikit city centre.

A better library/computer facilities are also a must. The Harris doesn’t feel too welcoming to me and other than that there’s only the University library.

That’s another thing – the University is getting far too much development when other projects that would benefit the local population get stalled and shelved. I know someone who tried to get affordable, social housing built on a few sites around Preston. The council refused to sign the contract, but kept signing off student accommodation left, right and centre.

Trams. We need trams. A good, clean, reliable, cheap tram network would be a godsend in this city.

I think that’s all for now!

Preston had an independent cinema at UCLan but hardly anyone in Preston bothered supporting it so it ended. I believe it’s run by the SU at UCLan now.

I’m not sure revamping the old Odeon in the town centre would be a good idea. Is that the one that’s now Lava Ignite? Isn’t it in the area that’s earmarked for demolition for Tithebarn? Personally, emerging from a Friday/Satruday night screening only to negotiate my way through the drunken, fighting, puking hordes on Fishergate isn’t something I’d find attractive.

I agree completely with River (above) that seeing the back of the Vision Board and NWDA, both unelected and unaccountable bodies, would be desirable. The Vision Board is basically a lobby group that works to further the aims of big business and big players such as UCLan. It doesn’t represent the people of Preston or their interests at all.

Having worked with the NWDA in the past, I can confirm that it is riddled with an inherent culture of wastefulness and inefficiency (as you might expect from an unelected, bureaucratic quango) which is compounded by the regular manifestation of cronyism within its ranks.

With regard to cultural development in Preston, this will not be seen until this aspect of the ‘city’ has a coherent system of competent management and leadership in place. I know from personal experience that there are many people in the public and private sectors within Preston that work really hard to deliver a sustainable cultural offer. Without exception, this exists purely because certain individuals are motivated to develop ideas in the real world that result in tangible outcomes. Put simply, they’ve had an idea and just got on with it.

The cultural ‘leadership’ in Preston (again, something I know from personal experience) host endless seminars, workshops, presentations and buffets where they spend hours waffling on about ‘visions’ and ‘strategies’. I can’t think of a single ‘vision’ talked about in any of the ‘workshops’ I personally know of that has resulted in any real outcomes whatsoever. Some people are so embedded in the culture of public sector, box ticking strategies and ‘visions’ waffled on about in seminars that they think by waffling they are actually achieving something.

We should judge people by their actions. The Council employs how many sports development managers/officers? Maybe 40 plus? And only 1 cultural development manager. For somewhere that aspires to be the Third City of the Northwest? Say’s it all.

This is not the fault of several council employees whom I know work really hard and are committed to achieving real results. But they can only work within the context which is framed by the leadership in the town and since effective, meaningful leadership on culture in this town is virtually non-existent their hands are somewhat tied.

Imagine if these ‘visionaries’ really did have the capacity to perceive a thriving and sustainable cultural sector in Preston? UCLan turns outs thousands of students with cutting edge skills in the cultural and creative sectors. I’d be surprised if more than a handful every year remain here to enable growth in those sectors and that’s simply because there is noweher in employment terms for them to apply those skills.

If these ‘visionaries’ had real vision, would it not have occurred to them by now that developing ways and means of retaining these graduates would develop Preston’s cultural and creative sector and its economy with relatively lightning speed?

Until there is effective leadership rather than talking shop heroes here these things just won’t happen. Growth will occur as there are always a few individuals who’ll develop ideas in the real world. It’ll just take longer.

Unelected and unacountable “vision boards” and “development agencies” should leave the heck alone from Preston.

And as for the bus station – what do you want, exactly? 1,100 car parking spaces, a transport hub, and a central iconic landmark for the city….or a glass-and-chrome walk-in wardrobe hidden behind the Warehouse?

Preston needs its bus station. “Be careful what you wish for”

I’d second a skatepark. Preferably comparable to Stoke Plaza: http://www.skateparkmap.co.uk/images/stoke%20plaza%20500%20375

We are also in dire need of a decent cinema. I go to Bolton to watch movies these days.