Coventry win City of Culture

[Emile]

Sure the investment would have come in handy but with the current powers that be I am kind of glad that it didn't win. A new way of thinking has been needed in Stoke for my entire life.

[geosname]

What an offensive post from someone who hasn't lived in the city since when? Stoke is not dead because we lost a lousy bid for city of culture. There are some fantastic people here and so much going on in sport, music, art etc. Don't just become a soundbite of something you think you should say. Live it then your opinion may hold some weight.

 

I was born in hanley before the end of rationing, worked in many places around the country and left about 17 years ago... I return at least once every year, sometimes several times.

I remember when Hanley was a thriving, bustling town, when there was employment, however crap it was and the sense of community, even if it was caused by everyone being in the same mire.

Stoke isnt dead because it didnt win city of culture, its dead/dying because the people who could have made a difference didnt.

Pottery industry gone... nothing to replace it

Steel industry gone... nothing to replace it

Pits gone... nothing to replace them

Factories derelict... nothing to replace them

Shops empty... nothing to replace them [except charity shops]

Communities decimated... nothing to replace them

Hope almost gone... what replaces it?

 

The only time I see Hanley busy now is lunch time... take away the beggars, buskers, drunks, druggies and charity grabbers and its not busy at all.

 

Stoke is not dead because it didnt win city of culture... but perhaps it didnt win city of culture because its dead or dying.

 

Ive lived through the good times, that werent so good in my opinion, and some of the bad times... and through the time when stoke council celebrated because they were give millions by europe because the city was so bad... not hanging their heads in shame because they needed it

[geosname]

How much did the new council building in hanley cost?... the one they cant use... More than the 3M award money?

[bookworm]

Stoke still looks like it has been bombed!

 

The German bombers probably flew straight over Stoke thinking it had already been struck.

Lord Haw Haw famously said that the reason that Stoke-on-Trent hadn't been bombed was that most of the population was half dead with siliceousis .

[Bycarsbill]

Big celebrations in my neck of the woods at the news. Although I now live in Covenrtry and grew up in Burslem, and have a soft spot for both places. I have to say that Coventry, Stoke-On-Trent and city of culture all in the same sentence has to be a definite oxymoron!

[Houston Valiant]

Sadly, I can no longer agree about your 'warm and friendly' people comment. Unfortunately, the city is fast becoming a place full of aggression and impatience, just like other areas of the country. Tunstall for example used to be a thriving, friendly place to shop, where you would always bump into friendly and familiar faces, especially on a Saturday morning. Now Tunstall high street is an intimidating place to visit, full of unfamiliar people some of whom you're scared to make eye contact with. The sense of community left about 15 years ago.

 

 

Sorry to hear that . The last time I was there was 2014, and I met a lot of friendly people in Burslem . That’s only a visitor’s view though , and it’s different when you live there all the time, like anywhere else. It seems that many cities, and small towns are becoming like that.

No patience at all.

[bycars bootboy]

I have lived my entire life in this city, so I can cast a valid opinion. The city is in a terrible state of dereliction and devoid of any hope for the immediate future. The whole depressing mess has been caused year after year by councillors who are out of touch and obsessed with wasting valuable money. There are some fantastic people working on projects within the city, but they are no more than hobbyists working in small craft operations that certainly don't offer levels of employment and wages that can sustain the needs of modern living.

 

This is not a 'soundbite', it is fact.

 

And it's a fact that supervaliant was commenting on a post by geosname.keep up yoth.

[bycars bootboy]

I don't want the Twyfords building restored - I want the bugger knocked down.

 

Hmmm!Fort Dunlop springs to mind.

[RailwayRowdy]

I travel the length and breadth of the UK through work and can hand on heart say that the city of Stoke is one of the worst places I have seen. Bolton and Sunderland run it close. Other cities have the same problems Stoke has, but has tried to address the situation. Kensington in Liverpool for example made Abbey Hulton look like Pulis’ Sandbanks. What has their council done ? Demolished the whole damn place and replaced it with 21st century living. It CAN be done, but not without a forward thinking council which,unfortunately Stoke doesn’t have. But seeing as most of the council members are Stokies, it should not come as any surprise.

[Wereskintandweknowweare]

The potential of stoke is that its almost a blank canvas. Sadly the people who could create on that canvas havent got past the nursery finger painting stage.

5 towns with little connection to each other either physically of mentally.

2 junctions connecting it to the M6 and 1 road connecting the junctions... get off that road and the problems start.

We should remember what stoke was famous for but its gone, dead and buried.

Businesses will invest if they can make a profit is a general rule of thumb, retail businesses will invest if people in the area have money to spend on the products they sell.

To me investing in the restoration and remembrance of the past is only viable if you invest a damn site more in the future.

Stoke on trent is dead, either hot wire it to the national grid to revive it or for gods sake bury it before the stench of decay becomes to much.

 

5 towns with no connection ???? Stoke on trent folk have one big connection they are proud of the City, they are warm and friendly.

Two connections to the m6 ?? So what our county town of stafford has no major network.

Stoke on trent will never be dead because it’s people will always be the most resilient, warm hearted and friendly folk in the UK.

 

Live outside stoke for one year then tell me I am wrong

[Wereskintandweknowweare]

It needs to invest in a modern arena facility that can be used to attract sports, music, exhibitions etc. In turn this will attract restaurants, bars, hotels and visitors. I know this sounds simple but until we take the plunge and do something like this, then nothing will happen. If we continue to waste money on sculptures and white-elephants such as ceramica then we will remain in the shadows.

 

Our obsession with our past can also be cringeworthy. Most of the old potbanks need demolition not restoration. Sadly, nobody really cares anymore about our history, which for those who actually worked in the factories instead of just writing about them, was far from glamorous. I'm not saying we abandon and forget our industry, but we simply must move on.

 

Our geographic location and low-pay wages should make this area a real attraction to all types of sectors, yet we continually 'mess' things up when it comes to attracting investment - why?

 

Coventry spent 5 mil on their bid Stoke on trent 500,000k,

Coventry won because it is more “Ethnically Diverse” And has a bigger multicultural population.

It seems it is fashionable to throw cash at the future of our country not our heritage .

[Houston Valiant]

5 towns with no connection ???? Stoke on trent folk have one big connection they are proud of the City, they are warm and friendly.

Two connections to the m6 ?? So what our county town of stafford has no major network.

Stoke on trent will never be dead because it’s people will always be the most resilient, warm hearted and friendly folk in the UK.

 

Live outside stoke for one year then tell me I am wrong

 

I agree, some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. 👍

[nightmare in a damaged bra]

5 towns with no connection ???? Stoke on trent folk have one big connection they are proud of the City, they are warm and friendly.

Two connections to the m6 ?? So what our county town of stafford has no major network.

Stoke on trent will never be dead because it’s people will always be the most resilient, warm hearted and friendly folk in the UK.

 

Live outside stoke for one year then tell me I am wrong

 

You are wrong.

[geosname]

5 towns with no connection ???? Stoke on trent folk have one big connection they are proud of the City, they are warm and friendly.

Two connections to the m6 ?? So what our county town of stafford has no major network.

Stoke on trent will never be dead because it’s people will always be the most resilient, warm hearted and friendly folk in the UK.

 

Live outside stoke for one year then tell me I am wrong

 

The camaraderie of poverty doesnt mean a city lives, sometime it simply denotes peoples acceptance they are in the same boat without a paddle.

I can live with the past but I cant live in the past... if thats what people choose to do I would urge them to remember it all... dont just restore the factories and churches... restore the workhouses and the poorhouses, the atrocious working conditions and the slums and especially the poverty... the people were warm and friendly then too.

Ive never understood "the good old days"... "we had nowt but we were happy" train of thought, except in the sense its selective memory and acceptance of the fact it cant/wont be changed/different.

 

and you are wrong

[Doha]

Stoke on trent will never be dead because it’s people will always be the most resilient, warm hearted and friendly folk in the UK.

 

 

Every town in the country outside of London claims this though.

 

If I said you had to walk through SoT at 2am you would immediately think of several areas to avoid!