Has anyone seen the video for Hull City Council's bid to become a Portas Pilot? Here it is: [video=youtube;X9xjSgwVYog]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9xjSgwVYog[/video] Those who read the first Hull City Centre thread a few weeks back will have read that the council asked my opinion on Whitefriargate improvements... Anyway, despite asking for opinions and ideas, including Mary Portas' opinions and ideas, I honestly think the council 'thought' of an idea and have had no intentions of moving from it from day 1. Very close-minded if that is the case, and that is part of the problem - there isn't anyone in there coming up with fresh ideas. Reading between the lines from what they were telling me, without them actually saying it, I believe their idea is to wait for Princes Avenue to 'implode' on itself with too many drinkers, then invite the restaurant owners to move to Whitefriargate. 1. that is a risky move to make, pinning all your hopes on allowing another area of Hull to fail to make your own gains (they may not want to open a new version) and 2. it isn't solving a problem, it'd just be moving the problem to another part of the city! Anyway, despite them probably not taking my ideas on board, though they said they liked them and would look into it, those that I suggested they I couldn't previously reveal are in the local news section of the new issue of Kisser: http://kissermag.com/ ...including an archway signage to welcome people to the Old Town to make some distinction of the area, and to turn Whitefriargate into (what I believe would be) the UK's first 'Continental Quarter'. Most of the buildings are of Dutch, Flemish and Danish influence, so my idea is to invite independent and small chains from those countries to occupy units down Whitefriargate - creating an area unique in the UK, which, if marketed right, could pull in visitors intrigued by it. Think shops selling unique products you can't buy in this country mixed in with Belgian waffle cafes and Dutch Pancake houses etc, etc... that was my idea anyway, but that would require having to put more effort in to attempt it. Also the video above is cringey, Portas will run a mile seeing trackie bottom wearing chavs with non-Hull sports team shirts on with gravy stains down the front... you can't sell stuff to people like that. Why didn't they film it on a Saturday when people are dressed better? The only good part was the 'Up' title for the campaign, but they didn't utilise it or play on it enough.
How refreshing to see somebody genuinely enthusing about one of the many great things in this marvelous City of ours. I thought I knew a bit about Hull until I read your posts Dazzar. Keep up the good work.
Thanks - I meant to put in a p.s. regarding the Hullensians who don't support out local sides - maybe we should have a sticky on here where people can post up the Twitter usernames of people from Hull/East Yorkshire who don't support our local sides, so when we lose, instead of taking it out on each other, people can let off steam at the non-believers
I think the problem of chavs and non-local sportswear is a problem in most cities to be honest and not an easy thing to sort out, but I really like your ideas Dazzar and it really shows just how much we could progress as a city if we had a much more open minded council in power..
oh god i was totally in tune with the concept until the pointless keyboard pounding about people wearing wrong coloured football shirts , yawwwn . . . i thought the ideas were supposed to be forward thinking and all encompassing . For all you know the Guy wearing the Man U shirt could have come from Essex for the day looking to invest in the area
I'm always amazed how little is made of the old Town in Hull , if it was any in the city in the UK it would be heavily marketed and be a well known tourist attraction I admire your efforts Dazzar but the council just don't seem to be up to the task
Agree. And the Marina also. Lots and lots of potential, but never the desire. I fear maybe we don't have the salaries here to make a bigger local economy sustainable, though. I was down Whitefriargate today, buying my Boots 'meal deal', and it is bit sad. Lots of empty shops, and many of those that are occupied are those legalised loneshark type companies. Sign of the times.
Video needs less eye level shots, and more views at first /second floor level where the street's heritage is more evident. Narrator needs to smarten up as do most of the folk in the footage. I'm not seeing discerning consumers in there.
The problem is, when an area drops so far, it's an enormous task to drag it back up again. Units became empty, rents stayed high, the only people who can meet the rents were the likes of Poundshop and Cheque Cashers who could trade from secondary sites and it becomes a vicious circle, decent retailers no longer have any interest. Some of the buildings down there are great, particularly the deco one where Superdrug is, though due to neglect it's now a shadow of it's former self(despite being tatty, next door to Superdrug and empty for two years now, the unit in that building still has an asking rent £72,500 a year). Trinity House would have to play a major role in any radical redevelopment, I believe they own more of it than anyone else.
Nice job Dazzar. Keep up the good work. Watching it and seeing Thorntons shop reminds me that Mrs T wants some toffees.
Is it Adams below there? Or was, think they went bust. Just needs a lick of paint. It's looked like that for a long time though.
It's good to see people trying to push improvements in the city centre. I feel Whitefriargate needs a good refurb, but I don't feel independents would go down there unless there are massive rent deductions and improvements. I go down Saville street a lot and the amount of independents that have opened and closed down there is ridiculous, I can't see how it would be any different down whitefriargate. Chains would be the way forward as they usually can allow for higher prices and growth periods. It would be good though I feel to help promote the Marina initially, as this is in my opinion would be the better area to develop. It's had nothing down there for a long time and good be a fantastic area, if they could get some bars/restaurants/shops down there.
The original Woolworth's store in Whitefriargate... please log in to view this image King Edward Street before the war... please log in to view this image King Edward Street after 60's rebuild... please log in to view this image
I love all these old pictures. Sometimes it's really hard to suss out where somewhere is, due to the scale of change. Fascinating. Anything pre-80s, when I was born, I find very interesting. Me mam and dad always have those Flashback papers at home, I do like them.
It was Adam's, they went pop about two years ago. The problem with chopping up buildings and sticking modern shop fronts on them, is that at street level all you see is ****e PU shop fronts, I bet barely anyone looks up and sees how good this building is. Ideally, a bar or restaurant would take the whole site and make the whole building one again, with a deco frontage. It would make a brilliant hotel.
Thats a great idea, but a restaurant in the Old Town?? Its a grave yard, how Lantern has stayed around so long i cant fathom out.
