It's not exclusive to Hull, it's Nationally. Retailers and Wholesalers that have gone over the last 6-8 months is pretty alarming or having mass closures to save the company like Prezzo closing 94 restaurants. Conviviality with an enormous tax bill - administration expected. Gone for good P&H, Maplin, Toys R Us - there'll be many more to go over the next 12-18 months. The high street is generally looking in a very poor state.
We only have ourselves to blame, I have bought stuff off the internet, I have booked holidays on the internet, I have bought coach tickets and show tickets off the internet, and I am also aware that this takes custom away from brick and mortar outlets. But as you look around and see what is happening then places like J32, Meadowhall, even Kingswood it seems, and the writing is on the wall for the city centre, not just Hull either, we are the culprits, no one else. We are lazy, back in the 50's/60's it was a social occasion when shopping, Hessle Road or wherever, you met someone and had a chat, not cafes or other places you just stood there and chatted. The city centre is done with, Hull back in the 60's and 70's was alive day and night, but why bother with your musical preferences when you have Spotify, just put your headphones on and sorted. I was a big follower of tech many years ago, now I am just afraid of where it is leading us.
I don't think it's anything to do with laziness. The best summary is cash rich but time poor would be a more accurate reason. I don't have free time to go to the shops, so it's more convenient to use the Internet. My weekends are taken up with coaching on Saturdays and matches on a Sunday. I also don't think the 'new' retail outlets are a huge success story - a lot of their tenants are struggling and there's also lots of empty units nationally.
Disagree. You just need to diversify and make it more about leisure and entertainment. I haven’t been shopping in a city centre for months, even a year, but I’m there every week doing something else.
This is a good point. St Stephens has the cinema, the bowling/arcade place, rock climbing, a gym, a trampoline place and it’s many shops and restaurants. Princes Quay has a cinema, bowling/arcade place and soon to have Hull Venue right next to it as well as the new restaurants. They’re both finally going in the right direction to get more people through the door. They could do with getting more “different” things in where possible.
More new restaurants coming to the city centre. The people behind Rumi's Indian/Bangladeshi restaurant in Beverley, which recently closed, are opening a new place in the K2 development (formerly Kingston House). I'm told another new restaurant could also open in K2 too. It's becoming a really cool building - gym, yoga centre, roof top bar soon to open, lots of decent office space & a hotel to come too. (Twitter: @DaveHarrisonBBC) please log in to view this image
Actually I'm confused (cue jokes/sarkey comments) but I thought that this building along with BHS and Edwin Davis's was due for demolition.
Yes I realised when all the scaffolding went up, this ain't coming down. Still waiting to see what happens with the former TSB Bank further along, the tree outside just seems to grow ever near to the windows.
St Stephens' cinema is a sorry excuse for one. Reel is absolutely ****ing abysmal. It's either Vue or nothing when it comes to cinemas in Hull.
I think it’s more aimed at kids than anything. All different types of walls and some Mario-style tubes.
I hate how you can hear everybody else in the room rattling and coughing. It’s £4 a film any time which is cheaper than their small popcorn.