Town centre improvements

Funny that we are literally decades behind the rest of the country when it comes to leisure and retail facilities, yet folk are getting hung up over signage and an expanse of cladding

You Reds.

 

Because you didn’t like the look? Or because of not being fit for purpose?

I just find it weird that future generations will never see those type of buildings. Just because people deemed them ugly.

Reminds me of the solid oak panelled doors in older houses that were removed for modern cardboard doors because they no longer find them fashionable.. a few survived because someone had just put a thin piece of board over them, and now people pay well for them...

 

Purely down to my subjective opinion.

I find the demise of architecture sad, but I extend that back to the post war years.

Considering we currently have a similar economic outlook to the post war years, Barnsley Council can only f**k with the p***k they’ve got.

Do I think it’s an architectural masterpiece? No.

Do I think it’s a potential success of functionality? Yes.

I hope they see this and make a few aesthetic tweaks, but is the town moving forwards? 100%.

 

It is definitely a massive improvement I don't think you'll find anyone arguing that it isnt, some just think it could look better but the good news on that is that all the complaints or negative comments are about the rear of the building not the front which as far as I'm aware hasn't had a single negative comment and that can only be a good thing.

From a functionality point of view the market is the only thing I'm not keen on. It's too sterile and isn't really a market anymore, it's just a series of small shop. But again the good news is the council have realised this and now allow stall holders to put up their own signs to replace the cut and paste blank board with stall name and number that they previously had to have. Hopefully they'll extend that further and allow a lot more things to make it more like a traditional market. Personally as there are a lot of empty units I'd try to encourage the external market stalls to move into the main market too to increase footfall and make it feel busier.

 

I belive most people just want a better town. I’m one of them and I believe we are getting one.

We are all experts at other people’s jobs, however.

 

if you like old architecture, I’d recommend the book, Soviet Bus Stops. Genuine beauty.

The people United will never be defeated.

 

Thank you, I’ll take a look.

Just a side note. One of the best pieces of architecture in the area is the bridge just south of Junction 37 on the motorway. A smooth arc of utilitarian concrete. Certainly acts as a welcome home beacon when driving up the motorway. (My opinion obviously)

 

They pulled down the only 70's building with any archietectural merit, the library on Shambles Street.

As for the new one, an ugly carbunkle that's not fit for purpose; most of the books have to be pre-ordered and fetched from Wellington Street.

 

I went university at Essex in Colchester. The 6 student accommodation towers on campus were once voted the ugliest buildings in the country. The whole campus was a 60s concrete block monstrosity but I loved it

 

As an aside, it took 2 weeks for them to get a book from the other side of the borough (Darfield I think) to Central Library in August time. I know we're in difficult times and they said it would need to be quarantined, but still, that's a long time

 

Took the place of Dodeth pit muckstack in that respect

 

We actually have some really nice bridges over the m1 round here (as far as motorway bridges go).

You've got the green footbridge at tankersley which is actually really nice to look at and a similar one halfway between j36 and 37 but with subtle differences. Theres the **** Inn bridge with its steep angled support on the east side and again the similar one but with much smaller supports that goes to the farm near the equestrian centre and the simple but beautiful huge curved bridge near dodworth.
The only ones I don't like are the actual junction bridges (all of them) and the railway bridge at dodworth.

 

Used to climb up that occasionally when we were about 12 during the dinner hour at charter school: great slab of concrete indeed.

 

The new one looks really nice in my opinion but I was actually really shocked when I went in. For a library it had hardly any books in it. I actually believe it wasn't ever intended to be a library as me and you imagine them, they built it knowing it wouldn't have books in it. I believe it was built as a meeting space with the gamble being that books would be online in the very near future.

 

I think the whole concept of a library has, and will, continue to evolve.

Similar to the high street.

 

I think the clue is they had no intention of even calling it a library until the public got wind of it.

 

You're kidding aren' t you? That's the first thing me and the missus said about the market looking better with uniformed signs in nice font. The missus replied "it'll look tacky again in a few years once they all start putting their own signs up" God it could look ***** in a few years

 

That old building was shocking, started my study for my degree in there and ended it in the new one. Much nicer environment.

 

What was shocking about the Shambles Street Library?

 

The look of it, boarded up shops surrounding it, the facilities inside, l never studied long in there l used to go home instead. The positives were the cafe and the little views of the Town Hall.

The new one has hubs, more places to sit with your laptop, more computers, big windows letting more light into the whole building, a brighter environment and better view. There's also a lot more for families to do in there and its joined onto a bar for a pint after. The top floor has a balcony that overlooks the new square and can be rented out for events, there's also a dance studio on one of the levels that local dance schools can use.

Theres a lot more than just getting a book with the new one.