Is this the End for Rotherham’s Town Centre?
May 16 2024
Is the shopping experience in Rotherham up to scratch? With Sheffield and its Meadowhall shopping centre next door, Rotherham’s city centre doesn’t always get the attention it deserves. As is often the case in matters of the community, opinions on the Rotherham shopping experience are divided. Commenting on a Sheffield Tribune article about city centre vs. Meadowhall shopping, Eileen Brooks believes that the proximity of the latter has hurt Rotherham.
Brooks points to the fact that brands, including WH Smith, Next, and Boots, are no longer in Rotherham’s town centre. Brooks also called the shopping experience “dire” and said that the idea that it will become a hub for independent shops is “pie in the sky”. Other comments point to the proximity of ParkGate. The shopping centre has a varied selection of shops, including Argos, Boots, Asda, Curry and Everlast. Having a collection of shops all within spitting distance is another reason people are turning away from the town centre.
Forging Ahead with New Ideas
Those are the negatives, but what are the positives? Rotherham Council isn’t giving up on the town centre, which is why a lot of money has been put into the Forge Island project, a new landmark destination for family-friendly entertainment and leisure. Construction work is steaming ahead, and the project is still slated for a Summer 2024 public opening.
Rotherham council has also hinted at a new cinema and Travelodge. The £47 million development will include a wide range of facilities for entertainment and leisure, including shops and riverside gardens.
Investment in culturally enriching activities like a new cinema is crucial to the continued success of a small town centre like Rotherham. The 2021 Arts Council England report on Culture and High streets found that cinemas, museums, libraries, art galleries, and music venues are incredibly significant when it comes to attracting outsiders to visit your city. People are more likely to visit a new city that has cultural experiences they can't find at home. The £47 million investment will hopefully shape Rotherham into a hub for local tourists. Facilities like the ones mentioned will also help to stimulate the local economy even further. That's good news for resident Rotherbirds.
That’s the future, but what about the present? Well, despite what some people might think, there are still plenty of reasons to visit Rotherham town centre.
A Town Centre Ready for Change
Another reason why Rotherham’s town centre isn’t as dire as some people believe is its independent shops. Despite what Eileen Brooks thinks, the idea of independent traders setting up in the town isn’t “pie in the sky”. Scroll through TripAdvisor’s top shopping experiences in Rotherham, and you’ll see names such as Lawns Farm Shop, Jaded Heart and Grimm & Co. If that’s not enough, you can appreciate over 100 pieces of artwork around the town centre courtesy of the Gallery Town Project (see image above).
There is clearly room for improvement, but the current state of Rotherham’s town centre is far from dire. More big-name brands would certainly help the area’s overall appeal. However, the opening of Forge Island should address this issue. Finally, there needs to be an acceptance that town centres across the UK aren’t what they used to be.
The advent of online shopping and changing consumer trends mean that town centres are no longer the hubs they used to be. Therefore, anyone clinging to the past will be disappointed. However, if people accept that town centres have changed, there’s a lot to look forward to. Rotherham Council has embraced the need for change. Even though it might take a few years for recent investments to pay dividends, the future is brighter than it otherwise would have been. So, while things could be better, Rotherham’s shopping experience appears to be on the up.
Images: Krists Luhaers / Unsplash
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Is the shopping experience in Rotherham up to scratch? With Sheffield and its Meadowhall shopping centre next door, Rotherham’s city centre doesn’t always get the attention it deserves. As is often the case in matters of the community, opinions on the Rotherham shopping experience are divided. Commenting on a Sheffield Tribune article about city centre vs. Meadowhall shopping, Eileen Brooks believes that the proximity of the latter has hurt Rotherham.
Brooks points to the fact that brands, including WH Smith, Next, and Boots, are no longer in Rotherham’s town centre. Brooks also called the shopping experience “dire” and said that the idea that it will become a hub for independent shops is “pie in the sky”. Other comments point to the proximity of ParkGate. The shopping centre has a varied selection of shops, including Argos, Boots, Asda, Curry and Everlast. Having a collection of shops all within spitting distance is another reason people are turning away from the town centre.
Forging Ahead with New Ideas
Those are the negatives, but what are the positives? Rotherham Council isn’t giving up on the town centre, which is why a lot of money has been put into the Forge Island project, a new landmark destination for family-friendly entertainment and leisure. Construction work is steaming ahead, and the project is still slated for a Summer 2024 public opening.
Rotherham council has also hinted at a new cinema and Travelodge. The £47 million development will include a wide range of facilities for entertainment and leisure, including shops and riverside gardens.
Investment in culturally enriching activities like a new cinema is crucial to the continued success of a small town centre like Rotherham. The 2021 Arts Council England report on Culture and High streets found that cinemas, museums, libraries, art galleries, and music venues are incredibly significant when it comes to attracting outsiders to visit your city. People are more likely to visit a new city that has cultural experiences they can't find at home. The £47 million investment will hopefully shape Rotherham into a hub for local tourists. Facilities like the ones mentioned will also help to stimulate the local economy even further. That's good news for resident Rotherbirds.
That’s the future, but what about the present? Well, despite what some people might think, there are still plenty of reasons to visit Rotherham town centre.
A Town Centre Ready for Change
Another reason why Rotherham’s town centre isn’t as dire as some people believe is its independent shops. Despite what Eileen Brooks thinks, the idea of independent traders setting up in the town isn’t “pie in the sky”. Scroll through TripAdvisor’s top shopping experiences in Rotherham, and you’ll see names such as Lawns Farm Shop, Jaded Heart and Grimm & Co. If that’s not enough, you can appreciate over 100 pieces of artwork around the town centre courtesy of the Gallery Town Project (see image above).
There is clearly room for improvement, but the current state of Rotherham’s town centre is far from dire. More big-name brands would certainly help the area’s overall appeal. However, the opening of Forge Island should address this issue. Finally, there needs to be an acceptance that town centres across the UK aren’t what they used to be.
The advent of online shopping and changing consumer trends mean that town centres are no longer the hubs they used to be. Therefore, anyone clinging to the past will be disappointed. However, if people accept that town centres have changed, there’s a lot to look forward to. Rotherham Council has embraced the need for change. Even though it might take a few years for recent investments to pay dividends, the future is brighter than it otherwise would have been. So, while things could be better, Rotherham’s shopping experience appears to be on the up.
Images: Krists Luhaers / Unsplash
