tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705531162008558062.post8598724953352352172..comments2023-03-31T09:57:32.635+01:00Comments on Nicky Davis' Blog: Stoke-on-Trent City Council Meeting 24/1/13nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175542518100987466noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705531162008558062.post-80338339981342676862013-01-27T19:18:37.157+00:002013-01-27T19:18:37.157+00:00I've yet to see any numbers on the financial b...I've yet to see any numbers on the financial benefits that the Civic Centre actually brings to Stoke town - other than to two upmarket pubs (Glebe and White Star), a couple of sandwich shops, and Sainsbury's superstore. One has to wonder then if the amazing benefits to traders of having a new Civic Centre in Hanley are being overhyped - before they've even been calculated. Consider also that it will be a puff-inducing walk for the desk-bound staff, up the hill to Hanley's main shopping area. Nor will the new City Sentral mall be a great attraction, judging by the type of cheap+nasty shops it's signed up so far - it seems it'll be aimed at the less affluent and the less educated. For all that the Council top-brass beat their chests and declare themselves socialists, there's a certain class-based snootiness among Council workers about Stoke and Hanley, which we shouldn't underestimate. Give white-collar Council workers the slightest excuse to avoid actually going up into Hanley's shopping area, and I suspect they'll take it. And the best excuse is the massive Tesco just over the road from the new Civic Centre - Tescos will be a far more likely beneficiary of casual trade from Council staff. For this reason I expect a fairly small amount of the "lunchtime" spending power of the Council staff will stay in the city - most of it will be siphoned straight into Tesco. "Nightime" spending may benefit the city more, but again I doubt it will stray too far up the hill - and I've yet to see any figures or research on the topic. Doubtless there will be a slight boost to a couple of doorstep pubs - the AirSpace Gallery and the disused ex-pub opposite the Museum will surely become posh pubs. I'd guess theatre-going at the Regent might increase by 15% or so year-on-year. Eventually the Museum might be able to justify a Lotto grant to expand, especially if it has the £14m Wedgwood Collection to pair with its existing ceramics collection. But if there was any real "nighttime demand", then the town of Stoke already have a cinema etc. It doesn't.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com