"Welcome to Rotherham Town Centre" the sign says, a big pink sign strapped onto a derelict building. Next door another derelict building, creating an eyesore in what was once a great town to live.
The town centre has been dying for years, first there was Parkgate retail world, which was built on the old Parkgate steel and iron works land, this was also the place where some of the iron was forged for Isambard Kingdom Brunel's ship "Great Eastern", now remembered by a duel carriage way called "great eastern way", the steel works closed around 1985, and then Meadowhall shopping centre, this was buit on Sheffield's biggest and most famous former steel works, Hadfields. Due to the proximity of Meadowhall to Rotherham, some people say that this was the final nail in the coffin for the town centre.
Rotherham was one of the places at the heart of the steel and coal industry, mines dotted all over the place, going in to Sheffield from town, there were what seemed like miles of Steel works and industry.
I even remember going on a school trip in the 80's to Manvers (a few miles from the town), where they trained up miners for working down t'pit, I know I would have ended up here if the mines hadn't all but gone by the time I'd left school.
As the steel works closed, the mines were shut, never to open again, the towns also seem to have followed suite.
What was once the mines have also been raplaced by retail parks (not just parkgate and meadowhall), nature reserves, business parks etc. So there are upsides as people are still in work, and no doubt the air quality is much better than it was when I was a lad, but with these things being out of town, they take business from the town centres.
New plans for the town seem to make it more of a residential place, the eyesores on the picture will eventually be knocked down, and it is rumoured that a hotel will be built on the land.
Rotherham does have some lovely buildings, and out of the town centre, some lovely places too, just take a look at Wentworth for one of the jewels in Rotherham's crown, but there's more than Wentworth, there are little hamlets and villages all over the place.
In the town centre, there are plans to build on the old Forge Island, which will be a cinema as well as other things, I for one would go as it's a pain in the arse getting parked up at the Centretainment (that's it's name), especially if there's something happening at Sheffield Arena, you can't get parked, on the up side, it's also a lot nearer, so less travelling.
It's such a shame to see the town the way it is, it's upsetting to see numerous shops closed down. Rotherham, like many a Northern town, seems to be forgotten.
Thanks for checking out this post, normal service will resume on the next one lol, it's just upsetting to see what a sad state the town has become.
It looks worse than Wrexham!
It’s that bad at the moment, even primark has left the town Center lol
Oh Jesus! That and macadees are the busiest in Wrexham
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