Council chief’s claim Sheffield city centre is ‘bouncing back’ sparks fierce debate

Claims that Sheffield city centre is ‘bouncing back’ after more than a million people visited in a month has sparked debate among Star readers.
Fargate, Sheffield.Fargate, Sheffield.
Fargate, Sheffield.

Data revealed a whopping 1,142,337 people visited the Fargate and Division Street areas in April – the highest number for three years. 

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Fargate, Sheffield.Fargate, Sheffield.
Fargate, Sheffield.

Council leaders heralded major events such as the World Snooker Championships and the Sheffield Half Marathon as reasons why people are populating the city centre.

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Councillor Mazher Iqbal, cabinet member for business and investment at Sheffield City Council, said the figures were evidence that the city centre is “bouncing back” – a comment which has sparked debate among Star readers.  

Maria Jones said: “I'm extremely proud of my city. A lot more work is needed in Sheffield to improve things, especially on the paving of Fargate – it's shocking for wheelchairs – but I love my city and it's people very much. I wouldn't live anywhere else in the world.”  

Dave Watson added: “The street musicians are brilliant, got some great talent down there.”

But Alan Gadsby posted: “Sheffield city centre is dead compared to what it used to be, hardly any choice and plenty of empty buildings.”

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While Lisa Rowley described it as a “poor relation to Manchester, Leeds (and) Liverpool.”  

The figures were compiled by a company called Springboard, which uses state-of-the-art cameras and data assessment tools to count footfall. Last month’s total of 1,142,337 was slightly higher than April 2018 in which 1,048, 358 were recorded. 

Councillor Mazher Iqbal, cabinet member for business and investment, said: “I believe the city centre continues to look better and better.

“All the new developments such as the new Heart Of The City scheme, the opening of Charter Square and Kommune, together with the fantastic events we have week on week in Sheffield shows the city centre is bouncing back.”