FROM THE EDITOR: We need more than empty shops and beggars in town

What do we do with a problem like Sheffield city centre? I love this place so much that it is heartbreaking to admit the truth … that it as far away from perfect as any young Sheffielder who grew up in the 80s could have imagined.
Construction work in Sheffield.Construction work in Sheffield.
Construction work in Sheffield.

As you may recall, The Star team is gradually moving back into our office after working from home during lockdown. For now, we are only in the offices one day a week. So I took the opportunity to have a walk through our city centre yesterday. I returned to the office with a mix of reactions. The most overwhelming was that is a wonderful to see so many people enjoying blue skies and sun in the heart of their city. I loved to watch the enormous chunks of concrete swinging up and along the building sites which will form the new buildings between The Moor and Barker’s Pool. It was reassuring to see that things have changed and work is continuing for the better. It made me think of happier times pre-Covid when visitors always remind me that there is a lot of amazing stuff which we take for granted because it is our home. But the role of local newspapers is to be honest as well as balanced so that wasn’t all.

We have lost several shops, including on what was once our main shopping street, as you’ll have seen on the front page.

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It is also inescapable that the problem of people begging and harrassing shoppers has grown massively. One businessman told me horror stories of people so high on drugs they looked as if they were dead and so aggressive that he feared for the safety of passersby.

Feature of Fargate in Sheffield. Closed New Look store. Picture: Chris EtchellsFeature of Fargate in Sheffield. Closed New Look store. Picture: Chris Etchells
Feature of Fargate in Sheffield. Closed New Look store. Picture: Chris Etchells

I wish that was a one-off but I hear it time and time again.

Neither of these issues can be isolated from the other. We could have the best shops in the world but people want come into town if they are afraid.

The conclusion is clear. We have lots and lots of work ahead as a city and it will become worse every day that is wasted.

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We must help those who are homeless and/or addicts. Sheffield has to create a centre which offers something different and so well defined that we trust it will last for generations. We are a city that prides itself on being quirky, different and unique. That all goes in our favour if we can get our act together under the right leaders. You, like I, would love to have a centre of which we are truly proud.

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