Letter: Welcome to the North/South divide

I couldn’t help smiling at the letter from an ex-resident of Sheffield Rose Anne Sly recently in The Star. Welcome to the North/South divide and a past council who has allowed our city to get into this mess!

Over ten years ago I retired after working in the Castlegate area for 45 years. I loved it. Every lunchtime I waltzed up to what was Cole Brothers and latterly John Lewis Partnership.

Nowadays, since retirement I only ever pop in to town when I’m paying a visit to the dentist, having to travel across the city!

Your brother is correct and I’m surprised he took you to the poorer end of the city centre and not down The Moor where there have been improvements, mainly for the young I hasten to add. Although he maybe didn’t want you to see the devastation of losing Debenhams and John Lewis Partnership.

The council welcomed with open arms immigrants and renamed Sheffield ‘The City of Sanctuary’ and in my view that is where it mainly went downhill. We opened our arms. Many have settled into our northern way of life but as you may well have noticed for yourself, some haven’t. The drug spice has become a part of town and doesn’t make for a pleasant area to be. The folk using it are an embarrassment to the city.

Most of us are still hardworking, friendly, funny, down to earth people and generous to a hilt; that is the true Yorkshire grit in us and had it not been for people like you deserting the city may well have continued. I have many friends who have done the same.

The places to go are either Meadowhall, though that’s not everyone’s cup of tea, or Crystal Peaks, or Parkgate in Rotherham if you live on the outskirts of Sheffield towards Rotherham. Of course many prefer to shop ‘on line’.

We have been robbed of our major shops and reading in The Star there is a possibility Marks and Spencers on Fargate may be next. Hopefully not but I can see it coming.