Cardiff, how nice is our City ?

[Heathblue]

Have a week off this week with Doris, decided we wouldn’t contribute to any more pollution with a much needed holiday, and decided to do a few jobs about the house, as the weather was decent yesterday said f**k it to the paint brushes and had a very pleasant walk into town, walked to western avenue to pick up the Taff trail, and walked along the river, crossing over at the weir to the cricket ground side and then back across just before the boat taxis to the bay, did a bit of shopping had some lunch in the madeira washed down with a couple of beers. With the sun out early again this morning we walked to Roath Park then on through the Rec, then past Roath court funeral home, then on to Dunelm, the intended target, a couple of purchases, a further trek along Newport road to get a bite to eat at Greggs 😊 , bus back to town which terminated in Churchill and which got me thinking a little, our two walks along the Taff and through Roath Park bring some nice scenery & wildlife, Roath Park this morning with the swans out in force, biggest firm of jacks I’ve seen in Cardiff, the other ducks and wildlife was nice,
Churchill way Canal,
I’m all in favour of this project as it’ll add another nice attraction to IMO, is a more than decent City, I think we are fortunate in having a compact city with plenty of things to see and do, however, I’m presuming that the canal exposure is being funded by the taxpayer? I’m sure this isn’t a cheap project, is it the best use of the money ?, as previously said I think it will be great for the City but I cannot help thinking maybe a better distribution of the money throughout the city might have been better use, my immediate thought being the City public transport. Any views ?, oh and a couple of pints in the birch coming back from town so the 14,000-step calorie burn (both days) was totally wasted!!!!

[The Bloop]

Re: Cardiff, how nice is our City ?

We don't appreciate what we have on our doorstep often enough. Cardiff is a great little city.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: Cardiff, how nice is our City ?

Cardiff has many pleasant facets but it's not quite THERE on a few levels

I think personally its music scene in terms of venues is lacking .....TJs in Newport was a great venue , I am amazed Cardiff hasn't got something similar . Its got good places like The Millenium Centre but it's hardly ever used for music and it seems like a complete waste of time . We had St David's Hall , New Theatre etc , it's got 2000 seats , let's see more bands there

I am not a foodie but friends who are say Cardiff isn't great . It needs a curry mile like Manchester , Leicester etc have instead of in this example , Indian restaurants spread all over the city

Transport wise , apart from the small suburban mini stations , it's crap although maybe no worse than other places ?

It's a shame that despite being right on the sea it doesn't have the sprawling coastline Swansea has . Once you are past the city centre right through to The Mumbles it cannot be denied its a nice environment to relax in

Apart from The Bay Cardiff has no discernable link to the sea that helped it's growth . Maybe we could raid the Gower for some sand and rob the wave machine from that grotty leisure centre ?

I think Cardiffs greatest shame was the demolition of the old tiger bay and the dispersal of the community all over Cardiff , leaving Tower blocks for those that wanted to stay

Bristol has St Paul's, Liverpool Toxteth which have been regenerated ..... it seems like the founding father's and decision makers missed a trick

It's almost everything is an afterthought with respect to much with regard to the development of Cardiff

I am amazed it's taken so long to realise the Eastern and North Eastern side of the city needs rail links . Come to think of it Ely needs one too .

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: Cardiff, how nice is our City ?

Have a guess how many musical concerts ......Rock, pop, indie , soul ........the whole bucket ......have taken place at The Millenium Centre ?

[the other bob wilson]

Re: Cardiff, how nice is our City ?

Cardiff is/was a brilliantly designed city. The main railway station is right in the middle of it and just think what is within a twenty minute walk of it. There’s all of the main shopping area, enough restaurants suiting all tastes for most people, Sludge’s point about music venues is a fair one, but the ones it does have are all centrally located, there’s a castle, a striking civic centre with a museum and university as part of it, there’s a strip of parkland running through the middle of the city which contains an international sporting venue, the country’s major sporting stadium is one of the first things you see as you come out of the railway station and Wales’ best football venue is within walking distance - there’s also another decent sized railway station at the other end of the city centre.

Mind you, it used to be even more brilliant, the very first thing you saw on leaving Cardiff Central was a bus station serving the whole of Cardiff and the surrounding areas, but, absurdly, that was demolished and the region has been left with an unsatisfactory mish mash that is clearly inferior to what the city had originally.

I’d still prefer to live in Cardiff if I could, but when I left five years ago, the writing was very much on the wall as far as getting about the west side of the city in a car or bus was concerned. It was nearly always gridlocked at certain times of day and the situation has got worse because of a major housing project which has been plonked on the north west of the city with little or nothing done to cater for the further transport difficulties it caused.

When you consider the distance I have to travel for City games with others, I don’t deserve sympathy, but living twenty miles or so outside Cardiff and its football ground has only brought home to me what a hard city it is to get into via car or bus - driving to Cardiff City Stadium takes a lot longer than it should and the problem is only exacerbated by having the railway service into the city shut for the best part of a year.

Cardiff, a lovely city which should be the envy of others, but the modern day decision makers are doing their best to ruin it.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Re: Cardiff, how nice is our City ?

Exiting Cardiff Central these days is an unimpressive introduction to the city. Bring back Astey's!

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: Cardiff, how nice is our City ?

Cardiff is/was a brilliantly designed city. The main railway station is right in the middle of it and just think what is within a twenty minute walk of it. There’s all of the main shopping area, enough restaurants suiting all tastes for most people, Sludge’s point about music venues is a fair one, but the ones it does have are all centrally located, there’s a castle, a striking civic centre with a museum and university as part of it, there’s a strip of parkland running through the middle of the city which contains an international sporting venue, the country’s major sporting stadium is one of the first things you see as you come out of the railway station and Wales’ best football venue is within walking distance - there’s also another decent sized railway station at the other end of the city centre.

Mind you, it used to be even more brilliant, the very first thing you saw on leaving Cardiff Central was a bus station serving the whole of Cardiff and the surrounding areas, but, absurdly, that was demolished and the region has been left with an unsatisfactory mish mash that is clearly inferior to what the city had originally.

I’d still prefer to live in Cardiff if I could, but when I left five years ago, the writing was very much on the wall as far as getting about the west side of the city in a car or bus was concerned. It was nearly always gridlocked at certain times of day and the situation has got worse because of a major housing project which has been plonked on the north west of the city with little or nothing done to cater for the further transport difficulties it caused.

When you consider the distance I have to travel for City games with others, I don’t deserve sympathy, but living twenty miles or so outside Cardiff and its football ground has only brought home to me what a hard city it is to get into via car or bus - driving to Cardiff City Stadium takes a lot longer than it should and the problem is only exacerbated by having the railway service into the city shut for the best part of a year.

Cardiff, a lovely city which should be the envy of others, but the modern day decision makers are doing their best to ruin it.

Cardiff Central is a prime example of what is holding Cardiff back

It's far too small compared to Bristol Temple Meads , Newcastle , Leeds etc

And likewise the city centre , considering the population it serves just isn't big enough

The Millenium stadium is great if you are a rugby fan and go to two or three games a year but if you don't it's a white elephant and dominates the city centre to a ridiculous degree

It would be far better to expand the city centre and shove the rugby up on the M4 link Road

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: Cardiff, how nice is our City ?

Exiting Cardiff Central these days is an unimpressive introduction to the city. Bring back Astey's!

BBC Wales Jesus christ may as well have a Derek Brockway statue

[Rjk]

Re: Cardiff, how nice is our City ?

Cardiff Central is a prime example of what is holding Cardiff back

It's far too small compared to Bristol Temple Meads , Newcastle , Leeds etc

And likewise the city centre , considering the population it serves just isn't big enough

The Millenium stadium is great if you are a rugby fan and go to two or three games a year but if you don't it's a white elephant and dominates the city centre to a ridiculous degree

It would be far better to expand the city centre and shove the rugby up on the M4 link Road

that's an absolutely terrible idea

[The Bloop]

Re: Cardiff, how nice is our City ?

Exiting Cardiff Central these days is an unimpressive introduction to the city. Bring back Astey's!

60+ years ago there were people who'd lost their homes who probably despised the new bus station and surrounding buildings.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Re: Cardiff, how nice is our City ?

60+ years ago there were people who'd lost their homes who probably despised the new bus station and surrounding buildings.

Temperance Town, wasn't it?

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: Cardiff, how nice is our City ?

that's an absolutely terrible idea

Getting the rugby stadium out of Cardiff City Centre ?

I think that would be great

Reduce the carnage and reduce congestion

We are very lucky that we moved to a stadium right on the edge of the urban area but so close to our old home

[Canton Kev]

Re: Cardiff, how nice is our City ?

The Millenium stadium is great if you are a rugby fan and go to two or three games a year but if you don't it's a white elephant and dominates the city centre to a ridiculous degree

Rubbish. The Millennium is a huge bonus to the city and has events on all year round.

Cities like Milton Keynes, Coventry, Derby, Hull, Swansea, etc would kill to have an asset that brings in 50k-100k+ people multiple times a year. Even bigger cities like Bristol, Newcastle, Leeds and Liverpool don’t have an asset quite like it.

There’s not many cities of similar size and stature in Europe let alone the UK than can boast about hosting Olympic events, the Champions League final, Rugby World Cup, Euros finals and some of the biggest musical acts in the world.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: Cardiff, how nice is our City ?

Rubbish. The Millennium is a huge bonus to the city and has events on all year round.

Cities like Milton Keynes, Coventry, Derby, Hull, Swansea, etc would kill to have an asset that brings in 50k-100k+ people multiple times a year. Even bigger cities like Bristol, Newcastle, Leeds and Liverpool don’t have an asset quite like it.

There’s not many cities of similar size and stature in Europe let alone the UK than can boast about hosting Olympic events, the Champions League final, Rugby World Cup, Euros finals and some of the biggest musical acts in the world.

You sound like you work for the Welsh Rugby Union or Wales Online

[Rjk]

Re: Cardiff, how nice is our City ?

it's a nice small provincial city.

still got a decent amount of green space (with plenty more outside the city)
it would be great if the existing green spaces could be more joined up into 4 continuous "fingers" around the Ely, taff, rhymney and nant fawr, acting as active travel superhighways and making sure all parts of the city are close to the green spaces

food wise, it's not great. lots of generic chain restaurants, very little very good ones.

in general, the bad areas - aren't that bad, not compared to the bad areas in other cities anyway.
but also the posh areas probably arent as good as some other cities as well