"Would you like a receipt with that"?

[The Lone Gunman]

Re: "Would you like a receipt with that"?

I was really impressed with the diversity of shops too.

So it's definitely a thumbs up from me for Cardiff city centre.

I'm genuinely surprised by this. Cardiff's city centre is an utter cesspit by comparison to how it was five years ago, let alone ten years ago. Empty shopping units all over the place and many of those that are still occupied are either fast food outlets, vape shops or pound-shop-style discount stores.

Meanwhile, the physical state of Queen Street is an absolute disgrace, while the number of beggars and homeless people populating the area has hugely increased in recent years (and some are a real and persistent problem).

I walk through the city centre on my way to and from work most days. It's a very pale imitation of what it used to be in almost every respect.

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

Re: "Would you like a receipt with that"?

My Wife is not British and she thinks Cardiff is a sleepy backwater with no decent shopping or places to eat, and that we are all basically country bumpkins :hehe:

So out of interest, where is your wife from (country/city)?

[North Cardiff Blue]

Re: "Would you like a receipt with that"?

I'm genuinely surprised by this. Cardiff's city centre is an utter cesspit by comparison to how it was five years ago, let alone ten years ago. Empty shopping units all over the place and many of those that are still occupied are either fast food outlets, vape shops or pound-shop-style discount stores.

Meanwhile, the physical state of Queen Street is an absolute disgrace, while the number of beggars and homeless people populating the area has hugely increased in recent years (and some are a real and persistent problem).

I walk through the city centre on my way to and from work most days. It's a very pale imitation of what it used to be in almost every respect.

Agreed, town is a mess and in rapid decline, I hardly go there now, it probably could fit in about half the space it currently takes up.

[Rjk]

Re: "Would you like a receipt with that"?

So out of interest, where is your wife from (country/city)?

Hong Kong - which is a much bigger city in fairness.

it's taken her about 3 years to get her head around Sunday trading hours though :hehe:

[Rjk]

Re: "Would you like a receipt with that"?

I'm genuinely surprised by this. Cardiff's city centre is an utter cesspit by comparison to how it was five years ago, let alone ten years ago. Empty shopping units all over the place and many of those that are still occupied are either fast food outlets, vape shops or pound-shop-style discount stores.

Meanwhile, the physical state of Queen Street is an absolute disgrace, while the number of beggars and homeless people populating the area has hugely increased in recent years (and some are a real and persistent problem).

I walk through the city centre on my way to and from work most days. It's a very pale imitation of what it used to be in almost every respect.

almost every city centre in the UK has declined a lot in the last 5 years.
changing shopping habits and less money for socialising etc has a dramatic effect on these places.
I think Cardiff is faring better than many places though.

With regards to Queen Street, that I think is as much a cyclical thing as symptomatic of the overall decline. There has always been one end of town that has been a little bit neglected and shabby, and it is Queen streets turn to take up that role, since the St David's 2 ans the Hayes improvements have. effectively moved the focal point of town away from there.
It'll be back eventually, just that the population of Cardiff probably isn't bit enough to support both ends of town thriving at the same time - especially since everyone shops online these days.

listening to some people you'd imagine that town was like a warzone these days, with roving bands of homeless and drug addicts interspersed with the occasional pound shop - fortunately that isn't my experience

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

Re: "Would you like a receipt with that"?

My Wife is not British and she thinks Cardiff is a sleepy backwater with no decent shopping or places to eat, and that we are all basically country bumpkins :hehe:

Hong Kong - which is a much bigger city in fairness.

it's taken her about 3 years to get her head around Sunday trading hours though :hehe:

One of my favourite cities. I would imagine most places would pale into significance compared with HK.

[Baloo]

Re: "Would you like a receipt with that"?

almost every city centre in the UK has declined a lot in the last 5 years.
changing shopping habits and less money for socialising etc has a dramatic effect on these places.
I think Cardiff is faring better than many places though.

I live in Cheltenham and that's certainly the case here. Loads of empty retail units in the town centre. Shame, as architecturally it's mostly nice and has traditionally probably punched a bit above it's weight in terms of shopping and hospitality offerings.

[Rjk]

Re: "Would you like a receipt with that"?

One of my favourite cities. I would imagine most places would pale into significance compared with HK.

yeah it's not a fair comparison.
likewise we had a new boss parachuted in from Chicago a couple of years ago, but they left after 6 months as their wife couldn't take the change of pace from a big city.

[life on mars]

Re: "Would you like a receipt with that"?

I'm sure given time we will give in to more and more bigger business , squeezing away independent Welsh companies, work from home will destroy the hospitality jobs/ business as we order via takeway utopia, become more political correct , bring in more migration to drive taxis and Just Eat bikes , more bike lanes .

Late night weekend piss up events increase . City Centre becomes haven for young half naked overweight drunks

20 years from it will be shite based on current trends.

[The Lone Gunman]

Re: "Would you like a receipt with that"?

listening to some people you'd imagine that town was like a warzone these days, with roving bands of homeless and drug addicts interspersed with the occasional pound shop - fortunately that isn't my experience

Out of interest, how often do you visit the city centre? And at what times as an average?

[The Lone Gunman]

Re: "Would you like a receipt with that"?

....work from home will destroy the hospitality jobs/ business as we order via takeway utopia, become more political correct....

Good grief. I genuinely believe you need help.

[The Lone Gunman]

Re: "Would you like a receipt with that"?

It'll be back eventually, just that the population of Cardiff probably isn't bit enough to support both ends of town thriving at the same time - especially since everyone shops online these days.

So what end of town is thriving?

[xsnaggle]

Re: "Would you like a receipt with that"?

My Wife is not British and she thinks Cardiff is a sleepy backwater with no decent shopping or places to eat, and that we are all basically country bumpkins :hehe:

I suppose it depends where they started out :hehe:

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: "Would you like a receipt with that"?

Every city in the UK has seen a decline since the pandemic

And every city has lost out to Internet shopping

The street homeless situation mirrors that of society

Even in Bridgend there are people living on the streets off their head on spice

[Feedback]

Re: "Would you like a receipt with that"?

in terms of development Cardiff really is a dump. In the past month I've been to Mcr, Brum, Glasgow, Nottingham, Bristol and Leeds and all city centres are way ahead of ours in terms of quality of development build in the past 30 years. In Cardiff the only buildings that look halfway decent and would grace say Brum would be HMRC, Admiral, WMC and St David's, the rest are utter dogshit.