Cardiff, how nice is our City ?

[Canton Kev]

As cities go , ( which was what the thread was about) Cardiff City population is larger than Newcastle City, but the Urban Area isn't, sorted.

The population of the city of London is smaller than the city of Cardiff

[blackrock bluebird]

Friendly city. One of the friendliest in the UK. Great independent businesses outside of the city centre. Very green city - Bute Park is a huge asset, it feels pretty safe to me.
The main con for me is that if you live in the suburbs, public transport can be terrible. One bus route to serve an entire area of population, one bus an hour that sometimes doesn't show up.
Also, not exactly a con, but I've been thinking about how Cardiff could embrace smart technology, and I'm really drawn to the idea of having such smart solar benches in our cityscape. They're made of stainless steel, which means they're durable and low maintenance, perfect for our Bute Park. And they have a solar-powered setup, wireless charging capability, and Wi-Fi connectivity. Yes, I'm all for eco-friendliness and technological advancement.

[Keyser Soze]

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!!!!

It is often unappreciated until you have to live away from Cardiff how F’CKING GREAT it is. Most of the UK is miserable as sin, with overserious folk and a general lack of happiness. For a city of near half a million the pubs, restaurants, sports stadiums, open spaces, and youthfull laid-backness and passion of Cardiff people shines like a beacon.

Love it. I luvs The ‘Diff

[Eric the Half a Bee]

It is often unappreciated until you have to live away from Cardiff how F’CKING GREAT it is. Most of the UK is miserable as sin, with overserious folk and a general lack of happiness. For a city of near half a million the pubs, restaurants, sports stadiums, open spaces, and youthfull laid-backness and passion of Cardiff people shines like a beacon.

Love it. I luvs The ‘Diff

Agreed.

[goats]

That Churchill way canal re-opening though is a joke, what a waste of money and I bet it’s cost the council millions? Yet they struggle to afford to pay rufuse collectors? Bins once every three weeks but a large puddle opened up on a pretty insignificant city centre street?…I can’t believe how small it is, it used to be really wide and much longer.

[Robin Friday's Ghost]

That Churchill way canal re-opening though is a joke, what a waste of money and I bet it’s cost the council millions? Yet they struggle to afford to pay rufuse collectors? Bins once every three weeks but a large puddle opened up on a pretty insignificant city centre street?…I can’t believe how small it is, it used to be really wide and much longer.

I couldn't disagree more. That end of the city centre has been dying a slow death as the centre of gravity shifted towards the southern end and the Bay. This will undoubtedly rejuvenate it. Of course there are other things that, in theory, money could be spent on, there always are. But local government finance doesn't work like that. You can't simply transfer money from one expenditure head to another. And if you could, it would mean all the money would be all spent on absolutely essential services and nothing would ever be spent on making the city a nicer place to live and visit.

[splott parker]

I couldn't disagree more. That end of the city centre has been dying a slow death as the centre of gravity shifted towards the southern end and the Bay. This will undoubtedly rejuvenate it. Of course there are other things that, in theory, money could be spent on, there always are. But local government finance doesn't work like that. You can't simply transfer money from one expenditure head to another. And if you could, it would mean all the money would be all spent on absolutely essential services and nothing would ever be spent on making the city a nicer place to live and visit.

I agree, it’s a forgotten part of town that needed rejuvenating. I’ve read that a few new outlets have opened or extended in the area providing more choice and bringing more revenue into the city. The hospitality industry has been through a tough time as well as us punters with many well loved establishments disappearing off the face of the earth. If it brings business to the city it has to be a good thing, something needed kickstarting in that area. Better than leaving the area to rot.

[goats]

I couldn't disagree more. That end of the city centre has been dying a slow death as the centre of gravity shifted towards the southern end and the Bay. This will undoubtedly rejuvenate it. Of course there are other things that, in theory, money could be spent on, there always are. But local government finance doesn't work like that. You can't simply transfer money from one expenditure head to another. And if you could, it would mean all the money would be all spent on absolutely essential services and nothing would ever be spent on making the city a nicer place to live and visit.

Nonsense, it’s tiny, I couldn’t even see water walking passed it. We shall see how it works out in 5/10 years time. I do agree that that end of town needs something, it could be a lot better as there are lots of flats, lots of students but no where really to hang out as everything seems to have shut including most of the capitol centre.

[BLUETIT]

Our city is filthy !!!!!!
Gutters full up with leaves, drains blocked, lanes full of rubbish, and as for the city centre, it gets cleaned about 6 times a year ( that’s after EGG games)

[RichardM]

Our city is filthy !!!!!!
Gutters full up with leaves, drains blocked, lanes full of rubbish, and as for the city centre, it gets cleaned about 6 times a year ( that’s after EGG games)

Are you as miserable in real life as you are on here. Your posts always seem to be moaning about football, the council or Mark Drakeford.

[BLUETIT]

[QUOTE=RichardM;5495065]Are you as miserable in real life as you are on here. Your posts always seem to be moaning about football, the council or Mark Drakeford

WHO ?

[bobh]

Having lived in London for ten years, IMHO Cardiff is by far the better city. The only thing that lets it down is public transport.

[MOZZER2]

Having lived in London for ten years, IMHO Cardiff is by far the better city. The only thing that lets it down is public transport.

This

[goats]

Having lived in London for ten years, IMHO Cardiff is by far the better city. The only thing that lets it down is public transport.

And no top flight football or any decent clothes shops

[RichardM]

And no top flight football or any decent clothes shops

Isn't Cardiff City and M&S good enough for you😃

[Tuerto]

Having lived in London for ten years, IMHO Cardiff is by far the better city. The only thing that lets it down is public transport.

By far the better City? you really need to elaborate on that statement. London is a Mega city, Cardiff is a village in comparison.

[NYCBlue]

I was in St Louis, Missouri the other day, and the baseball park is absolutely the focal point of the city.
it's relatively new but built in the style of an old stadium and is absolutely stunning.

also in the centre, about 20-30 minutes walk from that is a brand new football stadium (soccer) for their new MLS franchise, and that looks really nice as well. not an identikit bowl.

St Louis is a pretty dull city though. If there's no baseball game, downtown it's dead after 5pm. I'd much rather spend an evening in Cardiff.

[Carl Dale's Mole]

Everyone's entitled to their opinion of course and as someone who's lived in Asia since 2006 and went home last November for the first time in nearly 10 years, mine is that Cardiff is brilliant.

And I honestly think it's going to get better and better: https://www.cardiffwalesmap.com/CardiffDevelopments.htm

If I HAD to say something bad about the place I'd say that the Bay is a little overrated as it is but no doubt that'll look different too by my next trip home. There's so much potential there.

The thing that stuck out the most for me is how nice the people are. I had heard that everyone's miserable and it's all doom and gloom but that's just not the impression I got. We'd go to a bus stop looking lost and peopled helped us out every single time, then we'd chat for ages. People are so easy and nice to talk to. Sat next to a great bunch at the CCS, chatted and laughed the whole time. No idea who they are. Every day was a different conversation with a nice stranger.

I'm a bit of a pussy but never felt unsafe. Although my family did drop me off at my hotel down the Bay after a Tuesday night game because I was planning on walking through Grangetown alone with my new City away shirt in my hand. They didn't think it was a very good idea.

I admit I didn't go down that end of Queen Street but town is still great. The arcades are great. Cardiff Market is great. If that market was in Perth or Adelaide it would be all over the travel blogs. I grew up on pub food and a cone of chips. Now I can eat good Greek food and Polish dumplings? Maybe it was always there but there does seem like a lot more quality options nowadays.

My only hope is that house prices don't go through the roof before I get the chance to move back. Fingers crossed!

[Wash DC Blue]

St Louis is a pretty dull city though. If there's no baseball game, downtown it's dead after 5pm. I'd much rather spend an evening in Cardiff.

That’s because it’s dangerous as.
Back to the thread, comparing Cardiff to any City is daft.

I read an article in National Geographic comparing Cardiff to Baltimore.

A merchant shipping history with the docks done up and stadiums which could be considered as focal points is fair enough, but the reality is chalk and cheese.

[RichardM]

By far the better City? you really need to elaborate on that statement. London is a Mega city, Cardiff is a village in comparison.

Size isn't everything.

[the other bob wilson]

Funny how things stick with you throughout your life, but I can remember being told by a teacher in primary school (I must have been six or seven at the time) that we should always be grateful that we were born and lived in such a great city. She talked about how you could walk such short distances from the main station and bus depot to a castle, a superb civic centre with a good museum, the main shopping centre, great restaurants and pubs, theatres, cinemas and concert halls and international sporting facilities. She also spoke of Cardiff's racial tolerance and what she saw as its general friendliness.

Now, some of those things no longer apply (for example, criminally there is no bus depot, no Empire pool any more, Glamorgan no longer play right in the heart of the city and I must say that in general I've found the people in the valleys more friendly towards strangers than those in Cardiff), but I'd still say that most of what my teacher said sixty years ago applies - Cardiff is a great city.

[Majorblue]

Disclaimer I'm not from Cardiff and i have never lived in the city either.
Is it a great place to visit, absolutely.
Is there a lot wrong with it, of course.
Pointless to compare it with other places as each city has its own identity forged over, in most cases, centuries.
Just appreciate what we have and hope the blot on the landscape that is the high rise , architectural nightmare, student accommodation stops and the glorious Victorian arcades are maintained.
Bring back Asteys and the Lious as well.

[goats]

Everyone's entitled to their opinion of course and as someone who's lived in Asia since 2006 and went home last November for the first time in nearly 10 years, mine is that Cardiff is brilliant.

And I honestly think it's going to get better and better: https://www.cardiffwalesmap.com/CardiffDevelopments.htm

If I HAD to say something bad about the place I'd say that the Bay is a little overrated as it is but no doubt that'll look different too by my next trip home. There's so much potential there.

The thing that stuck out the most for me is how nice the people are. I had heard that everyone's miserable and it's all doom and gloom but that's just not the impression I got. We'd go to a bus stop looking lost and peopled helped us out every single time, then we'd chat for ages. People are so easy and nice to talk to. Sat next to a great bunch at the CCS, chatted and laughed the whole time. No idea who they are. Every day was a different conversation with a nice stranger.

I'm a bit of a pussy but never felt unsafe. Although my family did drop me off at my hotel down the Bay after a Tuesday night game because I was planning on walking through Grangetown alone with my new City away shirt in my hand. They didn't think it was a very good idea.

I admit I didn't go down that end of Queen Street but town is still great. The arcades are great. Cardiff Market is great. If that market was in Perth or Adelaide it would be all over the travel blogs. I grew up on pub food and a cone of chips. Now I can eat good Greek food and Polish dumplings? Maybe it was always there but there does seem like a lot more quality options nowadays.

My only hope is that house prices don't go through the roof before I get the chance to move back. Fingers crossed!

Dont worry about house prices….probably going to plummet some more as the government’s target landlords and they sell up….its a buyers market at the moment.

[BLUETIT]

By far the better City? you really need to elaborate on that statement. London is a MEGA city, Cardiff is a village in comparison.

No it’s not !!!!!!!!

In just 1.12 square miles, the City of London counts around 8,000 residents, 513,000 daily commuters and 10m annual visitors. The City of London boundaries stretch from Temple to the Tower of London, on the River Thames including, from west to east Chancery Lane and Liverpool Street.

[Maurice Swan]

I was last in Cardiff around March-June 2021....coming out of Covid restrictions. Queen street had gone down, with quite a few vagrants.....St. Mary street was just sad in the daytime but bustling at night. I actually found the public transport (had no car with me) quite decent (then...). My favourite area was the municipal centre/museum and the greenery there. Overall I think Cardiff is a lovely city.