“@Steve "I think that most readers are intelligent "

*There is your mistake*”

“"the curve is an incredible building but as always in Leicester there is a catch, The Curve is hidden away and (last time i checked) was opposite a strip club"
It' not that hidden away, it's a short walk from one of the busiest streets in the city, and yes, it's next to a strip club, but it's also next to some wonderful Georgian architecture, an art deco theatre and Phoenix Square.

"the highcross has killed the high street and its still waste land next to the car park,"
No, the recession has killed the high street. The credit crunch started as the highcross opened, bad timing of course, but given the circumstances, I'm surprised how many shops are still occupied.

"theres never any follow up with LCC, its always just "have this building and shut up", there needs to be more of a draw into certain areas, for example - round the curve needs more bars, cafes, smaller theatres, cinemas and maybe one or two posher nightclubs, like leicester square, that run down set of buildings next to the HC carpark should be made into small independent shops,"
Again, once the recession has lost its bit I have no doubt that's what will happen, but brand new private businesses don't just spring up overnight, especially during the worst economic downturn in 30 years.

"we need trams connecting all the parts of the city, focusing on the highcross as a hub (have them underground if needs be) and spreading out all the way across the city,"
A great wishlist, but do you have any idea of the money needed for that and the disruption it would cause?


"AND the trains should be cheap, none of this £1.80 for a mile bus journey into the city like it is on the bus, i'm talking £1 each way to whatever location you want."
Blame the Tories for that, they were the ones who privatised the railways, allowing greedy companies to charge whatever they want. Same for the buses.

Leicester's doing ok. I came here as a student and ten years later I'm still here and building a family. Some people just seem quite myopic.”

“It is always good to hear something positive about Leicester although the ---"I had an image of Leicester being an industrial area but it comes across as a very cultural place now."--- sounds a little patronizing to me.
Buildings don't make 'culture', people do. The Highcross Mall is a fitting, well designed 'cathedral' for the culture of materialism. The Curve Theatre can become a catalyst for urban revitalization, and like it or not, urban centres need good civic buildings: theatres, museums, arenas, olympic standard pools etc., and vibrant universities.
I get back home to Leicester every 2 or 3 years and think that on the whole the changes there have been positive. I live in a town with a couple of quite good universities and can attest to their benefits to the community, both culturally and economically.
By the way, I love the term 'Mercury Moaners'. They should be sent out to travel the world as cultural ambassadors for the city!”

“Hopefully they can start getting rid of old fashioned Terrace houses next!”

“I would agree with her to an extent that these buildings are landmarks, the curve is an incredible building but as always in Leicester there is a catch, The Curve is hidden away and (last time i checked) was opposite a strip club, the highcross has killed the high street and its still waste land next to the car park, theres never any follow up with LCC, its always just "have this building and shut up", there needs to be more of a draw into certain areas, for example - round the curve needs more bars, cafes, smaller theatres, cinemas and maybe one or two posher nightclubs, like leicester square, that run down set of buildings next to the HC carpark should be made into small independent shops, after refurbishing the buildings there, we need trams connecting all the parts of the city, focusing on the highcross as a hub (have them underground if needs be) and spreading out all the way across the city, then develop shops and hotels around the stations, each station could be a mini hub of economic activity. AND the trains should be cheap, none of this £1.80 for a mile bus journey into the city like it is on the bus, i'm talking £1 each way to whatever location you want.
something has to change in that city or it is all going to collapse. you've spent all your budget and you've got nothing to show for it except a few "landmarks" which i presume are all making a massive loss.
get a grip leicester, i dont want to come back home and see a broken city.”

“If you don't like the place, perhaps you should move. I happen to think the place is nice. I would also agree with her comments.”

“Firstly, I'm glad someone remembered that we have 2 universities here. The one most of you have forgotten - Leicester University is 15 in the list of good universities out of 114.
Secondly, perhaps I am the only one who remembers the streets which were pulled down to make room for Waterloo Way. I don't remember any architectural gems.
Thirdly, the Highcross has replaced some very run down buildings and e-vitalised an area which had become quite depressed. This can¿t be bad even if you don¿t like the design of the buildings”

“Leicester has lost many of its examples of good architecture in the last 50 years, thanks to those at the council who put in the ring road, the haymarket centre, etc. They have been replaced with architecturally worthless buidlings that have been positioned without any consideration to their historical neighbours. The Highcross centre is totally lacking in character regarding its shops and we have lost many of the smaller independent, more interesting shops from the city. We still have some terrific buildings in Leicester, but sadly the City council seems determined to repeat the mistakes of the 60s and 70s, so I fear for their future.”

“I came to Leicester in 1990 as a student at what later became De Montfort University, and I have stayed because I love the city. I still live in the 'student' area of Narborough Road, so I am obviously not anti student.
It saddens me though to see Leicester now referred to as "a vibrant university town". It is, and should appear as, much more than that, and if that is how it now comes across then something has gone badly wrong. Leicester and De Montfort Universities and their students bring much to the city, however our city should reflect much more than just them.”

“Steve, that's a bit of a black and white view isn't it? Are you suggesting that all negative comments are meant as tongue in cheek, well if that's the case then there are some who's tongues must have permanently fused with the inside of theirs because that's all they ever do. A little bit of cynicism can be healthy but constant negativity is as Red pointed out, so boring.”