Budget:  £1 Billion for 45 towns

£1 Billion announced in Budget today for regenerating 45 towns.

Grimsby must surely be one of these?  Could help with funding town centre and possibly supporting businesses linked to a new stadium?

Better than nothing but that’s only £22m per town.

What happened to that £830m Future High Streets Fund announced just before the election & awarded exclusively to Tory marginal seats?

About time they started to deliver on some of their promises.

Quoted from ska face

What happened to that £830m Future High Streets Fund announced just before the election & awarded exclusively to Tory marginal seats?

About time they started to deliver on some of their promises.

https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/news/grimsby-news/17-million-secured-help-transform-4833663

Admin.
Can we move this to non footy sooner rather than later please.

We all know which way it’s going.

Yes. People exposing the govt as charlatans. Moved.

Quoted from LH

Yes. People exposing the govt as charlatans. Moved.

Yea, it's not like they've had to spend billions to keep the country running in the last 12 months. male masturbators

Quoted from LH

Yes. People exposing the govt as charlatans. Moved.

That’s fine. You still want to whinge and moan despite getting absolutely hammered in the GE. That’s your right  
Just please keep it away from the footy section.

Which you swiftly did.

Thank you.

UTM

We already have millions being spent on a youth club, nail bar, new bridge over the river head, Grimsby beach front (yes I said Grimsby beach front) and loads of scaffolding shoring up the old Garth Lane river front buildings which suddenly then got demolished.

When its finished there will be jobs for everyone and the Town centre will be deadhead free.

It’ll be positively humming with metropolitan types when it’s done.

I see Grimsby, Immingham Goole and Hull are getting free port, I quite like glass of port especially with some Stilton. Some people will surely take the urine and get shitfaced all the time though - especially delinquents from Hull. Also if if you pass the bottle the wrong way don’t you have to shoot your sen...?

Quoted from TownSNAFU5

£1 Billion announced in Budget today for regenerating 45 towns.

Grimsby must surely be one of these?  Could help with funding town centre and possibly supporting businesses linked to a new stadium?

Yes. Grimsby has a Tory MP.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

It’ll be positively humming with metropolitan types when it’s done.

Good one.

I can see them now lapping up the cafe culture on Victoria Street having walked across the super dooper dooper bridge from the regenerated Fish Docks. Smart suits and long frocks worn with long Johns underneath two layers of artificial fur to keep out the balmy breeze as it force sevens its  way across the Riverhead. They can later mingle with the residents of the area and perhaps share a line or two and a bottle of vintage plonk while shivering their way into the smart new cinema where they can spread themselves out to view the latest movies on a score of iPhones and listen to a score of index fingers and thumbs tapping out a tiktok message and checking statuses on Twitter all the time keeping an ear to the fascinating conversations.

It will be grand. Worth every penny!

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

Good one.

I can see them now lapping up the cafe culture on Victoria Street having walked across the super dooper dooper bridge from the regenerated Fish Docks. Smart suits and long frocks worn with long Johns underneath two layers of artificial fur to keep out the balmy breeze as it force sevens its  way across the Riverhead. They can later mingle with the residents of the area and perhaps share a line or two and a bottle of vintage plonk while shivering their way into the smart new cinema where they can spread themselves out to view the latest movies on a score of iPhones and listen to a score of index fingers and thumbs tapping out a tiktok message and checking statuses on Twitter all the time keeping an ear to the fascinating conversations.

It will be grand. Worth every penny!

Its ok to take the mick and i get what your saying but this is after all something positive for the our town!
What’s the alternative tell the government that we don’t want the money Grimsby is a excrement hole so just leave it to decay?

A nail bar???!!! Really! Oh thank you Boris. That makes up for those fishermen being thrown on the scrap heap when your predecessor Ted Heath signed up to the Common Fisheries Policy. 40 years of under-investment. Benefits cuts over the last decade.

Hull not happy 🥲

Quoted from Humbercod

Hull not happy 🥲

Worth more to me than the money  

Quoted from Humbercod

Its ok to take the mick and i get what your saying but this is after all something positive for the our town!
What’s the alternative tell the government that we don’t want the money Grimsby is a excrement hole so just leave it to decay?

No, I’m just pointing out that the way such money is spent is pointless unless there is a market for the stuff that it is spent on. As things stand, Grimsby town centre like so many others is run down and the old retail outlets are all struggling. A different retail model is the first thing a town centre needs not a cinema or a flash bridge. I often wonder if planners think why a town centre came into being in the first place and whether those conditions exist anymore and if one will even be necessary by the mid C21st so why waste money on a sowe’s ear? Just think - the previous council knocked down the bus station in the hope that Debenhams would pay for new building on the end of Freshney Place - Debenhams!! Everyman and his dog kept telling them that the Debenhams retail model was bout to be dead and buried but no, it had to be done as a vanity project.

The Freeport idea is fine but it is not going to do anything to regenerate dying ideas.

Quoted from pen penfras

Yea, it's not like they've had to spend billions to keep the country running in the last 12 months. male masturbators

Well, they didn't have a choice but to spend given the circumstances, so not a surprise.

Luckily, all of the money required to support the economy was created by the Bank of England (owned by the UK Government) and was spent on gilts through the Asset Purchase Facility (a wholly owned subsidiary of the BoE). Therefore, we created the money and used it to buy bonds from ourselves. And the interest we pay on the bonds is spent on paying down the national debt. Makes complete sense, eh?

Oh, as for the Pork Barrel stuff, not a surprise at all. Where the US lead, we follow, which is why the Tories are so keen on forcing though voter ID requirements on us. The Yanks have shown that this works pretty well in keeping low earners (who tend to vote for left-wing parties) from voting.

They've got the ultimate squirrel (or perhaps it's just a gigantic dead cat?) in the pandemic to shove through all sorts of unsavoury and borderline corrupt policy and the media isn't really paying much attention, unsurprisingly.

Quoted from pen penfras

Yea, it's not like they've had to spend billions to keep the country running in the last 12 months. male masturbators

They gave their mates billions and we’ve still got useless systems. Track and trace can’t find one person who boarded a plane here using a boarding pass and passport with their name on. 🤯

Same old attempts to defend the indefensible. Strewth. The most corrupt government since probably the early 19th century and the most incompetent and some people are still trying to defend them. If I was a Tory voter I’d be keeping quiet about it. I wouldn’t want people to know I helped those illegitimates betray the country. Biggest bunch of traitors in power and people had the cheek to call Corbyn.

It wouldn’t be half so bad if their defenders offered a cogent argument that demonstrated they had any understanding of money supply. Probably think it’s all still backed by metal.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

Same old attempts to defend the indefensible. Strewth. The most corrupt government since probably the early 19th century and the most incompetent and some people are still trying to defend them. If I was a Tory voter I’d be keeping quiet about it. I wouldn’t want people to know I helped those illegitimates betray the country. Biggest bunch of traitors in power and people had the cheek to call Corbyn.

Keep ranting 😂

The latest YouGov/Times voting intention figures for March show that the Conservatives have widened their lead over the Labour party to 13pts with 45% of the vote (+4), while Labour has 32% (-4).

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

The Freeport idea is fine but it is not going to do anything to regenerate dying ideas.

There was a very interesting argument on Humberside the other day from some research financial institute think tank person who stated that University research into Freeport status had shown that they actually create very little employment and that the business model most likely to profit from Freeport status was................dog food manufacturing  
While welcoming the status being issued he was warning that it certainly isn't a guarantee of any long term jobs and that around the world the most succesful Freeports are ones where national tariffs are high so Freeports can prosper by offering reductions, something which isnt applicable to the UK.

Quoted from LH

They gave their mates billions and we’ve still got useless systems. Track and trace can’t find one person who boarded a plane here using a boarding pass and passport with their name on. 🤯

The system works: he handed himself in. Money well spent!

Don't forget, folks, in real terms, nurses already earn less than they did in 2010:

https://fullfact.org/health/nurse-pay-may-2020/

If the OBR's inflation estimate of 1.5% (which, admittedly, is in cloud cuckoo land) is correct, the 1% offer would actually be a pay cut. Slow hand claps all round.

Luckily, this government has shown they aren't scared to make lots of U-turns so they'll hopefully come up with something a bit less risible.

Quoted from Humbercod

Keep ranting 😂

The latest YouGov/Times voting intention figures for March show that the Conservatives have widened their lead over the Labour party to 13pts with 45% of the vote (+4), while Labour has 32% (-4).

Just shows how gullible the electorate is. I'm coming to the conclusion that parliaments should be voted in by a committee, as the electorate are by and large too easy to hoodwink.

Quoted from Humbercod

Keep ranting 😂

The latest YouGov/Times voting intention figures for March show that the Conservatives have widened their lead over the Labour party to 13pts with 45% of the vote (+4), while Labour has 32% (-4).

They must be idiots.

Quoted from ginnywings

Just shows how gullible the electorate is. I'm coming to the conclusion that parliaments should be voted in by a committee, as the electorate are by and large too easy to hoodwink.

A bit disrespectful there Ginny! The electorate doesn’t have much choice these day’s granted, and if anything the polls are showing how poor the so called opposition party’s are.

Quoted from Humbercod

A bit disrespectful there Ginny! The electorate doesn’t have much choice these day’s granted, and if anything the polls are showing how poor the so called opposition party’s are.

It's not disrespectful at all. The amount of sh1te I've heard first hand about Jeremy Corbyn tells me how easily people are hoodwinked by the media.

You are one of the posters who defend the Tories by telling us what a disaster Corbyn is, as if that is relevant in any way.

You and others don't tell us how successful the Tories are, rather how unsuccessful the opposition is and would have been. The above post of yours being yet another example.

It could be worse seems to be the Tory mantra. What a pathetic state of affairs.

I will take any money on offer but not with strings attached. Nationally there needs to be a lot of new thinking about city centres and high streets because that is the key to regeneration. This is why kids should study history and look at how and why towns developed on a time thread. Grimsby grew round the docks, houses were built round the docks, shops were built round the houses in a supply and demand cycle.

If the Freeport does work then there could be a population with money to spend which would help the High Streets. But we will not see the return of the John Lewis and Debenhams in their last incarnation. Money needs to be invested directly in town centres not on vanity projects like leaning lampposts but on housing. We need to encourage towns and cities to shrink geographically, build attractive properties for all incomes and ages leaving primary employment on the fringes of towns. Instead of concreting green farmland, bring the suburbs into town. Make it a nice place to live not one to be digging escape tunnels from.

On a new supply and demand cycle we would see high streets develop small shops fulfilling niche needs and instant access to goods that the internet cannot deliver. This is your secondary source of employment. So turn the towns @rse over elbow instead of being like the little boy with a finger in the dyke and crying our eyes out that the other party didn’t pay enough to get an adult with a big enough finger or something else to stick in the hole.

I doubt that any current local or national politician has the wit or foresight to see the bleedin’ obvious being far too interested in bragging who appears to throw the most money away on antiquated economic models. It is way outside of my time but there are opportunities here if people stop playing political games and recriminations and consider the sort of future they want for their grandchildren and beyond.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

I will take any money on offer but not with strings attached. Nationally there needs to be a lot of new thinking about city centres and high streets because that is the key to regeneration. This is why kids should study history and look at how and why towns developed on a time thread. Grimsby grew round the docks, houses were built round the docks, shops were built round the houses in a supply and demand cycle.

If the Freeport does work then there could be a population with money to spend which would help the High Streets. But we will not see the return of the John Lewis and Debenhams in their last incarnation. Money needs to be invested directly in town centres not on vanity projects like leaning lampposts but on housing. We need to encourage towns and cities to shrink geographically, build attractive properties for all incomes and ages leaving primary employment on the fringes of towns. Instead of concreting green farmland, bring the suburbs into town. Make it a nice place to live not one to be digging escape tunnels from.

On a new supply and demand cycle we would see high streets develop small shops fulfilling niche needs and instant access to goods that the internet cannot deliver. This is your secondary source of employment. So turn the towns @rse over elbow instead of being like the little boy with a finger in the dyke and crying our eyes out that the other party didn’t pay enough to get an adult with a big enough finger or something else to stick in the hole.

I doubt that any current local or national politician has the wit or foresight to see the bleedin’ obvious being far too interested in bragging who appears to throw the most money away on antiquated economic models. It is way outside of my time but there are opportunities here if people stop playing political games and recriminations and consider the sort of future they want for their grandchildren and beyond.

This local council has a history of being way behind any curves when it comes to town centre and recreational/ retail developments.
The latest plan regards "a cinema" for Grimsby , i have lost count of the different potential sites that a cinema was supposed to be going on down the years.
Birchin Way, Macauley Tip & Riverhead off the top of my head , now its earmarked for part of the old BHS building. Swimming pools too small, ice rinks too small.
While its ok having the cash you have to have minds in place to invest it wisely.  Never seems to be the case.  

Quoted from ginnywings

It's not disrespectful at all. The amount of sh1te I've heard first hand about Jeremy Corbyn tells me how easily people are hoodwinked by the media.

You are one of the posters who defend the Tories by telling us what a disaster Corbyn is, as if that is relevant in any way.

You and others don't tell us how successful the Tories are, rather how unsuccessful the opposition is and would have been. The above post of yours being yet another example.

It could be worse seems to be the Tory mantra. What a pathetic state of affairs.

Sorry you can’t call a large proportion of society ‘idiots’ just because they didn’t vote for the party you wanted, just looks bitter pal.
I’m working class always will be but like most people aspire to and achieved middle class and would like to maintain that. I’m no Tory but at present the conservative’s offer me and my family  a better chance. I trust them in power more then captain hindsight’s mob every single day of the week. So I don’t need anyone especially Corbynista’s telling me that I’ve been hoodwinked.

Quoted from Humbercod

Sorry you can’t call a large proportion of society ‘idiots’ just because they didn’t vote for the party you wanted, just looks bitter pal.
I’m working class always will be but like most people aspire to and achieved middle class and would like to maintain that. I’m no Tory but at present the conservative’s offer me and my family  a better chance. I trust them in power more then captain hindsight’s mob every single day of the week. So I don’t need anyone especially Corbynista’s telling me that I’ve been hoodwinked.

You do know to conservate something means to keep it the same as it is don’t you?

Quoted from LH

You do know to conservate something means to keep it the same as it is don’t you?

You do know Labour means to actually work don’t you?   

Quoted from Humbercod

Sorry you can’t call a large proportion of society ‘idiots’ just because they didn’t vote for the party you wanted, just looks bitter pal.
I’m working class always will be but like most people aspire to and achieved middle class and would like to maintain that. I’m no Tory but at present the conservative’s offer me and my family  a better chance. I trust them in power more then captain hindsight’s mob every single day of the week. So I don’t need anyone especially Corbynista’s telling me that I’ve been hoodwinked.

1) I didn't call anyone an idiot.

2) Not everyone aspires to be middle class.

3) You are not middle class.

In truth, unless you’re extremely wealthy; have cash in various overseas accounts, have mates within government then the tories offer nothing to anyone.

People can form their own views but whatever anyone’s view of Corbyn for instance, the rhetoric used in the media, across social media and by ill informed folk down the local etc. Was always anti Corbyn, yet had they bothered to actually listen and read what he said they’d realise it offered much more to them, especially the folk in towns like Grimsby, Scunthorpe and so forth.

Sadly, they chose not to, instead falling for the pseudo patriotism offered by self obsessed narcissistic tories who actually care little for their own party either, more for themselves than anything or anyone else.

The rejuvenation cash has been divided up disproportionately but that’s as expected. However, rejuvenation can’t just be about building a cinema or shops, it has to be about much more. Develop industry, entice industry to the area, housing developments which are affordable yet enticing to first time buyers, regarding of the area and so on. Ron covered it but it’s important to look beyond a shop or cinema for example. Bringing those things to Grimsby is pointless of the folk don’t have the cash or lifestyle to frequent them...

Through lockdown we’ve see a burst of new, local businesses in various areas offering various things, these require investment and incentive to continue, to promote the area and local folk. Build a sense of community again (impossible in truth given people seem only concerned about themselves, as highlighted by many who voted for a party because ‘it was better for me’) and invest in the people.

We’ve seen in the last year the contempt for the general public, the sheer arrogance of wasting billions upon billions, lining the pockets of friends and acquaintances of politicians whilst folk work their fingers to the bone, for what? A clap? Some cheap comments, the odd award here and there. Those folk did it because they care, because being kind and helping folk is actually a worthwhile and proud thing to do. Invest in those people, in their businesses, they’re the ones who’ve kept it all ticking over nicely...

A good part of this problem is that it is plain wrong to dictate the plan and style of a town whether Tory or Labour. It will be wrong. Some places get assimilated like Saltaire and Bournville but most attempts at super planning fail. Some people may like living in Milton Keynes but it would drive me crackers.

You have to let the place breathe and grow organically, you support the industries that will work not the ones from a political game. I know it seems unlikely now but the new ground for Town could be a great starter for growth. There are docks that just lay derelict. Look at Fleetwood, using the maritime skill base they had to transform, look at Bridlington even. We have had more than enough cash to do something but what has been done? A windswept open space for “events”, a new St James Square for night time revels.

As I said earlier a lot of the answer lies in repopulating much more of the town centre with a good mix of housing. I was hopeful Corporation Road would have been the first step years ago but it just stopped dead. Now we are fartarsing  about with repurposing falling down buildings into yoof development hubs. There are huge development opportunities all over the top town to Riby Square, Freemo and beyond.

Quoted from aldi_01

In truth, unless you’re extremely wealthy; have cash in various overseas accounts, have mates within government then the tories offer nothing to anyone.

People can form their own views but whatever anyone’s view of Corbyn for instance, the rhetoric used in the media, across social media and by ill informed folk down the local etc. Was always anti Corbyn, yet had they bothered to actually listen and read what he said they’d realise it offered much more to them, especially the folk in towns like Grimsby, Scunthorpe and so forth.

Sadly, they chose not to, instead falling for the pseudo patriotism offered by self obsessed narcissistic tories who actually care little for their own party either, more for themselves than anything or anyone else.

It’s this kind of arrogance and self righteousness that typifies today’s Labour supporter, just one of the reason people are now distancing themselves from the party as support dwindles.

Yet again I’m having to defend myself for voting conservative because YOU decide the conservative voters got it wrong and they are stupid (more or less what you are saying) right!
It’s quite nasty stuff always from the ardent even extreme Labour losers on here and it’s almost verging on bullying it’s the Labour way I suppose.

Look there’s a passionate bunch on here from all sides of the political spectrum and we do get entrenched in our political
Views at times and that’s no problem, taking the urine out the party’s is fair game especially the leaders with the likes of Boris, Corbo and ...(whoever Lib Dem leader is) is great ammunition for the banter at times, but it’s the constant personal attacks the sneering that will bring down any kind of healthy debate.

I think there are some decent people on here but politics can have a crazy effect on people which is why the wife and I never discuss it😀
Take politics out the equation and I think most people would actually get on.

Apart from that Aldi I thought you made some good points in the rest of your post.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

A good part of this problem is that it is plain wrong to dictate the plan and style of a town whether Tory or Labour. It will be wrong. Some places get assimilated like Saltaire and Bournville but most attempts at super planning fail. Some people may like living in Milton Keynes but it would drive me crackers.

You have to let the place breathe and grow organically, you support the industries that will work not the ones from a political game. I know it seems unlikely now but the new ground for Town could be a great starter for growth. There are docks that just lay derelict. Look at Fleetwood, using the maritime skill base they had to transform, look at Bridlington even. We have had more than enough cash to do something but what has been done? A windswept open space for “events”, a new St James Square for night time revels.

As I said earlier a lot of the answer lies in repopulating much more of the town centre with a good mix of housing. I was hopeful Corporation Road would have been the first step years ago but it just stopped dead. Now we are fartarsing  about with repurposing falling down buildings into yoof development hubs. There are huge development opportunities all over the top town to Riby Square, Freemo and beyond.

I think town centres like ours will end up ghost towns unless we get people living there.There must be loads of potential for empty shops being converted, even the flats above these shops have been left empty for years.

Interesting piece in today’s Times about Ipswich.

“ Ipswich has unveiled its plan to become the UK’s first “15-minute” town as part of a post-pandemic push to revitalise its town centre.

It wants to use the crisis as an opportunity to reshape its high street as more of a neighbourhood than a shopping destination. That means more housing, more restaurants and more green spaces but, importantly, fewer shops.

The proposals are the latest example of how towns, cities and shopping centres are trying to rethink what they offer, as an online retail revolution pulls spending away from physical shops.

Under the plans put forward by Ipswich Central, the town’s business improvement district company, developers would be given the green light to convert disused shops and vacant buildings and there would be a drive to add more services and facilities that would encourage people to move closer to the centre of town. More pedestrian and cycle routes are planned to boost the town’s appeal, while it will open more flexible working space to try to attract some of London’s workers.

The idea is that locals living in the town centre will be able to reach everything that they need — work, shops, schools, restaurants, sports facilities and so on — within 15 minutes on foot, bike or public transport. Ipswich thinks this concept could be “firmly established” within five years.

Terry Baxter, chairman of Ipswich Central, said: “This is a bold plan which recognises that in the new, post-Covid world, our town centre will need to rely less upon retail and develop a new purpose as a place to live and visit. This new strategy for Ipswich commits to many more people living centrally and having around them all that they will need to live their lives locally.”

To help fund its regeneration, Ipswich will make use of £25 million that it received from the government’s Towns Fund this month.”




I am not saying Grimsby should copy this as a slavish model but there are ideas here that make more sense than we have seen from this council or the last one.

It’s a nice idea in principle but having the wholesale reimagining of town centres into residential areas led entirely by “developers” will not create anything resembling long term, sustainable regeneration because it’s all about the bottom line. This is why we have a housing crisis in this country, because for decades the entire approach has been about maximising profit for a small number of developers and public accountability has been stripped away at national and local level.

Now you’ve got the ridiculous situation under permitted development where retail units can be converted to residential, and all you’ll end up with is more slum housing built to the absolute minimum required standard.

The govt go through housing ministers like toilet paper so there’s no wonder there’s no joined up, long term thinking. The current HCLG minister is openly corrupt and his actions intervening in favour of billionaire developer Richard Desmond, to do the local authority out of tens of millions of pounds, shows there is no commitment to anything even resembling public benefit. The whole thing reeks.

Quoted from ska face

It’s a nice idea in principle but having the wholesale reimagining of town centres into residential areas led entirely by “developers” will not create anything resembling long term, sustainable regeneration because it’s all about the bottom line. This is why we have a housing crisis in this country, because for decades the entire approach has been about maximising profit for a small number of developers and public accountability has been stripped away at national and local level.

Now you’ve got the ridiculous situation under permitted development where retail units can be converted to residential, and all you’ll end up with is more slum housing built to the absolute minimum required standard.

The govt go through housing ministers like toilet paper so there’s no wonder there’s no joined up, long term thinking. The current HCLG minister is openly corrupt and his actions intervening in favour of billionaire developer Richard Desmond, to do the local authority out of tens of millions of pounds, shows there is no commitment to anything even resembling public benefit. The whole thing reeks.

Apart from the last para which is tangential, this why I say I don’t necessarily think that the whole idea is applicable to Grimsby . Every town/city is different so no central government planning would work.

The prerequisite is jobs and incomes. That does not just mean offices and retail. If manufacturing etc. Is stuck on the outskirts all you will do is create a rush hour away from the town centre. One other point, if we look at most large towns/cities they were originally conurbations of smaller villages each with its own town centre. Scartho and Waltham are about the last examples in Grimsby. Noticeably these suffer on smaller scale the same problems of top Town. We should look at supporting the small businesses there and make those centres thrive.

You might say it’s tangential, I’d say is emblematic of the public sphere which shapes the entire country. The built environment is a reflection of the country on a broader scale in terms of economic and social values. Towns and cities don’t grow independently of each other  or exist in a vacuum - and what we’re seeing now is the impact of the atomisation of many aspects of life, which were reflected in the urban fabric, for the benefit of a small number of hyper-capitalist, service & finance focussed cities and mega cities.

Ska is right. We’ve gone from a mixed economy approach to free market capitalism to croney capitalism in the last 40 odd years.

Quoted from ska face

Now you’ve got the ridiculous situation under permitted development where retail units can be converted to residential, and all you’ll end up with is more slum housing built to the absolute minimum required standard.

If this was any more ‘true’ you would be paying royalties to Spandau Ballet.

I don’t know what the answer is but it’s not the relaxation of planning laws purely for profit.