Tom Shutes buys the "Ice Factory"

Quoted from KingstonMariner

The source of the funding doesn’t matter whether it’s from UK government or the EU. The plan either stacks up or it doesn’t. I hope it does stack up.

There won’t be loads of different uses. The man is planning to build a theatre. It has a wider interest than a fishing museum. But hey, if you’re coming to Grimsby to the theatre, why not stay overnight. There’s an interesting museum about the town’s historic industry, that explains why all this old machinery was here. On the way there, there’s a nice brewery taproom which has got a really diverse range of ales. Actually you can also pop down the road and have a nice walk by the coast and stop off at a traditional fish and chip shop. The people are friendly too. Not fake customer service, just genuine welcoming people.

Who knows what other spin-off things will pop up around the ‘kasbah’ that’ll be worth visiting.

Quoted from Azimuth

Both Hull and Liverpools investments started years  before any city of culture status was awarded, what they did have in common were forward thinking councils and investors who grabbed and pushed for everything they could get their hands on, the initial small investments generated more interest in the cities and more investment, Hull is a very very different place now to when I worked there in the late 80s and 90s.
Grimsby is only now starting the process of modernisation and investment which can only succeed if all of us get behind the plans and ideas and see some real positive changes around our town.

Quoted from Total Hawsehole

But where are the Ice House Gang going to meet now? Is Shutes going to buy up Park Street so the PSM have somewhere to go with their zimmer frames. Apologies if you are too young to remember the early 70s!

Quoted from Poojah

I moved away from Grimsby 18 years ago, half my life ago now - Christ, I can’t even believe it’s that long.

I couldn’t be prouder of where I’m from, where I was born - anyone who knows me where I live now knows I’m a Grimsby lad and a Town fan through and through. I don’t know if if it’s a Grimsby thing, but I wear it on my sleeve. Virtually every small talk conversation begins with “So how are Grimsby doing?”. Of course, that’s a bit of a conversation killer in recent times.

But if we focus Grimsby specifically (and not Meggies, which is in slightly better fettle), I can think of literally no tangible improvement in the area in terms of amenities since I left home. Without a doubt it’s gone backwards. When I left the town you could have a night out in Lloyds, Yates’s, Walkabout, Chicago Rock. All of those places are gone now, and replaced by nothing of significance.

Freshney Place was only 10 years out of date. Nothing has changed there since, other than the closing of its former flagship stores - Woolworths, Virgin, BHS, Binns. Even the tiles on the floor are either the same as the ones as I remember seeing when I would be reluctantly forced shopping with my mum as a toddler, or replaced by the cheapest, nastiest vinyl. It’s a jungle of pound shops and empty units. It’s now 28 years out of date.

Christ, when I grew up we had a cinema. It was a shíthole with only three screens, no leg room and an often treacherous walk home if you went at night, but at least there was one. The Town is missing some of the very basics of modern living.

I’ve lived in and spent time in some proper crap towns in my life, particularly in the north east. Hartlepool looks like something out of an apocalypse movie for the most part, but at least the marina has been regenerated into something worthy of visiting for a meal or a night out.

It has a Nando’s, Pizza Hut and a Frankie & Bennie’s. I’m not suggesting that chain restaurants are the epitome of modern dining experience, they are quite the opposite, but they are a signal that big business has taken notice of the area. Beyond fast food, we don’t have anything of that ilk anymore, do we?

The area has so much potential. The cost of living is so agreeable and Cleethorpes in the summer is absolutely wonderful and massively underrated - I never appreciated what a great place it was until I moved away.

But the state of Grimsby today saddens me - it needs a lot of investment. I don’t know much of Tom Shutes or his motives, but I don’t understand the instant dismissal of any proposal which stands to turn a part of the town which has laid derelict for decades into something of genuine value to the community.

I’d love nothing more than to see place where I was born and was brought up fulfil its massive potential.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

I like optimists.

Quoted from Poojah

I moved away from Grimsby 18 years ago, half my life ago now - Christ, I can’t even believe it’s that long.

I couldn’t be prouder of where I’m from, where I was born - anyone who knows me where I live now knows I’m a Grimsby lad and a Town fan through and through. I don’t know if if it’s a Grimsby thing, but I wear it on my sleeve. Virtually every small talk conversation begins with “So how are Grimsby doing?”. Of course, that’s a bit of a conversation killer in recent times.

But if we focus Grimsby specifically (and not Meggies, which is in slightly better fettle), I can think of literally no tangible improvement in the area in terms of amenities since I left home. Without a doubt it’s gone backwards. When I left the town you could have a night out in Lloyds, Yates’s, Walkabout, Chicago Rock. All of those places are gone now, and I

Quoted from moosey_club

Rose tinted specs, the pubs mentioned had a glory year, maybe two....but they all closed for a reason,.......too many drug users and mini drug dealers
Being pretty much at my prime in those years the Riverhead definitely became the place to go to.....massively impacted on Cleethorpes and stole the custom of the traditional Meggies circuit...but didnt last long.

Quoted from moosey_club

Rose tinted specs, the pubs mentioned had a glory year, maybe two....but they all closed for a reason,.......too many drug users and mini drug dealers
Being pretty much at my prime in those years the Riverhead definitely became the place to go to.....massively impacted on Cleethorpes and stole the custom of the traditional Meggies circuit...but didnt last long.

Quoted from Poojah

I moved away from Grimsby 18 years ago, half my life ago now - Christ, I can’t even believe it’s that long.

I couldn’t be prouder of where I’m from, where I was born - anyone who knows me where I live now knows I’m a Grimsby lad and a Town fan through and through. I don’t know if if it’s a Grimsby thing, but I wear it on my sleeve. Virtually every small talk conversation begins with “So how are Grimsby doing?”. Of course, that’s a bit of a conversation killer in recent times.

But if we focus Grimsby specifically (and not Meggies, which is in slightly better fettle), I can think of literally no tangible improvement in the area in terms of amenities since I left home. Without a doubt it’s gone backwards. When I left the town you could have a night out in Lloyds, Yates’s, Walkabout, Chicago Rock. All of those places are gone now, and replaced by nothing of significance.

Freshney Place was only 10 years out of date. Nothing has changed there since, other than the closing of its former flagship stores - Woolworths, Virgin, BHS, Binns. Even the tiles on the floor are either the same as the ones as I remember seeing when I would be reluctantly forced shopping with my mum as a toddler, or replaced by the cheapest, nastiest vinyl. It’s a jungle of pound shops and empty units. It’s now 28 years out of date.

Christ, when I grew up we had a cinema. It was a shíthole with only three screens, no leg room and an often treacherous walk home if you went at night, but at least there was one. The Town is missing some of the very basics of modern living.

I’ve lived in and spent time in some proper crap towns in my life, particularly in the north east. Hartlepool looks like something out of an apocalypse movie for the most part, but at least the marina has been regenerated into something worthy of visiting for a meal or a night out.

It has a Nando’s, Pizza Hut and a Frankie & Bennie’s. I’m not suggesting that chain restaurants are the epitome of modern dining experience, they are quite the opposite, but they are a signal that big business has taken notice of the area. Beyond fast food, we don’t have anything of that ilk anymore, do we?

The area has so much potential. The cost of living is so agreeable and Cleethorpes in the summer is absolutely wonderful and massively underrated - I never appreciated what a great place it was until I moved away.

But the state of Grimsby today saddens me - it needs a lot of investment. I don’t know much of Tom Shutes or his motives, but I don’t understand the instant dismissal of any proposal which stands to turn a part of the town which has laid derelict for decades into something of genuine value to the community.

I’d love nothing more than to see place where I was born and was brought up fulfil its massive potential.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Like I said this is “non football” and despite Schutes getting some stick on here by some who have an ill informed axe to grind because he bailed out of the consortium at the last minute I think he should be applauded for his insight and ambition, two things that appear to have been in short supply by many who have it within their gift to initiate positive change in the Town.