The once-thriving UK city due large £114million transformation – ‘it’s a dump’ | UK | News | EUROtoday

It’s the biggest city in Warwickshire, the birthplace of well-known novelist George Eliot and it is on account of bear an thrilling new renovation undertaking. Nuneaton, house to 88,813 individuals, is a small neighborhood hub that has numerous potential – however it’s not fairly there but, residents say. Stepping out of the automotive behind the city corridor, the realm appears to be like inexperienced and clear – inviting.

Located only a 38-minute drive from Birmingham metropolis centre and a 23-minute drive from Coventry, it’s in a main location. In latest years, the city has even turn into a hotspot for commuters, even for individuals who work in London – which is only a 55-minute prepare experience away. The entrance of the city corridor is grand, daring and conventional. It’s adorned with Union Jack flags and stands proudly on the entrance to the city.

It’s a cold and gray day with mild rain on the day we’re visiting, however there’s nonetheless an honest variety of individuals milling round alongside the excessive avenue. Locals say they’re determined to see some regeneration within the city which they imagine has misplaced its as soon as thriving excessive avenue and repute. Nuneaton is within the throes of a serious improve with funding within the city due to enhance 4 key areas: leisure and enterprise alternatives, schooling and abilities, unlocking housing improvement and rail, freeway and cycle infrastructure.

Disgruntled residents say they received’t imagine issues will change till they see it with their very own eyes. Shuffling alongside, locals dip out and in of espresso outlets, sheltering from the rain.

Walking on an empty stretch of the excessive avenue, Ronnie Brown, 80, says: “It’s rubbish – we just think it’s a dump. I’ve lived here since I was born. I have seen things go downhill in the time I’ve been here.

“All the shops are shutting, the high street is rubbish. If I didn’t like where I actually live, I would move because I think it’s a dump. I’ve got nothing good to say about it.

“We were here when we were young and when all the shops were open. The people were lovely back then too – they’re not so nice here now.

“We do come to the high street and have a coffee and go into a few shops but Bedworth is better.”

Ronnie will not be the one individual to say Nuneaton wants some enchancment.

Phil Machiewicz, 69, a HGV driver, says: “I’m all for changes, but you can’t really see the changes yet. Once it’s been completed, there’s hopes it will be better but we just don’t know yet.

“The markets seem to have got smaller and you can’t come into the town like you used to do and spend a few hours here – which is a shame. I’d like to see more shops open up like affordable clothing stores.

“One big thing the town has got going for it is its location – it’s well connected to Birmingham, Coventry and London which is useful.”

An enormous regeneration undertaking is deliberate for the city, aiming to rework Nuneaton right into a affluent city centre. Warwickshire County Council says one of many most important goals of the undertaking is to create a high-quality dwelling house with accessible city centre housing.

It additionally hopes to see extra enterprise within the city centre which will probably be supported by glorious transport connections. In phrases of procuring, there are goals to have a mixture of nationwide, impartial and specialist retailers.

Finally, it goals for the city to turn into a vacation spot for individuals to go to, enhancing the heritage and cultural alternatives of the realm.

Pat Charlesworth, 79, says: “I hope the money is spent well that is being invested here. Generally, it is kept quite clean here, which is a good thing, and I’ve never come across any trouble here, which is also a plus. But over time, it has got worse here.

“When I first moved out here, it was a thriving town with all of the shops occupied. I can’t imagine anyone thinking it’s good here at the moment. I live in hope that it will get better here.

“It’s a sad little town at the minute. It used to be brilliant and when I had visitors it was great to show them around.”

Standing in the primary sq. is Alan Heritage, 58, he says: “It’s never been fabulous but it would be great to see the works that’s started to change that.

“It will probably get worse before it gets better with all the building work and it would be worth it depending on the results.

“We’ve seen the developments beginning. A few things have been demolished and there is work going on in the town.

“We’re seeing a lot of good name shops disappearing but not many coming in their replacement.

After hearing from residents with little to no love for their town, walking along its quaint streets, it didn’t seem all that bad.

It certainly gave the impression that its future is bright. While some residents thought the beginning of the regeneration work made the town look messy, a shovel in the ground is a promising sign of what could be to come.

The budget for the Transforming Nuneaton regeneration programme sits at £114 million, reports BBC.

Councillor Nicky King, of Nuneaton and Bedworth Council, said: “At the moment, we have 170 independent shops in Nuneaton and only 22 units are empty but there are people doing some of them up at the moment.

“We need properties to be at a certain standard, especially with such a huge renovation project. Footfall into the town has increased in the last year and a half with more independents setting up in this time.

“You can visually see the regeneration taking place now which has encouraged more people into the town.

“We have two shopping centres here, and for a little market town, that’s definitely good. We have one which is at 80% occupancy and then the other has 45 retailers with only three which are empty.

“As a town, it’s going to be more vibrant. We need a nighttime economy and I know we might not get that back the same due to the changes in society but we’re aiming to do a lot more of that.

“Our market is one people know and love. The traders are loyal and they always want to come back. On a Wednesday, the markets average 25 traders and on a Saturday, they average 30 traders.”

Councillor Steve Hey said: “What we’re trying to do is to get people living in the town centre as well. The building that used to be Debenhams is now being turned into flats.

“We’ve got loads of independent shops here and that’s the future of this town. A lot of business owners are seeing the opportunity for this and they’re buying places now to start up in.

“We’re just 55 minutes from London, so we do get a lot of people living here and working in the city. You can’t get across London in that time and we’ve got hourly trains that go down there – it’s becoming a bit of a commuter town.

“We’ve also dropped car parking prices, it’s now £1 for the first hour and it’s £2 per day which is great for people who work here.”

For a town that’s often overlooked, Nuneaton has plenty of potential that is yet to be realised. Residents remain unconvinced with the town, standing at a crossroads between frustration and the hope of an overdue renewal.