[nicola]

I've been reading in the 'About Leeds' publication that dropped through my letterbox this morning that Leeds City Council are determined to make Leeds the best city in the UK. There's a long term plan called 'The Vision for Leeds 2011 to 2030'. - LCC

"Five areas are at the heart of the Vision: children, living, health and well-being, communities and business."

The Council are urging all residents to get behind the Vision although they have accepted that they've set themselves a massive challenge!

[Tyke]

Sounds like so much hot air to me I would have been more impressed if they had said they had plans for a mass transit system not jam tomorrow. I don’t want to seem on a downer as I have lived and loved Leeds for nearly 60 years but if they don’t get people into the city the centre will die.

[dervish99]

Originally Posted by nicola

I've been reading in the 'About Leeds' publication that dropped through my letterbox this morning that Leeds City Council are determined to make Leeds the best city in the UK. There's a long term plan called 'The Vision for Leeds 2011 to 2030'. - LCC

"Five areas are at the heart of the Vision: children, living, health and well-being, communities and business."

The Council are urging all residents to get behind the Vision although they have accepted that they've set themselves a massive challenge!

It could just be me but i count 6 areas within their "heart of the vision"

[Ronnie Rhino]

Every time i go into the city centre it's always busy.

[duchess]

This sounds like a smoke and mirrors story to me. Elections in May. The Council are good at telling us how 'good' they are. Who ever heard them say they failed at anything, meanwhile they are selling off everything the city owns !!!!!
I don't know that any of them can see beyond the end of their nose let alone to 2030.
They probably had the 'vision' drawn up by a very expensive consultant friend of theirs.
Sorry about the cynicism.
Just try either improving the public transport system or give us cheap parking.
Less talk, more action.

[Ronnie Rhino]

As a leeds lad born & bred,lived through 3 recessions over these years the city of leeds has always done remarkably well.
With the Leeds Arena, the Trinity Shopping Mall and the Eastgate Quarter coming on stream the city of leeds will become one of the top cities in europe to visit.

[bewerley]

Originally Posted by dervish99

It could just be me but i count 6 areas within their "heart of the vision"

It is just you. Health and Wellbeing counts as one
Not sure what Living means? Does it mean living longer? quality of life? accommodation quality? Ease of travel? or is it just a catch-all to save them having 10 visions?

[cybero]

I think that's because health and well-being are counted as being one primary aim, whilst communities and business are counted as two separate aims. thus five aims.

[on another note - did anyone notice that that when it was the 800th anniversary of the borough market charter [2007] that the marketing guys and gals did have some signage to the effect that Leeds city was 800 years old? - that won't actually happen until 2693 BTW :-)]

[ABC57]

In answer to Ronnie Rhino Leeds will never be a top city in Britain never mind Europe.
We have MEPs,MPs and local councillors who cannot get their act together. It will always lag behind Sheffield, Newcastle etc. for a start
A couple of new buildings will not do much to bring punters in. Can you afford to shop in the likes of the Victoria Quarter or Harvy Nick's. We need affordable shopping centres for the people of Leeds.

[bewerley]

Yes, like many others, I can afford to shop at Harvey Nicks and Leeds needs aspirational shopping.
You cannot build a future around poor people and 'affordable shopping'.
Leeds market is the best value shopping in the UK but it's in danger of closure.
Morley is a town centre where there is affordable shopping and its often deserted.
Affordable shopping is the death knell of town centres.

[Ronnie Rhino]

Leeds is an afflueant city,thats why retailers of the standard of harvey nichols,vivieen westwood and now the john lewis group who are now investing in the eastgate quarter.
City coucillors have to aim for the best to make it the best and try and maintain a certain standard through out the city failing to do this will not attract top investment.theres is a place for low budget shops in all cities but top premium shops must lead the way.

[duchess]

Leeds should stop wanting what every other city has, its boring. People go where its free to park, no fines for staying too long. Why not build that into the city and then encourage the small specialist stores instead of the same old big chain shops. Loads of street entertainment and include Vicar Lane in the pedestrianization, so the market is safe and easy to reach.Try being different,think out of the box. Know what's interesting and don't fall for the professional sales pitches of the global companies. Leeds needs polish and pride not get bigger and bigger. LCC should aim to be the best and its not about size .

[nevben]

Originally Posted by bewerley

Yes, like many others, I can afford to shop at Harvey Nicks and Leeds needs aspirational shopping.
You cannot build a future around poor people and 'affordable shopping'.
Leeds market is the best value shopping in the UK but it's in danger of closure.
Morley is a town centre where there is affordable shopping and its often deserted.
Affordable shopping is the death knell of town centres.

Harvey Nicks and the like are simply selling you goods with their label on and charging you extra for the poser power this attracts. In my opinion it is not a question of being able to afford to show there, it is more a question of whether you have graduated adolesence and lost interest in labels.
Some people never do, I know someone who shops in Netto and uses an Harrods carrier bag to take things home.
Sadly Morley town centrelost a lot of it's trade and more recently traders when the White Rose centre opened nearby. Sad to see but we live in a culture where people like to go to places where everything in under one roof.

[bremner8]

Originally Posted by duchess

Leeds should stop wanting what every other city has, its boring. People go where its free to park, no fines for staying too long. Why not build that into the city and then encourage the small specialist stores instead of the same old big chain shops. Loads of street entertainment and include Vicar Lane in the pedestrianization, so the market is safe and easy to reach.Try being different,think out of the box. Know what's interesting and don't fall for the professional sales pitches of the global companies. Leeds needs polish and pride not get bigger and bigger. LCC should aim to be the best and its not about size .

Good points Duchess but without size Leeds would be unable to offer variety.

[terenced]

Originally Posted by Ronnie Rhino

As a leeds lad born & bred,lived through 3 recessions over these years the city of leeds has always done remarkably well.
With the Leeds Arena, the Trinity Shopping Mall and the Eastgate Quarter coming on stream the city of leeds will become one of the top cities in europe to visit.

You are bang right, Leeds has everything going for it, massive inward investment, greater than any city outside the South East.

[yorky]

Another born an d bred Leeds lad living on the other side of the world,NZ.finds it hard to stomach reading that Gipton Est.doesn't have a docters surgery,things closer to home to fix before all that PR rubbish Ithink..

[yorky]

Igot the docters surgery bit on the Internet,Googld Gipton etc. and recieved heaps of interesting stuff about the place.

[superleeds]

walk-in-health centre at Burmantofts LS9 open 8 till 8 including Christmas Day. Looks after the Gipton Loiners.

[superleeds]

and if you are really poorly you can travel a mile or so and go to Jimmy's. Probably the best service in the world.

[Captain Caveman]

as somebody who has lived in Leeds nearly all his life and has travelled and worked all over the UK and Europe, the only problem with Leeds is that it is one the most un friendliest places to visit and that includes St James's