This town is coming like a Ghost Town

Armley Town Street is in the worst state of decline and fast becoming a ghost town

Yesterday the retail space we hoped could be a catalyst for positive change for Armley went the way of other clone towns, and was granted permission to become a super large betting establishment. Who am I to complain, surely we all need a massive space to go place our bets on Grand National, I never did care to do it in the smokey, cramped space next door to Todd's really and always choose to go into town to the more 'plush' establishments. (Whatever- there are some interesting rumours floating around as to why Done's felt it necessary to buy a space worth over £300k.....)

Still what do we care, we've got a Tescos, Morrisons and all the supermarkets we could want. Why would we want to go to town street and rub shoulders with the people who shop on Town Street anyway. Surely the only reason they do is because they don't have cars and they have no choice and are therefore, POOR?

Okay I know that there are some very good charity shops and some fantastic independent retailers, lets be less dramatic and a bit more realistic. We have lots of lovely hairdressers, tanning Emporiums, sandwich shops, a soon to be Coral's Betting Establishment too, and nestling amongst the typical high street clones are some fab shops such as the Ski Shop, Skeltons, the highly regared Community Shop, The Shop that sells Cake making stuff, Mikes Carpets! and 2 lovely florists. We even have a new enterprising Eastern European Food Shop just openedn as Armley apparently has a very high Polish and Russian population.

But who would seriously want to take a risk currently and invest their blood sweat and tears and open something new in Armley? The Thai Cafe came and went (J N R) As did Point Break, which became Bar Ropa, then Fuzzy's then had it's windows caved in and boarded them up and left.

We want to know what are the conditions that make a place ripe for positive change? I would not want Armley to become a Chapel Alllerton, but what was it about CA that helped it pull itself up from its bootstraps to become the home of Yummy Mummys and young working profs with cash to splash in a plethora of bars, restuarants and antique boutiques?

I am not for gentrification, I am for creativity and how the wealth of wonderful creative people in Armley could do something different, and help bring some pride back.

Over and OUT it's over to you. Please dont let me be the lone voice of pontification, even if you just want to argue with me, please do. Anyone can have a log in and post on this blog whenever they want to get their opinion of Armley heard. If I am a lone voice then I will be even more depressed than I currently feel.