Official Solihull Thread

[Guilbert53]

For those interested in the Shirley Parkgate / ASDA project I have I have set up a Facebook page to record the ongoing work on this project.

I have called it Shirley Solihull - Parkgate Diary

It is here:

http://www.facebook.com/ShirleyParkgateDiary

My first ever Facebook "page" so still getting the hang of it.

[bromsgrovian]

Went to Touchwood today and the restaurant end has lost two eateries since my last visit around three weeks ago - The Mogo Grill and La Tasca.

The Mogo place was always empty but it's still a shame to see the nearest thing Touchwood had to an independent restaurant fail.

Better news with La Tasca, however - a premises application in the window (from 'The Restaurant Group') suggests it will become a Frankie and Benny's. They're certainly advertising for jobs a new opening in the 'Solihull area', anyway:

http://www.trgplc.com/careers/vacancies

[Guilbert53]

Not surprised the Mogo Grill has closed. I have eaten there a few times when Nandos has been too full.

But whenever I sat in there eating, and watched people walk past, they look at the menu, stare inside, and walk on.

I have to say their menu was not that great, and I think every time we went there we finished up having chicken on skewers.

Funny thing was that I dont think chicken on skewers was ever on their main menu but on a "special menu" that not everyone saw, and I always thought they should have featured different types of skewer options.

[morestoreysplease]

I heard on the radio this morning that the old Powergen office was on fire at the lower floors. Wasn't this a target for developers? And how convenient a fire would be for certain demolition?

[Guilbert53]

Originally Posted by morestoreysplease

I heard on the radio this morning that the old Powergen office was on fire at the lower floors. Wasn't this a target for developers? And how convenient a fire would be for certain demolition?

This site is owned by Asdas and has been empty for 15 years while the "fight" went on with council about whether to build an Asda there.

The Asdas is now being built acorss the road with other shops and flats / houses (see my Parkgate Shirley link above).

My understanding was that the Powergen site would be released by Asdas once their supermarket was built and the site cleared and houses built on it.

John Madin (who designed the current library in Birmingham) also designed the Powergen building.

[TJF]

Another building I'll be sad to see go. Was always impressed by it when I passed it as a kid.

[Guilbert53]

Re Powergen fire comment above.

I did hear a few weeks ago that the Powergen building is often used by the Fire Brigade and the Police for training.

Could it be this "fire" was just a practice and maybe a member of the public thought it was real?

I live about half a mile from the Powergen and certainly did not hear loads of Fire engines on Saturday morning.

[morestoreysplease]

I still maintain it would make a good hotel.

[samk706]

[Assa]

Originally Posted by samk706

They took down the first 2 semis (those closest to the Police) very quickly, quietly and efficiently. I only noticed yesterday when I walked past and I live no more than 200yds away! Interestingly they had piled all of the materials up into different types - masonry, wood, metal - and on the metal pile was the wreckage of a car! I'd love tlo know how that ended up there.

[Guilbert53]

The old Woolworth store in Shirley is going to become a "Markdown" store.

Never heard of them, but looking though the window it looks like it is going to be another "pile em high and sell em cheap" shop ala Poundland

[GaryinSydney]

Is there a Hollister store open in Solihull?

I couldn't see anything listed on the Mel square & Touchwood web sites

[bromsgrovian]

Originally Posted by GaryinSydney

Is there a Hollister store open in Solihull?

I couldn't see anything listed on the Mel square & Touchwood web sites

Yes, it's in Touchwood. If you look on the store map it's more or less in the middle of the main Crescent Arcade, next to H&M (the bigger unit).

[GaryinSydney]

Ooh that's great news - cheers!

I'll be "home" nr Worcester Sept, so looking forward to checking it out at Touchwood.

[BhamJim]

We walked past the 'Markdown' store as the fellas were erecting the new signage. My missus asked them what it was going to be and they said 'a supermarket.'

Although this might not be correct, I'm not sure the guys had a full command of the English language to be honest.

[Guilbert53]

Originally Posted by BhamJim

We walked past the 'Markdown' store as the fellas were erecting the new signage. My missus asked them what it was going to be and they said 'a supermarket.'

Although this might not be correct, I'm not sure the guys had a full command of the English language to be honest.

Saw a guy painting the front today.

The mauve paint on my picture above is now a post office box red.

Hope they tidy up the shutters as they look prettty awful.

I have to say a lot of what I have seen going on in Shirley in the last few months makes me want to move.
.

[Assa]

Originally Posted by Guilbert53

I have to say a lot of what I have seen going on in Shirley in the last few months makes me want to move.
.

Care to expand on that? Sounds bad.

I'm not a hppy bunny myself. The retirement home development at the end of Longmore Road is progressing and beginning to disrupt traffic along the road due to site parking and deliveries. A large falt-bed was delivering timber last week and was parked right across the road so that the timber could be off-loaded straight into the site rather than be carried a few extra meters. The lorry couldn't park parallel to the site because there's a very large oak tree on the grass edge of the pavement.... or at least there was. The tree has now gone. Frankly I'm fuming. The tree wasn't inside the sitre so what right do they have to take it down? Access to the site was always going to be tricky and they should have given it more consideration. I suspect they engineered an issue with site access (the main gate into the site is now where the tree used to be but there's no obvious reason for it being located on that spot) as having a very large, mature tree there probably would have caused them problems in the future. The council were expedient in letting the trees in Shirley Park be removed for Parkgate and they've done it again.

[Guilbert53]

Originally Posted by Assa

Care to expand on that? Sounds bad.

Whole load of things really.

My mother died back in February (father already dead) and we are due to sell the house soon so I have some money coming my way. I could sell my current house and add the money to it and buy a better house in a nicer area.

But also I feel Shirley is going downhill.

I walk up to the High St a lot at the moment to take pictures of the Parkgate development, and I dont like what I see.

I dont particulalry want a huge Asda right in the middle of Shirley, and overlooking Shirley Park

Plus this building work is going to go on till spring 2014, and where I live (nearby) I can hear the noise every day.

They are also going to build a roundabout up by the old Powergen building and this will be a huge job due to all the services under the road. The chaos will be awful.

The High St seems to now be full of charity shops, take aways, and cheap tatty "poundland" type shops.

The traffic down the Stratofrd Road seems to be getting worse, and will be even worse when the development is finished.

The rubbish in the High St seems to be getting worse. I know the Parkgate development is causing some, but with so many take away shops there seems to be rubbish thrown everywhere.

Recently I have strolled up there 3 or 4 days on the trot taking pictures (I am retired) and I see the same rubbish, lying in the same place, day after day. Not sure where the street cleaners are.

A lot of people who live here (or visit here) also dont care about the area. I saw a guy parked outside Nandos the other day but he had been to Greggs to buy his lunch.

He was standing by his car eating a sandwich and drinking a coke. He then got in his car and drove along the slip road in front of Blockbuster. All of a sudden he threw his empty bag and tin of coke out the window onto the slip road and drove off. I was so angry.

I also saw another couple (probably in their 30s) one lunchtime who were a little drunk, but eating fish and chips out of a wrapper, and also having a little kiss and cuddle as they walked along the pavement (near Shirley Temple).

All of sudden the lady put her arms round the guys neck and just dropped the fish and chip wrapper on the floor. They were right next to a litter bin.

As I walked past them I picked up the wrapper, put it in the bin, and carried on walking. I did not say anything, but half expected the guy (who looked a bit rough) to come running after me but luckily nothing was said or done.

But all in all I think I have just outgrown Shirley and need to move somewhere else.

To be honest I am somewhat older than many who update this forum. I am a "young" 62 and retired.

I worked for IBM for 30 years and still build my own computers (just built a server for my house network) and keep a close eye on the computer industry.

But I just dont like the way Shirley is going.

[BhamJim]

I'm an 'old' 34 then Guilbert, and I feel exactly the same as you with regards the things you mention. I often say to people 'excuse me you've just dropped something' acting a bit daft that it might be something important but knowing full well that it is merely litter.
I have also 'reprimanded' two people I've seen spitting in Shirley much to their embarrassment. Why people spit I will never understand, it is absolutley disgusting and totally unecassary, and something I am incapable of letting happen before me and go unmentioned.

In Shirley park when walking my dog I approached I woman who's dog was pooing beside the footpath, as I walked past she was about to continue her walk, I looked at her and said 'you okay?' she replied 'yes thanks' and went to walk on. So I said 'do you want one of these?' and handed her a poo bag to pick up her dogs mess, she thanked me and picked it up, but clearly had no intention of doing so had I not said anything.

Problem is Guilbert, you'll get these things and the things you mentioned in most places. Unless of course you are prepared to (are able to) pay mega bucks and move to somewhere like Knowle or Dorridge where the shops and the atmosphere and general feel is what you seek. I'll be honest, I like Shirley, but I'd move to one of the aforementioned villages if the opportunity came my way.

Maybe a trip to the Carnival on Sept 1st or one of the church days might restore some faith in the community mate, there is still a lot of good in Shirley.

[Assa]

I'm an exactly average 37 and like Shirley a lot. I lived in the South East for most of my life, both as a child and adult, and persoanlly I prefer here than there. I do have concerns about the rate of development and if it's being done for the right reasons. I suppose there's an element of NIMBYism... I supported Parkgate because I saw the potential in Shirley town centre but it's just about far enough removed for me to not be effected (I will be when the work on the roundabout starts). But the development at the end of Longmore is annoying me because it effects me directly. Do we really need another retirement development? Wouldn't some affordable housing for young people have been better?

My predominant concern in terms of where I live is if it's the right place for my young daughter. I feel like Shirley is a safe place for a child to grow up, the schools are good, there's a lot to do locally, we can get out into the countryside easily and quickly but we can also get into the city in 20 mins or London in under and hour and a half these days (off to the Paralympics in a couple of weeks). If Parkgate can thrive she will have a town centre she can hang out in (I know, bloody yoofs) with her friends when she's older and I'll feel she is safe.