City of Culture 2021 | Wish List

I'd love to see Coventry City return to the city centre and I think the Butts is the perfect location and could be made to a suitable capacity. This would help massively in the regeneration of that area if it was to include other leisure facilities, the restoration of pubs, encourage small businesses etc..

Not really attached to the city of culture status I know, but its top of my wish list for Coventry.

Even though I'm a Villa fan and live in Solihull!

A city centre music venue for decent sized bands and other music - something like a symphony hall, which was once mooted back in the sixties, I believe. The city's heritage made more accessible and publicised, things like the Doom painting, Guild Hall and City Wall remains are fairly unique. The old Grammar school used more. More gigs in the Cathedral, bring back the old Jazz festival that was brilliant. More cycle events around the ring road... Historical Cycle tour of the city centre (In reflection of the spread out nature of things?)

I'd also try to get the film industry to make a film dramatisation of the raid if 14/11/1940.

And of course, a concert by The Specials (In the new music venue.)

Also some top quality art exhibitions at the Herbert. Perhaps a 3D holographic walk though VR of the old city? Digital stuff that could be used to build a bigger base for that sort of industry. Local people more involved with it.

As for other areas - turn the length of Foleshill Road into a thriving street of culture based on the culture of the folks who live down.

A Coventry Cryptocurrency.

I was thinking about the possibility of a new live music venue or civic centre and the only area(s) I could think of within the ring road that could feasibly offer the amount of space required is/are occupied by numerous tenants but currently create a massive blot on the landscape. The area(s) I am thinking about border Bishop St to either side around Lamb St and Tower St., south or west of the new Bishopgate development. Btw, great ideas regarding the other stuff, NT. I'd love to see something like a Roy Lichtenstein exhibition at the Herbert or maybe Peter Blake although George Shaw would be great, too. As far as the cycling thing is concerned (not much of a cyclist myself, more into motorbiking) if you check Tripadvisor, a lot of none-Coventrians visit the city on a cycling pilgrimage to see the James Starley statue. Pretty much everyone remarks how poorly situated it is, so for my two-penneth, I would like to see his statue repositioned to a site of prominence. Music-wise, I wonder how the City of Culture award is going to affect the Godiva Festival?

BhamJim said:

I'd love to see Coventry City return to the city centre and I think the Butts is the perfect location and could be made to a suitable capacity. This would help massively in the regeneration of that area if it was to include other leisure facilities, the restoration of pubs, encourage small businesses etc..

Not really attached to the city of culture status I know, but its top of my wish list for Coventry.

Even though I'm a Villa fan and live in Solihull!

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Nice one, not sure if it's feasible but I love the idea as a lifelong Sky Blues fan

NewTroll said:

A city centre music venue for decent sized bands and other music - something like a symphony hall, which was once mooted back in the sixties, I believe. The city's heritage made more accessible and publicised, things like the Doom painting, Guild Hall and City Wall remains are fairly unique. The old Grammar school used more. More gigs in the Cathedral, bring back the old Jazz festival that was brilliant. More cycle events around the ring road... Historical Cycle tour of the city centre (In reflection of the spread out nature of things?)

I'd also try to get the film industry to make a film dramatisation of the raid if 14/11/1940.

And of course, a concert by The Specials (In the new music venue.)

Also some top quality art exhibitions at the Herbert. Perhaps a 3D holographic walk though VR of the old city? Digital stuff that could be used to build a bigger base for that sort of industry. Local people more involved with it.

As for other areas - turn the length of Foleshill Road into a thriving street of culture based on the culture of the folks who live down.

A Coventry Cryptocurrency.

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Were you in Cov in 1990 when they did the 50th anniversary of the blitz? Playing air raid sirens with fireworks etc

jonnys said:

I was thinking about the possibility of a new live music venue or civic centre and the only area(s) I could think of within the ring road that could feasibly offer the amount of space required is/are occupied by numerous tenents but currently create a massive blot on the landscape. The area(s) I am thinking about border Bishop St to either side around Lamb St and Tower St., south or west of the new Bishopgate development. Btw, great ideas regarding the other stuff, NT. I'd love to see something like a Roy Lichtenstein exhibition at the Herbert or maybe Peter Blake although George Shaw would be great, too. As far as the cycling thing is concerned (not much of a cyclist myself, more into motorbiking) if you check Tripadvisor, a lot of none-Coventrians visit the city on a cycling pilgrimage to see the James Starley statue. Pretty much everyone remarks how poorly situated it is, so for my two-penneth, I would like to see his statue repositioned to a site of prominence. Music-wise, I wonder how the City of Culture award is going to affect the Godiva Festival?

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The surface car park on Bishop St including the ex Pink Parrot would work as a venue I think

Fernando Partridge said:

Nice one, not sure if it's feasible but I love the idea as a lifelong Sky Blues fan

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Agreed, it's not really feasible. All sorts of infrastructure issues relating to parking/transportation/safety for larger football crowds. There would be huge local opposition to any plans to expand this site for anything but rugby, not least because of the new retirement complex behind the Butts which houses infirm and people with health issues as well as regular elderly members of society. It's one thing having the occasional chant of 'Coventry' from 1000-2000 rugby goers, it's another having the vociferous sort of noise and activity associated with footy and potentially 8000-10000 individuals descend on Earlsdon. It's a none-starter for me especially given the relationship between the Council (who still have an active interest in the terms of the lease and how it operates) and SISU. I'm a sky blues fan but live in Earlsdon and definitely would get a bit nimby about it. Just being honest.

jonnys said:

Agreed, it's not really feasible. All sorts of infrastructure issues relating to parking/transportation/safety for larger football crowds. There would be huge local opposition to any plans to expand this site for anything but rugby, not least because of the new retirement complex behind the Butts which houses infirm and people with health issues as well as regular elderly members of society. It's one thing having the occasional chant of 'Coventry' from 1000-2000 rugby goers, it's another having the vociferous sort of noise and activity associated with footy and potentially 8000-10000 individuals descend on Earlsdon. It's a none-starter for me especially given the relationship between the Council (who still have an active interest in the terms of the lease and how it operates) and SISU. I'm a sky blues fan but live in Earlsdon and definitely would get a bit nimby about it. Just being honest.

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I'm not from Cov, and I'm not a Sky Blue, but I loved going to Highfield Road, a proper old school central ground, moving out was the biggest mistake in the Sky Blues history.

What's happened to the club since then has been one disaster to the next, but the loss of a home for me leaves the door of opportunity ajar. Funding from the city of culture status, council and the club, coupled with the fantastic support the team has, could/should see them return to Coventry proper.

As an outsider I was simply looking at the possibilities and the Butts Arena does stand out. Jonny you are much more knowledgeable than me, and I guess it's a case of your home or your club, I'm not sure what the alternatives are around the ring road? Football grounds and fans arent what they were, look at the london clubs. Stamford Bridge is hardly detrimental to the Borough of Chelsea, or the Emirates to Islington. Here we'd be talking about a 10k stadium to begin with, it wouldnt be drastically different to the current Butts Arena (just extended to the 3 other sides). As I said, transport infrastructure improvements, growth in small business, caterers, pubs etc... and further leisure facilities incorporated in or alongsid ethe arena would surely outweigh the negative of a large crowd once a fortnight during the winter.

To my mind and I say this as a local football fan, there is no way a single penny of the City of Culture funding should find its way into supporting the sky blues in any way. A more wanton toxic organisation disconnected from its community you couldn't find right now. Use the funding to breath life into things that have energy but need a spark of wealth and direction to realise their potential. The arts, crafts, music, community, any sports, but please not CCFC (or even Wasps for that matter).

Fernando Partridge said:

Were you in Cov in 1990 when they did the 50th anniversary of the blitz? Playing air raid sirens with fireworks etc

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I was a student at the time, and vaguely recall stuff going on. I recall walking through the crowds to get to the pub.

I don't think I was that interested at the time, being a teenager and having only been in the city for a year or so... I got more interested when I'd been here a few years (I did 3 years at Cov, and a year at Warwick, including all summer.)

BhamJim said:

I'm not from Cov, and I'm not a Sky Blue, but I loved going to Highfield Road, a proper old school central ground, moving out was the biggest mistake in the Sky Blues history.

What's happened to the club since then has been one disaster to the next, but the loss of a home for me leaves the door of opportunity ajar. Funding from the city of culture status, council and the club, coupled with the fantastic support the team has, could/should see them return to Coventry proper.

As an outsider I was simply looking at the possibilities and the Butts Arena does stand out. Jonny you are much more knowledgeable than me, and I guess it's a case of your home or your club, I'm not sure what the alternatives are around the ring road? Football grounds and fans arent what they were, look at the london clubs. Stamford Bridge is hardly detrimental to the Borough of Chelsea, or the Emirates to Islington. Here we'd be talking about a 10k stadium to begin with, it wouldnt be drastically different to the current Butts Arena (just extended to the 3 other sides). As I said, transport infrastructure improvements, growth in small business, caterers, pubs etc... and further leisure facilities incorporated in or alongsid ethe arena would surely outweigh the negative of a large crowd once a fortnight during the winter.

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I don't know Coventry all that well but having heard/seen the damage at Coventry Stadium on Midlands Today (following Coventry Speedway moving out), I just want to ask what the hell is going on with Sport in the City apart from that former London team named after irritating, buzzing, flying Wolves coloured stinging insects? The once proud Football Club is now a shadow of what it was, never mind the Speedway moving to the East Midlands! The Football/Speedway Clubs could set up a Stadium together I suppose...:cheers:

BhamJim said:

I'd love to see Coventry City return to the city centre and I think the Butts is the perfect location and could be made to a suitable capacity. This would help massively in the regeneration of that area if it was to include other leisure facilities, the restoration of pubs, encourage small businesses etc..

Not really attached to the city of culture status I know, but its top of my wish list for Coventry.

Even though I'm a Villa fan and live in Solihull!

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It's not suitable - it's just not big enough. Even with Cov rugby there it causes chaos on local roads. If you built the remaining three stands it'd be of a decent capacity for us with us in the doldrums but if we managed to pick up it would again be insufficient.

It's a big 'if' but last years crop of youngsters look good and although this years have suffered a bit in their shadow by all accounts the SB levels have some frighteningly good players. We've already lost 1 to Man U but he wasn't apparently even the stand-out in his age group!

And frankly if I were the owners you'd have to frankly be mad to get involved with anything to do with SISU.

I'll put my vote down for a centre-based WAC/Symphony Hall style development. Personally I'd love to see it around the canal basin area as it's reminiscent to me of Brindley Place and it has the Tin Arts there.

Other than that a round of the Formula E championship during MotoFest and a bigger Godiva Festival. Maybe a Coventry Tapestry with the history of weaving and dyeing.

I'm not a big fan of light rail ideas, but if it's a temporary thing to showcase the technology being produced by local businesses/university fine. However, that's often the way they sell these things then they end up permanent fixtures and I think electric buses could do the job far more easily and with less disruption. As has been said above, a hop-on hop-off service around the area inside the ring road you can ride with a normal bus ticket to reduce bus numbers inside the ring road (and making much of the city centre traffic free in the process) and jobs a good'un.

I think the sports centre (minus elephant) could feasibly be adapted to become a music venue and conference centre.

Rijowhite said:

I don't know Coventry all that well but having heard/seen the damage at Coventry Stadium on Midlands Today (following Coventry Speedway moving out), I just want to ask what the hell is going on with Sport in the City apart from that former London team named after irritating, buzzing, flying Wolves coloured stinging insects? The once proud Football Club is now a shadow of what it was, never mind the Speedway moving to the East Midlands! The Football/Speedway Clubs could set up a Stadium together I suppose...:cheers:

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Yeah terrible a rugby club that has one of biggest gates in the country! It also has done masses of community work.

And what's up with sport - cov rugby are flying. Still have ice hockey team, then there is the netball team I could go on. There is more than football.

Covguy said:

I think the sports centre (minus elephant) could feasibly be adapted to become a music venue and conference centre.

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Possibly. But that blank wall facing the road HAS to go if it is, or an extension put further out into the free space with a more airy, active frontage - if it could be made to match the 'hidden' FoB side it'd look pretty impressive along the road.

Talking of blank walls what do you reckon chances are of a Banksy? And if so where would you put it? I'd guess it'd go somewhere along the ring road, though on the blank side of IKEA wouldn't be bad. As it's stencilled it's kind of flat-pack art anyway...

CovAD said:

Possibly. But that blank wall facing the road HAS to go if it is, or an extension put further out into the free space with a more airy, active frontage - if it could be made to match the 'hidden' FoB side it'd look pretty impressive along the road.

Talking of blank walls what do you reckon chances are of a Banksy? And if so where would you put it? I'd guess it'd go somewhere along the ring road, though on the blank side of IKEA wouldn't be bad. As it's stencilled it's kind of flat-pack art anyway...

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I’ve probably mentioned this before so apologies for labouring the issue, but which part of the sports centre is listed? Do any of you guys know?
Also, the council have commented that the costs of keeping the swimming baths open are astronomical. I wonder if that is down to the cost of the pool or if the building itself is beyond serviceable - I seem to remember a while back that the maintenance of the roof itself was proving to be prohibitive (that may be down to the fact it is suspended over half a million gallons of water, though). Regarding a live music venue or civic centre, I can’t help thinking it would be better supported if it were situated nearer the railway station, there just isn’t the land available. Who knows, maybe the plans for CCS could be altered? It’s not like they’re ploughing ahead with things.

The main building is listed. The elephant is not (thank god)

jonnys said:

I’ve probably mentioned this before so apologies for labouring the issue, but which part of the sports centre is listed? Do any of you guys know?
Also, the council have commented that the costs of keeping the swimming baths open are astronomical. I wonder if that is down to the cost of the pool or if the building itself is beyond serviceable - I seem to remember a while back that the maintenance of the roof itself was proving to be prohibitive (that may be down to the fact it is suspended over half a million gallons of water, though). Regarding a live music venue or civic centre, I can’t help thinking it would be better supported if it were situated nearer the railway station, there just isn’t the land available. Who knows, maybe the plans for CCS could be altered? It’s not like they’re ploughing ahead with things.

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As said, main building is listed not the elephant. This could be part of the problem - if upkeep costs of the main structure are the issue then no-one really wins. But if it were the case I think the listing could be removed. If anything you could get any replacement building to have a FoB element of even possibly incorporate the existing part (which I believe is the reason for the listing more than the building as a whole).

I think the point of a city centre venue if trying to get people from farther afield would be to get people into and through the city centre so businesses benefit and enable growth - at the Friargate area people get off the train, go to the gig and then get on the train back home. And I think given how they've now started to construct it the available spaces wouldn't be very conducive to it. Locals would be more likely to go by bus if going by public transport, and although that would take them past Broadgate etc they're much less likely to be spending money on restaurants etc if they're travelling by bus.

Besides, anywhere within the city centre would be as close as New St is to the arena in Brindley Place (which I use as my template for such a plan) and as long as you get the acts people will do that little bit of a journey if they're willing to get on a train into Cov. I'd love a similar waterside placement around the canal basin but I think it'd have to be at least as far as Broadgate - restaurant quarter and large space for meeting up. As I can't see the Primark building going any time soon I guess the other option would be the space between Ironmonger Row, Burges and Trinity St with a space between it and the Palmer Lane development enabling more of the river to be uncovered.