Old Posts

29 Sept 2006 - Michael Nunn

A personal view

It struck me, walking through town a couple of days ago, that Lancaster has already seen several monstrous developments that are still a blight on and in the City centre.

These are, moving eastwards:

Mitre House at the bottom of Church St. There is probably much Roman archaeology underneath this sprawling and hideous complex.

The 'other' brewery site near the back of the Blue Anchor where the new Vue cinema complex is. That's the site of the Yates and Jackson Brewery (I remember their fine ales when I was a student here in the 1970s); there will also be Roman, Mediaeval and Georgian stuff underneath.

The Market building and the Marketgate area. Another concrete, 1960s-style carbuncle and part of shameful and ill-considered decisions on the then Council's part (another long lease to outside profiteers (aka 'developers').

The St Nicholas Arcades. Look at the map, and photographs of Lancaster in the C19 to see what we have lost. More chains stores and non-local retailers.

To add another huge, monstrous mega-development, with little perceivalbe benefit to local businesses and the grass-roots community would be sheer madness. Has no-one learned from the mistakes listed above?

To continue with the Centros Miller proposals will undoubtedly detract from Lancaster's fine reputation as a small, compact and friendly City-cum-Market Town with a superb collection of historic buildings and small, local, friendly shops. Oh, and a strong, vibrant and welcoming community spirit.

For tourists from near and far, Lancaster will somehow be a less appealing destination if all we can offer is the largest Debenhams in Lancashire and as many chain stores as anywhere else.