I worked at the Water Gardens as Deputy manager 2004-2007 and I always said the Broadwalk needs knocking down and to be rebuilt and as for that library wow its not the best building to be honest. Time for Harlow Town Centre to move on and be completely redisned for 2020
Yes your right, I agree with your statement the whole of the town center needs to be rebuilt and redesigned, there are so many empty unused properties in the town center, it's like a ghost town, how many shops in around the town center are empty more than 20 and that is alot. Businesses open then a few months later close. Harlow Town Center is not the most popular place to visit look at The Broadway Shopping Center, Bradford, or Westfield in Stratford, or Meadowhall in Sheffield, The reason those have succeeded is because the councils have asked the public for their opinions, how many people visit those, millions do and they generate alot of money. What Harlow Council have done is not even been far and consulted with the public, The Town Center if it wants to be the most popular destination in UK, it's never going to happen, The council have tossed away good ideas, and not thought of what others may think, when people visit, Stratford Shopping Center, London, The Broadway Shopping Center, Bradford, or Meadowhall in Sheffield, they say nice and pretty things about the location,, unfortunately for Harlow Council, It's not going to be an easy task for the council, many decades of neglect, The town Center has lost its appeal, thousands flock to the shopping centers named above, Harlow Council are well of this and state that's going to be difficult, for them it is as they have little or lack of knowledge on what makes a brilliant piece of art and design, Harlow Council are well aware of the design of the town center and how it has been a burden for drugs, crime etc. And to this day don't blame themselves for it when in fact they are to blame..
The council should never have allowed the monstrous building in thectwn Park on what was the velodrome. They could have moved into one buildings in thevtown centre. Also theybcould have covered the whole of Broadwalk and enlarged units by knocking several into one. If the council do not own them then slap a compulsory purchase order on them.
Now in 2020 Harlow Town Centre is worse than ever. More shops shut in Broadwalk, and now there's also empty shops in the Water Gardens. The Market Square has had loads on money spent on it, but still serves no purpose other than a place for gangs and drunks to hang out. This Councillor seemed to be blaming the owners of the premises for shops closing down, but maybe it's because the businesses can't afford the rates set by the (his) local authority? Also, he ackonowledged the disconnect between the old shopping centre and the Water Gardens development. Well, that's what happens when you sell off land to be developed whilst deliberately allowing the old part to fall into decay. To think this massive problem would be solved by putting some signs up is a good indicator as to how Harlow Town Centre has become such a depressing ghost town of a shopping centre.
Yes your right, the whole of town center needs knocking down. If you have been to Sheffield, Bradford then you know and understand why those areas Meadowhall, The Broadway, are very very popular and why the design and scenery have won many awards, it's because the councils consulted the public and made sure it was eye catching and very much indeed it was. Harlow Council know of issues of the town center and state they are not to blame for alot of empty shops, or less people visiting the town center, well they have done too many things wrong.
"What can you do about the library?"......knock it down and make the town centre smaller. These Cllrs have been talking about regeneration for many years now. Needs a proper viable plan that recognises that the retail is not the only answer and not just signs!
Just watching this again. It's a joke. Oh, it's very cluttered down Broad Walk. Well, yes. You seem to have pushed whatever's left of the market along there. And there's also some businesses with marquees and an ice cream van but hey, the solution is to take away the planters and put some more seats in there.
You can transform Harlow all you want, the people of Harlow are the problem. You can take a person out of a village, you can't take the village out of a person.
Aaron O'Neil I think you are completely wrong there. The people of Harlow are ok. It's the trouble makers from London being dumped there that are the problem.
@@beardtrick There's a huge difference between trouble makers and village. Trouble makers are just teens. Usually, a full time job fixes this and they grow out of it. Village on the other hand is a state of mind that's with the person forever. It's not place of birth or registration is a life style and state of mind
There didn't seem to be a problem in the past. Y'know, before the council divided the whole town centre by giving up the water gardens for private development. Still, they got a nice new civic centre out of it.
@@laceyleighsaggers3478 Well said, yes really too much of everything, if there was common sense, like coffee, restaurants, hair dressers, casinos, pawn shops, charity shops, banks, Less of what you need then what is all this of too much of everything, you don't need too much of the thing taking over a town center, you need it to be different. That's why there are a lot of empty shops. The town center has lost its appeal. If there were a few of everything and not 20+ empty shops then this massive issue the council would have not faced, you don't buy 2 cars if you only need 1, you don't do shopping in Tesco's, then Asda all in same day. That's where the council has failed, Too much of everything in the wrong spot.
Did you know harlow library used to be a bank. there are vaults underground
I think you should bring back a regular market. Lower your rents to draw more stall holders in. It would bring revenue to the town.
I worked at the Water Gardens as Deputy manager 2004-2007 and I always said the Broadwalk needs knocking down and to be rebuilt and as for that library wow its not the best building to be honest. Time for Harlow Town Centre to move on and be completely redisned for 2020
Yes your right, I agree with your statement the whole of the town center needs to be rebuilt and redesigned, there are so many empty unused properties in the town center, it's like a ghost town, how many shops in around the town center are empty more than 20 and that is alot. Businesses open then a few months later close. Harlow Town Center is not the most popular place to visit look at The Broadway Shopping Center, Bradford, or Westfield in Stratford, or Meadowhall in Sheffield, The reason those have succeeded is because the councils have asked the public for their opinions, how many people visit those, millions do and they generate alot of money. What Harlow Council have done is not even been far and consulted with the public, The Town Center if it wants to be the most popular destination in UK, it's never going to happen, The council have tossed away good ideas, and not thought of what others may think, when people visit, Stratford Shopping Center, London, The Broadway Shopping Center, Bradford, or Meadowhall in Sheffield, they say nice and pretty things about the location,, unfortunately for Harlow Council, It's not going to be an easy task for the council, many decades of neglect, The town Center has lost its appeal, thousands flock to the shopping centers named above, Harlow Council are well of this and state that's going to be difficult, for them it is as they have little or lack of knowledge on what makes a brilliant piece of art and design, Harlow Council are well aware of the design of the town center and how it has been a burden for drugs, crime etc. And to this day don't blame themselves for it when in fact they are to blame..
The council should never have allowed the monstrous building in thectwn Park on what was the velodrome. They could have moved into one buildings in thevtown centre. Also theybcould have covered the whole of Broadwalk and enlarged units by knocking several into one. If the council do not own them then slap a compulsory purchase order on them.
Area for a art gallery lol the market place was a good idea and brought a great variety of items and business to the community of Harlow.
Now in 2020 Harlow Town Centre is worse than ever. More shops shut in Broadwalk, and now there's also empty shops in the Water Gardens. The Market Square has had loads on
money spent on it, but still serves no purpose other than a place for gangs and drunks to hang out.
This Councillor seemed to be blaming the owners of the premises for shops closing down, but maybe it's because the businesses can't afford the rates set by the (his) local authority?
Also, he ackonowledged the disconnect between the old shopping centre and the Water Gardens development. Well, that's what happens when you sell off land to be developed whilst deliberately allowing the old part to fall into decay.
To think this massive problem would be solved by putting some signs up is a good indicator as to how Harlow Town Centre has become such a depressing ghost town of a shopping centre.
Yes your right, the whole of town center needs knocking down. If you have been to Sheffield, Bradford then you know and understand why those areas Meadowhall, The Broadway, are very very popular and why the design and scenery have won many awards, it's because the councils consulted the public and made sure it was eye catching and very much indeed it was. Harlow Council know of issues of the town center and state they are not to blame for alot of empty shops, or less people visiting the town center, well they have done too many things wrong.
"What can you do about the library?"......knock it down and make the town centre smaller. These Cllrs have been talking about regeneration for many years now. Needs a proper viable plan that recognises that the retail is not the only answer and not just signs!
This interview was 5 years ago! What have Cllr Durcan and his Labour luvvies achieved in this time?
Nothing
Just watching this again. It's a joke. Oh, it's very cluttered down Broad Walk. Well, yes. You seem to have pushed whatever's left of the market along there. And there's also some businesses with marquees and an ice cream van but hey, the solution is to take away the planters and put some more seats in there.
The access ramp. Is too difficult to walk up with prams or people with limited accessability
You can transform Harlow all you want, the people of Harlow are the problem. You can take a person out of a village, you can't take the village out of a person.
Aaron O'Neil I think you are completely wrong there. The people of Harlow are ok. It's the trouble makers from London being dumped there that are the problem.
@@beardtrick There's a huge difference between trouble makers and village. Trouble makers are just teens. Usually, a full time job fixes this and they grow out of it. Village on the other hand is a state of mind that's with the person forever. It's not place of birth or registration is a life style and state of mind
There didn't seem to be a problem in the past. Y'know, before the council divided the whole town centre by giving up the water gardens for private development. Still, they got a nice new civic centre out of it.
this is wrong, the shopping centre needs to be a shopping centre not all the other things you just listed
The town is rubbish.to many restaurants and coffee shops .
@@laceyleighsaggers3478 Well said, yes really too much of everything, if there was common sense, like coffee, restaurants, hair dressers, casinos, pawn shops, charity shops, banks, Less of what you need then what is all this of too much of everything, you don't need too much of the thing taking over a town center, you need it to be different. That's why there are a lot of empty shops. The town center has lost its appeal. If there were a few of everything and not 20+ empty shops then this massive issue the council would have not faced, you don't buy 2 cars if you only need 1, you don't do shopping in Tesco's, then Asda all in same day. That's where the council has failed, Too much of everything in the wrong spot.
This didn't age well LOL