🗼 What have we got to rival the Spinnaker Tower?

steveintheforest · 11 October 2016 20:48

Hurry up Barry, the suspense is killing me

Barry-Sanchez · 11 October 2016 20:49

Where would you rather visit as a tourist? Southampton or them? Why can’t we be a contempoary modern fun outward looking City? Its grey, dreary, boring and well shite. The suburbs and urrounding areas are better which shouldn’t be the case.

steveintheforest · 11 October 2016 20:52

you mean like Totton ?

Goatboy · 11 October 2016 20:57

We need Benny Hill Land and a Craig David and Howard Jones residency at a relaunched and free to enter Floaters Mega Club.

Cobham-Saint · 11 October 2016 21:01

Originally posted by @steveintheforest

Originally posted by @Barry-Sanchez

Where would you rather visit as a tourist? Southampton or them? Why can’t we be a contempoary modern fun outward looking City? Its grey, dreary, boring and well shite. The suburbs and urrounding areas are better which shouldn’t be the case.

you mean like Totton ?

No, I think Barry was referring to God’s own country, Hythe, what with the soon to be built Lidl , the ever popular tattoo parlour, fast food emporia and more charrrideee shops and estate agents than you can shake a stick at…(being tongue in cheek - grew up in Hythe btw)

Cobham-Saint · 11 October 2016 21:03

Don’t forget Tommy Cooper - A Waterside lad I believe

StickyWhiteDovePiss · 11 October 2016 21:04

According to this list: Urban Areas

The south Hampshire urban area is one of the largest in the country, it is only marginally smaller than the Liverpool urban area in terms of population (approx 850,000) and approximately the same density.

Arguably Portsmouth is actually the main attraction for outsiders. Overall I agree with Barry that the area punches well below its weight.

There seems to be a real dearth of ingenuity in the region. We don’t make anything anymore. The docks barely contribute to public life. We offer mediocre service jobs or commute to London and contribute to the capitals wealth and vibrance. Yet at the same time we don’t have the same level of poverty as the north so we find it difficult to beg for government investment.

The last paragraph was meant to come across mostly speculative. I don’t really have the data that would allow me to see the overall picture, but the population stat and the slightly inadequate feeling I get from comparison with some of those other big areas listed even below us is quite telling in my opinion.

Actually perhapa the relative house prices are a big part of the problem. People down south are weighed down by the massive mortgages around their necks. Perhaps they are too busy servicing their huge mortgages to engage their creativity.

steveintheforest · 11 October 2016 21:22

Originally posted by @StickyWhiteDovePiss

Actually perhapa the relative house prices are a big part of the problem. People down south are weighed down by the massive mortgages around their necks. Perhaps they are too busy shopping in Ikea furnishing their new homes to engage their creativity.

I’ve reworked the end bit SWDP. Hope that’s ok

Fowllyd · 11 October 2016 21:28

When tourists visit Portsmouth, it’s for one reason - maritime history. There’s the Mary Rose, the historic dockyards, the Victory, the Warrior, probably the odd other thing too. Once they’re there, they may choose to visit the Spinnaker Tower and browse round Gunwharf Quays for a bit - but those are not the reason they’re in Portsmouth in the first place.

In that sense, Portsmouth has made better use of its history than Southampton has (though one might argue that there’s simply more history there in the first place). I certainly wouldn’t describe Portsmouth as a modern, fun, outward-looking city.

Which does rather beg the question - what exactly characterises a modern, fun, outward-looking city? Can you give us any examples of such a city? And what would you like to see done in Southampton to bring it closer to this ideal?

Barry-Sanchez · 11 October 2016 21:29

Surrounding areas ie Romsey, Winchester, and some cracking villages, Southampton for its size is shithouse boring.

WorzelScummage · 11 October 2016 22:07

Compare it to Cities that are a similar size and I think you’ll find there’s not much difference and only Brighton I would say is a better place:

| 62 | Southampton | 249,537 | Unitary authority, City (1964) | Hampshire |
| 63 | Havering | 249,085 | London borough | Greater London |
| 64 | Harrow | 247,130 | London borough | Greater London |
| 65 | Salford | 245,614 | Metropolitan borough, City (1926) | Greater Manchester |
| 66 | Westminster | 242,299 | London borough, City (1540) | Greater London |
| 67 | Bexley | 242,142 | London borough | Greater London |
| 68 | Camden | 241,059 | London borough | Greater London |
| 69 | Barnsley | 239,319 | Metropolitan borough | South Yorkshire |
| 70 | Trafford | 233,288 | Metropolitan borough | Greater Manchester |
| 71 | Oldham | 230,823 | Metropolitan borough | Greater Manchester |
| 72 | Islington | 227,692 | London borough | Greater London |
| 73 | Northampton | 222,462 | Borough | Northamptonshire |
| 74 | Tameside | 221,692 | Metropolitan borough | Greater Manchester |
| 75 | Swindon | 217,160 | Unitary authority,Borough | Wiltshire |
| 76 | Luton | 214,710 | Unitary authority,Borough | Bedfordshire |
| 77 | Rochdale | 214,195 | Metropolitan borough | Greater Manchester |
| 78 | Portsmouth | 211,758 | Unitary authority, City (1926) | Hampshire |
| 79 | Solihull | 210,445 | Metropolitan borough | West Midlands |
| 80 | North Somerset | 209,944 | Unitary authority |

Barry-Sanchez · 11 October 2016 22:11

Oxford, Bath, Norwich, Harrogate, York, Durham, Cheltenham, Cambridge and of course Brighton.

steveintheforest · 11 October 2016 23:26

so was I - grew up in Totton

WorzelScummage · 12 October 2016 05:57

Sorry, I must have missed reading them on the list.

Use the ones on the list Barry, the ACTUAL list of similar sized places, not one you’ve made up in your head.

WorzelScummage · 12 October 2016 05:58

Originally posted by @steveintheforest

Originally posted by @cobham-saint

Originally posted by @steveintheforest

you mean like Totton ?

No, I think Barry was referring to God’s own country, Hythe, what with the soon to be built Lidl , the ever popular tattoo parlour, fast food emporia and more charrrideee shops and estate agents than you can shake a stick at…(being tongue in cheek - grew up in Hythe btw)

so was I - grew up in Totton

Dibden Purlieu for me…

Cobham-Saint · 12 October 2016 06:58

Originally posted by @Chertsey-Saint

Originally posted by @steveintheforest

Originally posted by @cobham-saint

Originally posted by @steveintheforest

you mean like Totton ?

No, I think Barry was referring to God’s own country, Hythe, what with the soon to be built Lidl , the ever popular tattoo parlour, fast food emporia and more charrrideee shops and estate agents than you can shake a stick at…(being tongue in cheek - grew up in Hythe btw)

so was I - grew up in Totton

Dibden Purlieu for me…

This explains a lot guys.

Group therapy anyone?

StickyWhiteDovePiss · 12 October 2016 07:42

Personally I think looking at it simply in terms of city boundaries is not very helpful. What’s the point of comparing a London borough to Southampton city? When considering southampton, why exclude eastleigh or Portsmouth. When considering Newcastle why exclude Gateshead and Sunderland? There is certainly a large amount of economic activity linking those areas. I think the urban areas grouping is more relevant to this discussion where we are talking about developments to draw interest from the surrounding areas and beyond. The grouping is certainly not perfect though. Perhaps someone is aware of a better grouping?

BTripz · 12 October 2016 08:40

But, but, but my missus wants to go to Portsmouth to “go shopping at Gunwharf Quays” not to the dockyards or anything like that but to go bloody shopping.

We go to Southampton together once or twice a year to go bloody shopping (when I go to the football I’m on my own!!)

I know people who travel to that place near the Dartford tunnel to go bloody shopping!!!

Anyone spot a common theme here?

TheMightyOstrich · 12 October 2016 08:59

That you don’t like shopping much?

BTripz · 12 October 2016 09:04

Originally posted by @TheObviousEmu

Originally posted by @BTripz

Originally posted by @Fowllyd

Originally posted by @Barry-Sanchez

Where would you rather visit as a tourist? Southampton or them? Why can’t we be a contempoary modern fun outward looking City? Its grey, dreary, boring and well shite. The suburbs and urrounding areas are better which shouldn’t be the case.

When tourists visit Portsmouth, it’s for one reason - maritime history. There’s the Mary Rose, the historic dockyards, the Victory, the Warrior, probably the odd other thing too. Once they’re there, they may choose to visit the Spinnaker Tower and browse round Gunwharf Quays for a bit - but those are not the reason they’re in Portsmouth in the first place.

In that sense, Portsmouth has made better use of its history than Southampton has (though one might argue that there’s simply more history there in the first place). I certainly wouldn’t describe Portsmouth as a modern, fun, outward-looking city.

Which does rather beg the question - what exactly characterises a modern, fun, outward-looking city? Can you give us any examples of such a city? And what would you like to see done in Southampton to bring it closer to this ideal?

But, but, but my missus wants to go to Portsmouth to “go shopping at Gunwharf Quays” not to the dockyards or anything like that but to go bloody shopping.

We go to Southampton together once or twice a year to go bloody shopping (when I go to the football I’m on my own!!)

I know people who travel to that place near the Dartford tunnel to go bloody shopping!!!

Anyone spot a common theme here?

That you don’t like shopping much?

Apart from that I keep pointing out to her that Poole and Bournemouth have exactly the same shops as Southampton and Portsmouth but it doesn’t wash…