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Posted by: Andy Capp Oct 27 2011, 11:50 AM

I couldn't help but grin at the thought of 'our' new open-air multi-million pound shopping center opening ... in the rain!

Posted by: gel Oct 27 2011, 12:45 PM

and don't forget shoppers to leave packaging with the retailer due to your impending once a fortnight bin collection.

Posted by: xjay1337 Oct 27 2011, 12:50 PM

Posted by: Vodabury Oct 27 2011, 06:45 PM

I had a quick walk through tonight on my way home from Reading.

I thought it looked very smart, but obviously still a work in progress.

Shame about the rain this afternoon.

I prefer the open air aspect; my wife would like it covered and heated.

Posted by: user23 Oct 27 2011, 08:55 PM

I like it when compared to the air-conditioned American style "mall".

It feels like another part of the high street, or Northbrook Street in this case.

Posted by: Richard Garvie Oct 27 2011, 08:58 PM

I personally think being outside adds to the atmosphere when shopping, I like it too.

Posted by: Andy Capp Oct 27 2011, 09:16 PM

Yes like being miserable and soaked.

Posted by: xjay1337 Oct 28 2011, 07:58 AM

I drove past it on the way to Sainsburys and had a quick butches...seemed OK.

Posted by: John C Oct 28 2011, 10:13 AM

How many of the alleyways between Northbrook street and Parkway have been closed

Posted by: On the edge Oct 28 2011, 04:14 PM

Pretty good - fits the town well. Must say I'm very surprised but they have come up trumps.

Posted by: Brewmaster Oct 28 2011, 05:48 PM

I must disagree. While Parkway needed something done about it, this development is way out of scale for Newbury. Accepting that it was started before the current recession, if people don't have the money to buy consumer goods, they could equally well not buy them in Northbrook Street or the Kennet Centre.

What is the point of a huge development like this when retail units in the town can't be let to commercial organisations and become charity shops instead? There are, I believe a dozen of these in Newbury now.

Nice toilets though!

Posted by: Andy Capp Oct 28 2011, 05:53 PM

If people like to go shopping then this development can only be a good thing, but I feel it is a rather shallow activity to get excited about, especially when you take into account the ease one can go shopping on the Internet. If only the street-level development could have included space for activities where the measure of success is not solely judged by how big a wad of cash you are prepared to handover.

Posted by: Bofem Oct 29 2011, 06:35 AM

Random comments overheard in Parkway...

"It's great. Superdry and H&M are here."
"It's nice but not spectacular"
"It feels like Swindon"
"I wish they'd stop buggering about with this town"

Posted by: Richard Garvie Oct 29 2011, 11:36 AM

I think once it fills up a bit more, it will be great for town. But as many have said, the way it was brought to town is what is being questioned. Let's see what answers the council provide me with.

Posted by: Andy Capp Oct 29 2011, 11:47 AM

I can think of few things that could be considered great for the town that actively encourages more transport movements to its town centre at peak times.

"Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities."

Posted by: dannyboy Oct 29 2011, 01:01 PM

Problem is there is no other way to get things like this done.

Posted by: Andy Capp Oct 29 2011, 01:49 PM

(let me finish your admission) ... without deceit?

It is because of the likely deception that some are so against developments like this.

Posted by: dannyboy Oct 29 2011, 01:56 PM

No deception.

You can't please all the people.

Posted by: Andy Capp Oct 29 2011, 02:02 PM

Agreed, but there's nothing wrong in doing things properly and sticking to agreements. This project didn't need to happen.

Posted by: dannyboy Oct 29 2011, 02:08 PM

Very few things need to happen. I think the majority of local residents will be happy it did & won't care exactly how.

Posted by: Cognosco Oct 29 2011, 02:16 PM

Until they are informed just how much it has cost them?

A bit like borrowing money from a loan shark it's fine until you find out the £100 you borrowed will take you ten years to pay back and the final sum will be £10,000.

Posted by: dannyboy Oct 29 2011, 02:18 PM

Hasn't cost a penny. Do wake up.

Posted by: Andy Capp Oct 29 2011, 02:25 PM

I'm not sure that is a good argument. It certainly is a potentially dangerous situation.

Posted by: Cognosco Oct 29 2011, 02:26 PM

We have given away the centre of Newbury and it is going to be costing us, if the estimates are correct the best part of £1 million per year for who knows how long. We also had to bung SLI another £1 mill to build a couple of, euphemistically called, affordable houses. No of course it has not cost us?

Posted by: dannyboy Oct 29 2011, 02:30 PM

Given away? SLI built a nice new shiny shopping centre on it for us. 'We' lost some gravel wasteland used as car parks & gained some nice new shops. Win/win in my book.

The parking divvy up will only happen if there is any revenue to divvy up.....

do wake up.

Posted by: dannyboy Oct 29 2011, 02:31 PM

Just wait until the economy picks up now that the Tories have relaxed the building regs.

Posted by: blackdog Oct 29 2011, 02:46 PM

If??? WBC currently raise about £2million a year from parking - if Cllr Bale's statement is true (and not just another faux pas) there will be plenty to divvie up.

Go back to sleep.

Posted by: Cognosco Oct 29 2011, 02:48 PM

Built for us? For national retailers surely? Are we going to be able to help ourselves to merchandise for free?

And if there is no revenue to divvy up I suppose the Taxpayers will have to cough up again towards the running costs of car parks in Newbury then? No it has not cost us anything! It certainly has not cost SLI anythng either. I bet they wish they could find a few more councils like WBC. They would be classed as having the Midas touch.

Posted by: dannyboy Oct 29 2011, 04:18 PM

Shops would be thin on the ground without customers.

Posted by: dannyboy Oct 29 2011, 05:43 PM

I was hoping Cos' would try & work it out for themsleves.

btw car park revenue is over £2million, but not the profit.

Posted by: Cognosco Oct 29 2011, 05:58 PM

What you mean like Newbury?

Posted by: Vodabury Oct 29 2011, 06:06 PM

Especially in the current economic climate, I am very pleased to see Parkway open. Both yesterday and today my family have been out spending money in the shops there.

Posted by: Andy Capp Oct 29 2011, 06:06 PM

Exactly my point.

Posted by: Andy Capp Oct 29 2011, 06:16 PM

So is the deal on net, not gross?

Posted by: Andy Capp Oct 29 2011, 06:17 PM

It must be nice to be able to; even on a work day.

Posted by: Vodabury Oct 29 2011, 06:39 PM

My kids are on half-term this week, so it would not be unusual for a parent to have a few days off; but this is not the reason for me being there on a work day.

I am boss of my own company, and can shop when I like, but this is also not the reason for me being there on a work day.

The reason is that I am in and out of RBH re treatment for a lymphoma, and Friday was a day off to recover from a painful procedure last Thursday, before my next one which is this coming Monday.

I do not call my situation in any way "nice", and I would not wish it on you.

Posted by: Andy Capp Oct 29 2011, 06:50 PM

What has your medical condition got to do with my comment? BTW, my brother died from Non Hodgkin's, so I have some sympathy in that regard. But like with me, you weren't to know that, were you?

Despite my post above, I wish you all the best.

Posted by: Cognosco Oct 29 2011, 07:03 PM

Hope all goes well for you Vodabury. I am glad you enjoyed your shopping experience and spent time with your family.

The point of the debate is how, once again the taxpayers have not been kept informed by WBC? Why was this way of financing Park Way not made public? I think you know very well the reason it was not. If it was such a good deal why was it all kept behind closed doors? The council is supposed to be there to serve the taxpayers but yet again they have frittered away the taxpayers assets and besides that it is going to continually cost the taxpayers in future years. They stumble from one fiasco to the next and fail to learn lessons. It should not be allowed to continue.

Posted by: Richard Garvie Oct 29 2011, 07:11 PM

Well, I guess the complicated funding mechanism's will not appear on Mr Carter's CV, but bringing a £150m project into Newbury will. In the CCTV review, it was revealed there was nobody keeping note of developments as they happened. Maybe that will be their escape clause again, "sorry, we didn't keep a record of concessions that were made, it won't happen again, gov".

Posted by: dannyboy Oct 29 2011, 07:33 PM

I thought you were a regeneration consultant.

Posted by: Richard Garvie Oct 29 2011, 07:37 PM

Yes, but I have morals. What the council have done here if true is totally rip off the taxpayer. I can't believe it's only coming out now.

Posted by: dannyboy Oct 29 2011, 07:41 PM

Rip off? Sharing 50% of any car parking profit with the investor who is going to make Newbury more popular as a shopping destination & thus increase car parking revenues?

Consessions are the name of the game. But you know this.

Posted by: Richard Garvie Oct 29 2011, 07:45 PM

It's still not acceptable. Not in my eyes and not in the eyes of many others. Try and justify all you like, publishing the documentation and coming clean would be the first step for the council to take.

Posted by: dannyboy Oct 29 2011, 07:48 PM

It is acceptable. It gets results.

Posted by: Richard Garvie Oct 29 2011, 07:52 PM

I'm sure there were better deals out there. I'd rather not have it than do it the way WBC have.

Posted by: Vodabury Oct 29 2011, 07:54 PM

Thank you so much. Regards

Posted by: dannyboy Oct 29 2011, 07:55 PM

Yeah, right. The council, being the evil twisted folk they are binned the far better deals & went with the one that would **** up the town to the greatest.

Posted by: Richard Garvie Oct 29 2011, 07:59 PM

No. The council took a deal with SLI and then allowed themselves to be put over a barrell and taken for every last penny that SLI could extract.

Posted by: Cognosco Oct 29 2011, 08:12 PM

Now your talking some sense! Stop and think for a minute. What has the average taxpayer gained from Parkway?
Shopping centres are dying all over the country do you really think the failed attempt at recreating a little Reading was going to change anything. What about the rest of the town traders who are struggling and it is only going to get worse for them. Like Garvie says what is it going to cost the taxpayers when we have to make all the predicted cuts?
Are you going to say, well most of the services are cut to the bone the vunerable are suffering but at least we have Park Way which is still half empty!

Only time will tell if it would have been preferable to leave Park Way as it was and that is with the deal with SLI that we were lead to believe was done. With this deal that has now been revealed, which was carried out in secret it seems, then it should have been knocked on the head by the project Managers at WBC before it was even put on the drawing board.

Talk about Yes yes yes no! It would be hilarious if it was not so true!

Posted by: biggus_richus Oct 29 2011, 09:26 PM

I popped along today for the first time ad thought it was a bit pokey. Debenhams is still smaller than the one in Reading - if I want to do a 'big' shop, I'm still going to go to Reading because the choice is better. The works going on down the other end for John Lewis look exactly what they are - a last minute add on. Would have been so much better left as originally planned.

Posted by: Jayjay Oct 29 2011, 10:24 PM

I know it is early days, but since PW opened on Thursday there have been big queues in Northbrook Street shops and I noticed the buses were full with standing only.

Posted by: blackdog Oct 29 2011, 10:53 PM

What profit? WBC car parks were pretty full most of the time before Parkway - WBC parking revenues are more likely to fall as those who used to use them go to the Parkway car park instead.

But, it's not only about the deal, it's about the way WBC have hidden it. The public face of the deal was they WBC would get £300k from the Parkway car park revenues - making the sale of a couple of a few million pounds worth of land for £1 seem less of a bad deal. Now we find that WBC will be handing over well over £300k to SLI from WBC's car parking revenue.

Posted by: Cognosco Oct 30 2011, 09:45 AM

I expect people who mug other people have the same saying?

Posted by: John C Oct 31 2011, 11:42 AM

Visited Parkway today what a waste wont be going back any time soon. Still less than half used, and what is used would more than likely fitted into empty units around town.And as for the buses all going through Parkway with none going down Bart. or Northbrook Street. I will be doing more shopping in Reading.

Posted by: Ron Oct 31 2011, 11:50 AM

We must have passed in the street! Didn't think much of it. It is a relatively calm day today but you could feel the air blowing through. I wonder what it will be like when the wind really blows and it's raining - A bit like parts of Swindon I would guess.

Posted by: Andy Capp Oct 31 2011, 11:56 AM

It still looks like a building site down there. Obviously, being open and being finished, mean different things! ,

Posted by: xjay1337 Oct 31 2011, 12:00 PM

Was talking with my friend and he says Parkway was built at the wrong end of town, if you think it's right at the **** end of town near the clock tower, when most of the shoppers are further up the high street and around the market place area (where Natwest is).

Haven't been yet, not in a rush either; but went to Festival Place yesterday and that's how a proper shopping centre should be.

Posted by: John C Oct 31 2011, 02:15 PM

I thought that was still a building site

Posted by: xjay1337 Oct 31 2011, 02:17 PM

No not really, no construction I could notice. Was alright, quite pleasant, nice cafes, nice women. It's a win win.

Posted by: Jayjay Oct 31 2011, 04:37 PM

Yes, Reading. Where the buses don't go up Broad Street in front of ther shops, but stop at the rear of the Oracle. Reminds me of ..... well Newbury actually.

Posted by: John C Oct 31 2011, 09:02 PM

Who said any thing about a bus to Reading. Only use a bus for local journeys that are to far to walk

Posted by: GMR Oct 31 2011, 09:03 PM

I wasn't very impressed with what I saw. Nothing really new. Most went from their old stomping grounds to new green pastures.

Posted by: JeffG Nov 1 2011, 09:43 AM

Nobody.

Posted by: John C Nov 1 2011, 10:06 AM

Jayjay in post 60 mentioned buses

Posted by: Jack Nov 1 2011, 10:59 AM

My family went into the town on Thursday. Without a doubt the town centre was as busy as carnival day, both Nortbrook Street and the town as a whole seemed to me to be very busy. From reading the local free Advertiser paper, I see that Parkway say more than 30,000 people came into town. I am truly fascinated to know how they would know that?

Let us assume that 30,000 people arrived by car that would be 7,500 cars, if 4 people were in each car. Clearly a significant number will like us have walked in. So that would reduce the cars a little. Equally a lot of cars may only have had 1 or perhaps 2 people in. I simply cannot comprehend how circa 7000 cars would have parked ? I suppose the district council and the parkway people will tell us by how many car park tickets were purchased on Thursday? Do you suppose that these statistics are just very doubtful? These sort of claims to me smack of spin. I would certainly be content to read - incredibly busy, packed, a successful first day. The Raeding football stadium holds 25,000 people I believe, so the claim that more than 30,000 people came into Newbury seems to me a little incredible.

We hope for pensioners that Standard Life’s investment thrives and that the town continues to draw very large numbers of shoppers. I wonder if the council are undertaking any kind of research into visitors, perhaps local secondary schools could be asked to undertake some sort of shopper’s survey. It would be most interesting to discover what shopping habits have changed and then again after Christmas?

Far from being negative about an apparent early success, we must remain objective about the long-term effects and not allow our thoughts and ideas for further expansion of the town to be lead by spin before we know if anyone is actually going to make any money.

Posted by: Biker1 Nov 1 2011, 11:04 AM

Public transport??

Posted by: dannyboy Nov 1 2011, 11:04 AM

They mean 30000 over the course of the day - not all at once. If the average stay was 2hrs & town was busy from 9-7 then that is only 6000 people at the same time.

Posted by: Jack Nov 1 2011, 01:13 PM

Quite right public transport will have had a role to play and ofcourse not everyone arrived and departed at the same point, I am truly fascinated to know how Parkway have arrived at their statistics, can anyone tell us ? It's not very important in itself as we all know the town was very busy and in my judegment the numbers of people in the streets resembled the numbers that come to town when the carnival takes place and if my memory serves me correctly the carnival claimed 6000 people came to town which to me was entirely plausible. I would just ask - imagine 30,0000 people !!! that is just short of the entire polulation of Newbury.

Posted by: JeffG Nov 1 2011, 03:52 PM

(Sigh!) But he didn't say anything about taking a bus to Reading, which is what you inferred, just how the buses [already] in Reading behave. Much like Newbury's now.