Stafford how bad is It?

A new place for 2024, We visit Stafford town centre to see if they have the same problems as stoke on trent. We were very surprised, yes lots of big closed shops however we found some amazing places to visit
#travel #travelvlog #staffordshire #stafford
@daveb5892

[MegzWills]

This is my hometown. Honestly, it used to never be this bad. Growing up here, every single shop would be open, and the streets would be packed. The council started raising shop rent around 10 years ago, and that's when the decline started to happen. The council assumed that building a new retail park would get business booming again, but instead, it totally crashed it. Now only some large chains can survive, whilst independent stores have gone out of business. It's up to the council to sort out the ridiculous rent and get the shops full again. I assume that's what they're attempting to do as they've refurbished the town centre, and they plan on opening a market there. I'm glad I moved away, but it still hurts to see my home looking like that.

[agunemnon]

Such a sad shadow of it's former glory. Stafford was a beautiful and lively town when I moved here 30 year ago. Some poor planning decisions have done a lot of damage, but it can only improve.

[PDB]

Stafford used to be a lovely countt town . The guidhall was deliberately run down. The new shopping centre at riverside is ok but away from town centre which has drawn people away the high street shops most of which are now empty or struggling

[dalebelfield]

Is it cleaner than Stoke on Trent Hanley

[wevved]

15:36 the old library has been closed for a long time now and mostly left to rot. Such a waste of a lovely building.

[mark-twj]

i live here its great if you like closed shops, best Turkish barbers , vape shops, and car washes, and foreign food shops, all cash only, with little or no trade, ODD TO SAY THE LEAST, o and all the roads are closed to, its a third world now

[thehauntedexplorers]

I visited The Ancient High House (that very old house in the town) the day before you did this video. It is a pretty decent museum and is worth a visit.

[SUBARU_SKYLINE_R]

I was born here and we do have a bunch of buses on all days except Sundays mostly busy we have our own train station avanti West Coast trains and Cross Country midland services

[Hitchypaul]

You missed the excellent park, with the River Sow running through it. It is a shame that the town centre seemed DEAD, Still it was Sunday morning.

[everTriumph]

You could have mentioned the weather vane on St Mary's Church which has a hole in it. Charles II (I think) was staying at the High House and was so bored he decided to try out his new pistols. Tempting to say Stafford hasn't changed.

[ChrisPindar]

I moved to Stafford 25 years ago and loved that I had escaped from Walsall. Tonight, I finally have to admit that it has descended into a heap of shit. M6 disabled daughter was left to wander the street whilst I desperately tried to find a way to get to her in the car. Major roads closed with no advance notice, no alternatives given, people trapped behind walls of bollards, council staff indifferent to the problems this creates, the police station closed when you need action. Somebody remind me what our council tax is supposed to pay for? Any suggestions for a decent town to move to?

[shaneraines]

So sad to see Stafford like this when I was a young un all these shops would be open!!

[louisebriggs]

Just like most high streets most of shops closing down as well as pubs not just stafford that run down most town centres are run down to it my home town

[dallassukerkin]

I have to say, not that it is much of a revelation, that the fashion for Retail Parks has been the knife in the heart of many of our towns and cities. Without commerce there is no 'life' in a place and the rot sets in quickly - Hanley is the prime local example of that.

[RaebEeffoc]

This was very useful to watch. I'm contemplating on buying a house here and finding somewhere to call home. From what I've seen, Stafford is a beautiful town. As you've pointed out, it's very clean which is good to see. I don't think much can be done about the empty shops as pretty much all high street shops across the country suffer from high rents, online shopping, retail parks.

[neiljohnson]

The boarded up large store on the left, was either BHS or M&S

[wevved]

2:35 the old Woolworths which then became Sports Direct, and moved to the new development on the south side of town. another one that moved to the new development.

3:20 M&S has also moved to the new bit.

[EljayOne]

The one time bag head becky isn’t about 😂

[griswald]

The town hall was the old county court..

[ruckizucki]

I was hoping to get a glimpse of supermarkets where the people now go? Can you make a video showing them?