Middleton Grange

If the subject is 'lack of imagination' then I don't think anyone needs to look much further than Middleton Grange Shopping Centre.

It's quite pleasant inside these days since it was refurbished and its fine as a meeting place or for a cup of coffee but as a shopping centre it falls down on a most basic requirement - a lack of shops. I've thought about this a lot. In fact, I find myself thinking about it every time I walk around the centre and see another 'To Let' sign has appeared.

Now to me, there seem to be several reasons why this centre is distinctly second rate. Does anyone remember the wrangling that went on before Tesco received the go-ahead to build on Belle-Vue Way? The Council initially refused planning permission because of the detrimental effect having a Tesco there would have on the Shopping Centre. Well they were right about that but they were wrong to oppose Tesco never-the-less.

It'd very strange but some time later when the Marina was getting built, the Council almost tripped over itself to get ASDA to move down onto the Marina.

  what do you think?

Jimmy from the Rink End