Yes, I paid a visit today given that I'm now not working, and almost wish I hadnt bothered! Because what I saw was pretty depressing I must say.
So alright Huddy's shopping streets are somewhat bedraggled by the recession, but compared to Keighley...! Especially the Airedale centre. If you took out the charity shops, and the 'pound' shops, then well...

And what happened with the front of the market?

Did I just pick a bad day, was I just a bit down because of my situation, or is Keighley extra grim looking at present?

Could have been worse ....you could have ended up in Bradford... now that really is grim

I noticed, went back via 662 bus, and you are so right!

It doesn't look too great, we notice when we come back aswell. As far as I know I think theyre doing some sort of improvements to the market entrance!

Big improvements are being made in my opinion, new supermarket new excellent looking college both of which will create more jobs church green has been done up and so I'd the entrance to Keighley Market, I think you were right you must of been having a bad day , Keighley isn't all that bad oh and down at the bottom of lawkholme lane there is a cracking rugby club too.!!!

Yes Andrew, I know all too well about the cracking rugby league club, but I was primarily talking about the town centre when I was walking around.

The entrance to Keighley Market is currently a mess, but glad to hear its all for the right reasons. But market area was almost deserted yesterday when I was walking around it, but that may just be because its tricky to get in at present?

Glad to hear I was just looking in the wrong places.

Must say the bacon butty and coffee I had was good, cafe in the post office corner of the Airedale centre.

Job creation is good, only wish it was nearer for commuting in that case!

The market is quiet your right about that, before I bought my own butchery business I was employed at a butchers in there and is was brilliant! Good crack and very buisy especially on a Saturday but them days appear to be long gone, hope spending money on it will improve the traders chances.

Thing is, the new supermarket is another nail in the coffin for the old town centre.

If money was available (and it isn't at the moment), I would wipe the town centre and market off the map and rebuild them completely.

The market building is awful. It's not a market, it's market stalls shoved into an industrial unit. Markets should have atmosphere with fat butchers shouting stuff like "2 pound of best sirloin missus, and I'll chuck you a couple of breasts in "



The town centre is what it is...dated..1980s

I recently went to Liverpool with the other moderator Gues Who, on the annual moderators convention

and it was amazing to see the thought that had gone into regenerating the centre there. New building dovetailed into the old City seamlessly.

I'm not for one minute suggesting we're on the scale of Liverpool, but there is a masterplan for the town which I bet most folk on here never even look at, but should be pushing forward.

The town centre needs opening up.

Sure, we have a new college, but we now have 2 old buildings that will be sat going derelict. I recently read a proposal that these could be used for retail ?!??! Are they serious?

And another thing, the Liverpool centre was litter and chewing gum free. Our new Bus station was covered in gum and Greggs wrappers in about 3 months flat. Scuffers.

I'd heard the old college building was going to be turned into a hotel of sorts, was I misinformed aj?

The first proposal I heard was that it should be a hotel with conference facilities etc...which sounds a decent idea to me.

[urlhttp://www.keighleynews.co.uk/search/911777.High_class_hotel_plan_for_college_town_centre_site/[/url

Then, in the KN a few weeks ago, some other ideas were mooted re retail:

[urlhttp://www.keighleynews.co.uk/search/4215432.You_ll_have_a_say_on_future_of_college_site/[/url

sounded good to me too can't see retail being much cop though!

dont go in town so cant comment.Morrisons is about as close as i get.

The town is a dump.
Go and have a look out side the post office.

Chavs shouting at each other and chewing gum everywhere. The pavement is filthy.
Anyone getting of at the bus station, for the first time is going to get a awful first impression of Keighley.

If they then take a walk into the town centre, God help them, a town centre full of tacky shops, shops empty.

I really do wonder if anyone on the so-called town council, actually goes into the town centre.

To be fair it's not been the town councils remit over the years.

It's been the Met District councils.

They can't even get Bradford up to scratch so we've no chance while we're under their control

The so called town council should be the ones getting into the Met District councils about the state of the town.
To say its nothing to do with them is wrong, its got everything to do with them.

Just a shame they cannot see it.

There's a lot worse places than keighley steph m,funny how you can manage a trip here to complain about the place yet can't get here to see the team you 'support'.

I think she explained the circumstances in her post quite clearly.

Plus, the Cougars play Sundays.

Thanks AJ, yes the public transport isnt too bad midweek, just crap on Sundays.

And I've no doubt there are worse places, its just that I remember Keighley in better times than now. Possibly because I dont get over very often just makes it worse when I do

I work all over the place and must say keighley is no worse off than other places in fact with asda creating jobs we are doing ok the recession is not restricted to keighley ane how folk can say new jobr are bad for the town puzzles me. Some places that struggle are down to bad management. I am a glass is half full not half empty woman folk need to look more at positites than ndgativer an example is the new college assuming more folk attend from outside the town the logic says more money will be spent in the town how can this be bad.

Ganging up again,bring it on!

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxvetM7uqmsGuess which one is AJ

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Nice one.