This is Waterlooville, the town where I live, as it used to be. The photo is dated around the 50s or 60s. In 1985 the local planners deemed it to be a good idea to pedestrianize this road. The heart and soul of the town has all but dried up. All of the original stores  have long gone and other than the banks, few of the major chains are interested in coming here. Despite the additional 2500 homes soon to be built to the west of the town.

The A3 has been diverted around the town centre and now serves to separate the town into two unique shopping areas. Current plans underway will only serve to further divide the town. Already Waitrose have stated that the opening of the new Sainsbury’s store will probably drive them and their small store  out of the town.

Within the last year or so it was decided that the tired shopping centre was in need of a makeover, what was required was nice pastel shades and in addition some strange artistic shapes were introduced. The end result, to my mind, would have been considered modern back when this photo was taken.

Now, Waterlooville seems to be moving to a cafe culture with numerous coffee shops, cafes and very soon Wetherspoons will be opening the third pub. ALthough I think that is something of a mixed blessing since it is opening almost next door to the Heroes. It remains to be seen if the Heroes can compete with the Wetherspoons business model.

In the meantime the stores that would encourage passing trade for the food/drink establishments are slowly dying a death.

Don’t misread my intentions. I am not against change. What I am bemoaning, is what I believe to be mistakes by the planners. Yes the A3 needed to be diverted to resolve the traffic problems but was it necessary to take away the passing trade. The old road could have had traffic calming to prevent it becoming a rat run and still allowed folks to access the shops. However, the way it was done and the subsequent planning decisions regarding the Retail Park and the Wilkinson/Waitrose area have served only to destroy the heart of the town. The dual carriageway separates the town centre from the retail park. The Wilkinson/Waitrose area seems like a separate shopping centre with its back to Waterlooville. The proposed new  Sainsbury’s soon to be built at the western end of the Retail Park is just going to drag shoppers away from the town centre especially with the addition of a new petrol station. It remains to be seen how this will all pan out.

Personally I don’t hold out much hope for Waterlooville Town Centre.

Road in different eras – Remember When – The News.

I just wanted to say congratulations to all those brave souls who participated in the BUPA Great South Run on Sunday.

While I was reclining in the warmth of my living room, watching the Indian F1, several thousand hardy bods were facing the damp and windy conditions of Southsea seafront.

In particular I want to say well done to my next door neighbour, Gordon, who took part for the first time this year. He finished in a very respectable 94 mins and 27 seconds.

To all the runners, regardless of the reason for your participation,

CONGRATULATIONS & WELL DONE

Perhaps the mystery here isn’t the circumstances of the shooting, rather the venue chosen for the injured mans treatment.

Man is seriously injured in air gun shooting at Southsea house – Law and Order – The News.

Having read this article I am gobsmacked.

How does it make sense to send this man all the way to Southampton when we have an Emergency Department at the QA in Cosham ?

That is, he was sent to Southampton General Hospital, a journey of some 20 miles. This was deemed to be better for the patient, who had life threatening injuries, than going to A&E at the Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham.  A journey of around 5 miles.

I can only imagine that the huge hospital on Portsdown Hill, the one with A & E and the emergency helipad recently installed on the roof of the new building, doesn’t work over the weekend. Or is it perhaps the migration of medical skills from Portsmouth to Southampton now includes our local emergency care.

It beggars belief.

The press are only too keen to do down the police and it would seem in this instance the Southern Daily Echo got it totally wrong.

Follow the link below to see the Hampshire Constabulary response. Just once in a while it would be nice to see the press in this country provide praise for the police instead of doing them down at every opportunity.

They do a very difficult job and sneering articles like that published by the Southern Daily Echo do nobody any good.
Hampshire Constabulary: Hampshire Constabulary response to ‘End of the week’ opinion piece in the Southern Daily Echo.