Online voices

STORY

Empty Sunderland shops to become arts hubs under innovative project aiming to help drive Wearside forward

Philip Bainbridge:

Brilliant, just what we want.

Allyson Craik: Ahhh great! And you still have to pay to park in this dump! We need new shops not art lol.

Carl Nkemdilim:

Art is great from a cultural standpoint.

But Sunderland needs retail investment and job creation that’s on a par with Newcastle. For a city, it’s so neglected compared to its neighbour.

Paul Smith:

Carl Nkemdilim, Sunderland has not got a massive town next door to it where thousands of people spill into Newcastle every day to help it. Sunderland won’t get the numbers no matter what happens in the town.

Sarah Robson: This will be great for the arts and culture of Sunderland.

Tania Smith: What we want is all groceries stores and clothes shops, our town is crap compared to Newcastle.

Stanton Longhorrn:

Help businesses to get a thriving community of shops going offering a variety of services. Get the overheads down a bit. Rents / rates. One of the biggest issues, of course, parking and over eager traffic wardens.

Jackie Walton: Needs something doing. Used to be a good place to go shopping but now it looks derelict.

Ray Russell: I was shocked when I eventually realised that this was Blandford Street. It seems to be not long ago that you could idle away a whole morning or afternoon there. The ‘NWO’ has arrived. No shops to browse, no bumping into friends, no friendly faces, no Sunderland accents.

Joanne Jarvis: It's shops we want, not art. Don't know what Sunderland City Council’s on but they need a business organiser brought in to sort something out because they've got no idea.

Mark Johnson: Imagine how cultured a trip to the Blandford will become. The clientele will all be dashing home after last orders to watch reruns of the South Bank Show.

James Wilson: If there was still high demand for shops then the shops would be there.

Paigey Hood: Just need to get rid of the stench of cigarette smoke and disappointment.

Josr Jose: I think it's great at the time I said it, Sunderland needs parties and promotes the city and especially the centre now summer is coming and there are thousands of activities that can be done outdoors, festivals, flower parties, and thousands of other things to promote the Sunderland c entre that really needs it.