This year is the first time I have completed my Christmas Shopping without stepping foot in Middlesbrough Town Centre. This includes years when I was contracting and working all over the country.
Remember the halcyon days where there were about 5 major department stores in Boro.
The shopping centre came before the junction remember - they had to build a new junction and change the road system.
Same here, didn't go once. Nothing there to go for, unless you want a gamble, vapes or a haircut.
Originally they wanted another exit leading up the side of Thornaby cemetary to the Mandale interchange as well, but that got kicked back due to the extra traffic that would end up in that part of Thornaby / Acklam and the flooding that regularly occurs there because it is a flood plain.
And right on top of a major road intersection.
Yes, so ridiculous that it is massively popular compared to the easy to get to town centres.
It's popular because it's the only choice. Millions spent developing it and the transport modifications to suit. Millions having to be spent on looking for new uses for the existing town centres which are now full of empty shops.
Its not the only choice, theres still shops in the town centre which people use reguarly. If Teesside park didn't open, town wouldn't be busy, people would just travel further for something similar because those little shops dont meet their needs.
Indeed, and millions of pounds of public money is wasted on nonsensical change such as Teesside Park.
Evidently not a waste if its what the public are actually using.
They have little choice, as I mentioned above.
Oh I see, the people closed the shops, not the shop owners. I didn't know that.
