Dismayed over Rotherham's Children’s Capital of Culture 2025 title - Yorkshire Post Letters

From: Fiona Lemmon, Clifton Byres, Clifton, Maltby, Rotherham.

I was quite frankly amazed not to mention dismayed that Rotherham will be the world’s first Children’s Capital of Culture in 2025 (‘Putting some pride into town with Children’s Capital of Culture accolade’, Yorkshire Post Business, June 7).

I do not deny that there are multicultural activities across the borough, sadly depleted some years ago by the closure of the award winning charity Get Sorted Academy of Music.

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I do hope that “this sincere attempt to move Rotherham forward”, as described by Julie Dalton, the author of the article and Chair of Rotherham Children’s Capital of Culture Programme Board, bears fruit.

I appreciate that Rotherham Council has already spent and continues to spend multi-millions of pounds on the Riverside development and cultural organisations and venues but please will somebody do something serious about the town centre?

Millions were spent on regenerating the High Street following comments and advice from Mary Portas but whatever day I visit the High Street and at whatever time the shops have no customers – apart from the eateries.

There appears to be little footfall and the place feels deserted.

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What an utter waste of money! The businesses cannot be sustainable.

On a recent visit to Rotherham, I walked up the High Street and was stopped at the top by a stranger, a visitor to the town, who asked me if that area was out of the town centre. I explained that it is called the High Street and was subject to an economic development programme some years ago.

He said that the place is dead and, sadly, I had to agree that it is at best dying.

The town is a depressing place to visit with shops selling cheap and shoddy goods, several charity shops, one of which is dirty, untidy and altogether a mess, empty retail units and now, this month, the closure of Boots and Wilkinson’s, two further nails in the coffin.