Wolverhampton Box Space plan: Cynicism among some, praise from many others
Express & Star readers have had their say about a £6 million entertainment and events space set to come to Wolverhampton.
The Box Space will cost £6 million and be funded through a combination of the Government’s Future High Streets Fund and council investment. It will see derelict shops at 1-7a Cleveland Street bulldozed, and the purchase of shipping containers which will offer a space for public events and somewhere to grab a drink and a bite to eat.
Similar venues have cropped up in cities across the UK, but some expressed their concern that Wolverhampton does not attract the number of visitors needed to make the project thrive.
Gemma Stout said: “This kind of thing works in other towns and cities because they are in popular areas that are full of the type of people who will be interested in something like this, not in ghost towns like Wolverhampton.”
But others were full of praise for the council for attempting to make a difference, pointing to the success of others around the country and also of a desperate need for extra entertainment in the city centre.
Denise Campbell said: “Hopefully over time this type of city entertainment area will encourage the university students to stay and commute out to work, creating a new young professional population – I hope it works.”
Alison Dougliss-Heald added: “Bristol has a fab shipping container shopping and eating space, so bring it on Wolverhampton – well done for trying to improve our city.”
Karen Clark added: “I don’t want to knock it, as we certainly need positive ways forward.”
However, the industrial design has upset some, with Aura Pana saying: “It is absolutely horrible. If you were located close to a naval port then the shipping containers would made sense – it makes the city centre look more like a tip.”
Sally Robinson, another Facebook commenter, added: “It will look like an industrial estate by the time they’ve finished instead of an improvement – what a waste of money, and £6m at that.”
