What do people in Aldridge think of their area?

Express & Star

We take to the streets to see what people think of their area.

Transcript

00:00Yeah, so we're here with Arthur Watson, you said you lived down the way a little bit,

00:04so what do you think of Aldridge?

00:05I like Aldridge, yeah.

00:06Pretty good, it's got a nice little shopping district hasn't it, it's got a nice old market,

00:11quite a historic market, it's been here for a while hasn't it?

00:14Yeah, yeah.

00:15So what do you like best?

00:16A variety of shops.

00:17A variety of shops?

00:18Yeah.

00:19Yeah, that's good.

00:20Is there anything that you think needs improving?

00:21Er, no.

00:22No, there isn't.

00:23No, no.

00:24Not really.

00:25A bit more...

00:26Public toilets I suppose.

00:28Free to use toilets, that sort of thing.

00:30Yeah, yeah.

00:31Do you reckon there needs to be anything with the parks, any grounds keeping or anything

00:34like that?

00:35Oh no, they're excellent, yeah.

00:36They're quite nice aren't they?

00:37Yeah.

00:38Yeah.

00:39No, perfect then.

00:40Thank you very much.

00:41So whereabouts do you live Carrie?

00:42I'm from Rushall.

00:43From Rushall?

00:44So what do you think of the area, Walsall in general?

00:45Walsall I think is an absolute dump.

00:48I don't like going there at the best of times, which is why I've come to Aldridge shopping.

00:55Yeah, I prefer to be around Aldridge than I do in Walsall town centre.

00:59Yeah, yeah.

01:00What do you think needs improving around Walsall?

01:02Er, they need to put some kind of scheme in place so we can get the shops back up and

01:07running and get something for people to want to come back to Walsall.

01:12I mean when I was little, I mean it took me a long time ago, we used to come to Walsall

01:16for a day out.

01:17We used to live in West Bromwich.

01:19So that was our family day out, visiting Walsall.

01:22It used to be fantastic.

01:23So is that what you prefer about Aldridge then, is the shops?

01:26The range of shops?

01:27Yeah, yeah.

01:28The fact that you've got lots of different shops, lots of different businesses are opening

01:32up.

01:33You look round Walsall now and it's like a bit of a ghost town.

01:36You know, it's a shame.

01:37We've seen some really good shops that were in Walsall that have now closed down, Marks

01:41and Spencer's.

01:42I'm surprised Boots are still managing to go.

01:45The Sadler Centre is like, er, well the Sadler Centre, I mean you walk through there and

01:52it's ridiculous really.

01:53It's a bit vacant isn't it?

01:55Yeah, where Debenhams is, the shops that were around there, it was fantastic.

01:58So, and now it's just, it's disappointing and it's a shame because Walsall had used to be

02:05a nice place to visit.

02:08So, and I've worked round Walsall all my life, so 25 years with local government.

02:13So, and just seeing how it's demised is a shame really.

02:18So, and now I've wanted to improve it for the future of my lads.

02:22So, because, you know, all their friends and family are around here.

02:25So, I'd like to see something done about it, but yeah.

02:28So here we are with Ian and Raphael.

02:30What do you think of the area?

02:31Obviously, you said Aldridge is a lovely place.

02:33Oh, it's a smashing place.

02:34Yeah, yeah.

02:35What do you think the best part of the area is?

02:37Safety.

02:38Safety.

02:39Oh, lovely.

02:40Low primary.

02:41You feel like it's a very safe area?

02:42It's a very safe area, yes.

02:43Beautiful, clean, hospitable.

02:46People are extremely friendly, very helpful.

02:48The hospital is good as well.

02:49It's fantastic.

02:50Walsall Mental Hospital is very good.

02:52So, you said, I mean, as far as Walsall goes.

02:55Walsall, it's a can centre.

02:57It's horrible.

02:58There's more closed shops than open.

03:00Even the ambulance service arrives here very fast.

03:02It's filthy.

03:03And cold.

03:04It seems like it's ever clean.

03:06Yeah.

03:07So, is that something that you reckon could be improved?

03:09Friendliness of the area, more shops.

03:10Oh, definitely, yeah.

03:11Not around here, around Walsall.

03:13No, Walsall can definitely be improved.

03:1410 more people into the shops somehow.

03:16How, then?

03:17The high street's almost closed.

03:19I wouldn't recommend anybody go to Walsall.

03:22But you recommend people come?

03:24Yes, definitely.

03:25Aldridge.

03:26Plenty of restaurants.

03:27Plenty to do.

03:28So, if there's one thing, one thing that can improve Aldridge, what do you reckon it would be?

03:34I would say, bring in a nice shopping mall, right here.

03:37Bring in a nice shopping mall?

03:38Yeah.

03:39Yeah, something different on this side.

03:41More indoor shopping.

03:43Yeah, that would be beautiful.

03:45A fantastic visitor economy.

03:46Bring the visitors in even more, eh?

03:48Exactly, yeah.

03:49Absolutely lovely.

03:50Fantastic.

03:51Thank you very much.

03:52That's great.

03:53Cool.

03:54Brilliant.

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