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Thread: Kensington - why did it decline so much?

  1. #16
    Pablo42 pablo42's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by burkhilly View Post
    One of the major problems is the big supermarkets. Look at any High Streets. The smaller shops have gone. I live in Old Swan, and while it remains quite busy, we've got lots of charity shops instead of the old type of shops. For instance we used to have about three shoe shops in the Swan - now we've none.

    Kensington isn't the only area, West Derby Road, Smithdown Road, Lodge Lane, Picton Road, Park Road etc all used to be busy shopping areas, now they all look rundown. Unfortunately this is progress - different ways of shopping. I try to support our local shops, but it is so much easier and quicker to pop into Tesco.
    I don't think that all the blame goes to the big supermarkets. These days we go shopping in our cars, even for a paper. The lack of parking and parking charges have a lot to do with this.

  2. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Paddy View Post
    When you have no work problems arise. The media talk about evil as some innate thing bestowed on the born. Unemployment is the greatest evil of all as everything springs from it. So we can safely say that Society creates its own evil. Look at Netherley, brand new housing estate in the seventies. They moved people in yet there was no industry at hand, hence a rapid decline. Then they apply labels onto the community. The uprooted become the dysfunctional. The estate has come on since and we learn by these things. What is not so clear is the promotion of Kensington as a unique Liverpool community. The working class functional community has to a large extent moved on. The territorial identity syndrome is often picked up by sub strata groups who will identify with any given area. Hence Toxteth the place name becomes a symbol of urban cred if you hark from there. It is apparent that some people with roots in the area still remain. However these well established families would probably be reluctant to use the term Kenny as the place name for the area they live in. That term seems to be generated at street level. One big problem can be the enforcement of perceived identity as in potent sub cultures. An example of this is violence that has a territorial dynamic attached. Okay you can get murdered anywhere? pick your spot. The point is what is it that fuels the will for such violence? Established hard working people don?t indulge in territorial violence simply because they are too engrossed in the task of functional responsibility. So murder after hours is normally the craft of sub strata groups. Decline in urban areas is pandemic, it stems from the historic activity of city life. The people rely on employment and employment makes for identity, not standing on corners. I can see regeneration making the area better for those who are willing to work and carry out the functional tasks needed to keep the city going. The rest will find another cause celeb and the skid row outlook of dereliction to bang on about somewhere else.
    You're right there Paddy. If a lot of these hoodies and drug takers had jobs, a lot of the problems would greatly diminish. When there is no hope, people will grab at anything.

  3. #18

    Default 2 words

    Quote Originally Posted by chrismarsden View Post
    One word, Smak
    smack heads

  4. #19

    Default No secondary school

    The area didnt have a secondary school least of all one worth moving to the area for, the new Acdemy has solved that problem though. The other problem was the housign associaitons and mult occuppancy linked to drug abuse and resulting crime. I have yet to see the ?62.5 kenny regen have spent on the area turning it around as a lot of the stuff they have provided in other areas has been provided out of the general rates (alley gates etc) so it look like the council have used the money as a cash cow......but we are getting a fire station and an Iceland, no butchers, no bank no free cash machine, not even a charity shop....KNDC hang your heads in shame

  5. #20
    www.liverbuild.co.uk chrismarsden's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SteveFaragher View Post
    The area didnt have a secondary school least of all one worth moving to the area for, the new Acdemy has solved that problem though. The other problem was the housign associaitons and mult occuppancy linked to drug abuse and resulting crime. I have yet to see the ?62.5 kenny regen have spent on the area turning it around as a lot of the stuff they have provided in other areas has been provided out of the general rates (alley gates etc) so it look like the council have used the money as a cash cow......but we are getting a fire station and an Iceland, no butchers, no bank no free cash machine, not even a charity shop....KNDC hang your heads in shame
    This really a shame what has happened with the regeneration of Kensington.
    Under the Bridge Garston had many of the same issues. Housing associations and private landlords moving outsiders into a settled community bringing their own issues, be it drugs, alcohol abuse or general anti social behavior. Since then the area has been turned around, it's not perfect but it is moving in the right direction, this is in part thanks to the retail park at Speke providing much needed work for the local community.


  6. #21
    Pablo42 pablo42's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by chrismarsden View Post
    This really a shame what has happened with the regeneration of Kensington.
    Under the Bridge Garston had many of the same issues. Housing associations and private landlords moving outsiders into a settled community bringing their own issues, be it drugs, alcohol abuse or general anti social behavior. Since then the area has been turned around, it's not perfect but it is moving in the right direction, this is in part thanks to the retail park at Speke providing much needed work for the local community.
    I think once people have jobs, everything improves. Shoulda been the Governments high priority efforts.

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