Well said Jinjer. Visit Canterbury regularly, and even there one comes across drunks etc. Wakefield nowhere near as bad as many towns and cities. I am 66 and agree restaurant and bar scene has improved enormously.

Im with you on this one Jinjer - Kirkgate and that bottom end of the precinct is an armpit but the rest of Wakey is on the rise.

I never used to go out in Wakefield because it was pretty much one enormous dive - no food that wasnt a pizza or kebab, pubs and clubs that you wiped your feet on the way out of, drunken louts carrying on in the streets etc.

Now though the area round the theatre is full of great drinking places, we have a quality live music venue and some of the best (and cheapest) restaurants I've been to anywhere. Even the Strafford has had a facelift!

Very pleased with the direction of travel in that regard.

Having read some of the posts on here, I do agree on some of the points raised by Prince Buster, but also agree on some of the points raised by Jinger, regarding re generation of the city centre.

There is a lot of empty and to let signs around that do nothing for the profile, but at the same time, some of the places to eat and drink are going more upmarket.

If we could clean some of those areas up that are mentioned, plus look at litter, could look a much better place.

Someone else also mentioned moving to sunnier and warmer climates. We lived in Malta for just short of 4 years, and it was a great lifestyle, and anyone wishing to do that, I would highly recommend it. Sitting in the local square on Christmas Eve, in shorts and tshirt, having a beer, or walking out of your office overlooking the Med or Valetta skyline was a great feeling.

Bins emptied every day and no council tax fees. When needed the healthcare was also first class.

Parents thought we were totally mad in coming back, but we did. Only really missed family and the North Stand

I respect what jinjer says, we go back a far way and probably have different views. I also agree with jinjers points but for every good point there is a bad point (Old ABC Cinema etc).

However I also remember the place when it was a a terrific vibrant City with Tiffs and pubs like the mitre. I suppose those days are long gone and will never return. However I still think Wakey is a shadow of its former self.

I grew up in South East London, Wakefield town centre might not be Knightsbridge but it isn't Peckham Rye or Catford either. It is certainly no worse than comparable sized city centres. Some good new shops popped up and making a go of things - Wah Wah records enough to get me in to town most weeks. Don't drink anymore but seems to be a great pub scene and plenty of live music on. People don't like change, no keen on it myself but what has changed isn't coming back.

As for Trinity - not going anywhere and not changing name. Worse case scenario play at Dewsbury or Fev as a Championship team for the next few years. Refuse to believe the new ground is dead, think the council's hand will now be forced. Oi Box - just underwrite a loan and lets get the thing built.

You can chuck in the Wakefield One development with the new library and museum, the imporvements to the civic quarter, new rail and bus stations in recent times along with the hospital and college upgrades and the current extension to the theatre royal. The introduction of the Wakefield BID to improve the look of the place will be a major benefit to the appearance of the place as well, they have just appointed their first CEO and things will start to be notice shortly. Once Kirkgate is done the old place will be looking ok, sadly empty shops is just a sign of modern times and the online shopping as has been mentioned.

Couldn't remember the name of Wakefield one till you mentioned it, and couldn't be d finishing my rant to find it!


Plus to add to my rant we also have for the less able a FREE bus that does off the top of my head.
Kirkgate station> The Hepworth>all the stops on Ings road>round Cineworld>west gate>Westgate station>through town to the bus station.

Who knows what goes on in snowie's world

I think PB that the old ABC comes under phase three.

Regarding the "good old days" I had them, did the Tiffs, Mitre etc but as you say those days are gone, and that's the same for all towns and cities. Cities need to reinvent themselves as Manchester and more so Leeds have done, two incredibly vibrant cities. OK, we're probably ten years behind Leeds but at least the change has begun.
Everything (thankfully) is being stripped back in cities, no more is it compulsory to sit in bland stainless steel decorated bars, it's brick, mortar, wooden benches and a drinking pub style character. Plenty of options with Craft beer/Real ale/Homebrew which ever you want to call it.
We go into town regularly, we did good Friday this year, pubs nicely full, not full of knobs, stayed round Unity area till probably midnight, it felt safe as houses walking to the taxi rank.
A serious question Dave and not being y but when was the last time you went round the Unity part of Wakefield?
It was about five years since I was persuaded to give it ago and was relatively surprised, up to then I hadn't been in town for a night out for probably ten years.
If we need another SWAG meeting we ought to do that part of town.

As an outsider I probably see the improvements in Wakefield a bit more clearly, certainly over the last 5 years there's been great improvements all over the city, with further plans it'll all come together eventually. Got to agree about the area around Unity, great bars and nightlife.

Something along those lines crossed my mind. I am that sick of Wakefield Council. They don't deserve to have a club in the City. The name Trinity occurred to me too as the most important thing and I thought, you know what, I live in Beverley anyway! If they can get better suited elsewhere. a Trinity fan I will be...somewhere else! But I didn't like to say!

can tell you exactly when, it was the night prior to this years general election and I actually had a couple of pints in the Unity Hall bar on the corner.

I even have an alibi as I was drinking with TRB and the armoureddildo

I stand by everything I posted, alas I can't account for the company you keep.

Serious question : Back in the day 60/70's you could go around the City pubs and by the many pictures you could tell it was an RL City and we had an high profile club.

I don't go in all the present bars, but other than Harrys bar I don't think you would know RL existed in Wakey, may be I drink in the wrong places but is there anywhere were the club or the game have a profile.

It's closed again now but the Elephant and castle had a blackboard which advertised that all Trinity matches would be shown on Monday evening, but yes there aren't many places that appear to support Wakefield.
An interesting aside, on Normy precinct practically opposite each other are the Midland and the Ole int wall pubs, the Midland always has a Cas flag in the window. Lately, allegedly, the landlords had a bit of a falling out. The ole int wall now has Wakey signs, beer mats (I'm assuming snowies) and Wakefield trinity road signs fastened on the wall, I think the corridor out to the beer garden is called Trinity walk or Trinity way, childish but made me laugh.

The Redoubt on Horbury rd has always been a good rugby league pub. Sells Trinity beer also

Went out in Cas after the game on Good Friday and pretty much every pub was rammed with people in Cas shirts, had framed Cas shirts all over the walls and had Cas flags and other stuff like that all over as well. I know it was a bank holiday so will have been busier than normal but never seen anything like that in Wakefield which is pretty sad really. Barely anyone cares anymore.

Pot Oil in Wrenthorpe showed Trin games on a Monday night
Up the Trin

Few years back went in that so called sports bar on Westgate. Nothing RL or Wakey in it, total joke to call itself a sports bar.

You must have been the only person legally allowed in there

You should have seen it the Friday night before the 1979 cup final it was buzzing in Wakefield everybody had red white and blue hats and scarfs on remember going in the old speakeasy that night it was great loads of excitement and support for the club there was a lot interest in that Wembley team with players like Dave topliss , T skerret J Burke and the one and only W.ashurst.so what did the club do after the cup final sold the best players off for big money and we ended up in the old second division killed a lot of interest off in the city did that,that's what poor management does kills interest .

Completely agree. I've lived in the city all my life, but am now at the stage, after recent developments where i couldn't care less if Wakefield is in the club name or not.
Not just the council, but also the vast majority of people living within the area, do not deserve the RL side we currently have. If that can be continued and possibly improved upon by moving slightly out of the region, lets get on with it. Be it Dewsbury, Barnsley etc. I will follow them wherever (within reason!)

I don't get all this is the fight over and we toddle off somewhere else. As fans we should lobby Mary Creah's chambers in cheapside and the town hall maybe the TV cameras would turn up. We've been here over a hundred years why should we change our name and move out of OUR city. We should fight on and I am sure eventually come to our aid . I think keep going and something will give. Prove to the powers that be we are going nowhere and if we lose we will get these people the worst publicity they have ever had. Makes my blood boil. End of rant

I realise we may have to move out of the city in the short term but the goal has to be to move back as quickly as possible.
You can take Trinity out of Wakefield (on a temp basis) but not Wakefield out of Trinity
Just my own view and I respect anybody's own take on things