We take to the streets to see what people think of Walsall.
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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.