022: Good News for Stoke & Staffordshire

Solidarity Amidst City Centre Violence, Perspective: Hanley's Signs of Renewal, Spode Development Plans Revealed .

Good News 🎉

• Solidarity Amidst City Centre Violence. Regional leaders, business owners, MPs, faith leaders and the majority of residents have spoken out to condemn and echo their disappointment, sadness and anger towards the violence and disruption in Hanley on Saturday. Hanley’s businesses became places of refuge, Staffordshire Police made 10 arrests and numerous people online spoke out to dispel the lie that two people had been stabbed. In an area of ~400,000 people, “a few hundred” individuals resorted to violent fighting.
  
  Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID CEO, Richard Buxton acknowledged two rival groups both with weapons and both intent on creating intimidation and fear, both using teenagers “out front”. There was an earlier peaceful protest by NORSCARF (North Staffordshire Campaign Against Racism & Fascism).

• Perspective: Hanley’s Signs of Renewal. Saturday’s scenes come as Hanley is beginning to show signs of renewal. A series of positive art installations that are repainting the centre, a string of independents on Piccadilly, west-end shows at the Regent Theatre, a business community at Smithfield, regular live music, a new city centre gift card and restaurants in the good food guide.

  

  Undoubtedly Saturday’s disruption is a step back for Hanley’s (and wider Stoke-on-Trent) reputation and trust with residents. On the whole though, the momentum around regeneration and renewal will continue to be positively championed by dedicated individuals every single day. Whilst this protest, we hope, was one day of thought-less and unhelpful violence. In the long run, it’s the committed professionals who are working hard to change and improve Hanley that will endure.

• Spode Development Plans Revealed. Stoke-on-Trent City Council revealed their new plans for the Spode site in Stoke in a public consultation. City Director Jon Rouse admitted past mis-steps and shared a desire for the site to be “collectively owned” and “community led”. A full report will be available in a few days and we will share a full write up on the proposals with you.

Editor’s Note

My first reaction to Saturday’s events were anger and sadness. Like many, I was waiting to see Stoke’s name appear on TV, or in the news, and when it did, I let out a sigh. My first thought was that I didn’t want us to be connected to this disruption, violence or thuggery in any way - as if what’s happening is a reflection of me (or others I know) in some way -shame, embarrassment. It’s important to take a step back, not to ignore the tension that lives on, but to distance ourselves from these unbridled displays of anger and know that those actions represent the few, not the many. Saturday was a flash in the pan with angry flames fanned across social media inciting a small number of people. Stoke-on-Trent’s regeneration is a movement with momentum built on love, dedication and pride that the majority of people want and will participate in. We choose to focus on that.

Cheers,

James

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