World of Football Corn Exchange to be flattened

[SChibs]

Just seen the news the World Of Football 5s complex is to be bulldozed for student flats.


In a time where everyone should be encouraged to participate in sport and be healthier/more active taking this facility away is a complete joke. Literally thousands of people play there each weeknight and there's no facility like it in Edinburgh. The new WoF is smaller and less accessible.

All about money again though as I suspect the 5s doesn't make a he'll of a lot of income for its parent company

[Hiber-nation]

https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburgh-world-football-bowling-set-21527971

What a farce. Cllr Gavin Corbett's comments aren't exactly reassuring. Hopefully this'll get kicked into touch.

[Hibbyradge]

I take it the music venue goes too?

Just what Edinburgh needs...🙄

[SChibs]

I take it the music venue goes too?

Just what Edinburgh needs...🙄

I'm not sure, it just mentions the bowling and football which are separate buildings to the music bit. I reckon the front will be listed too so that may pose an issue for developers

[Pretty Boy]

Was the venue part of the Corn Exchange not purchased by the O2 Academy brand only a few weeks ago?

Will be sad to see the football and bowling go. Many happy nights at the former. More local facilities flattened for grossly profitable student accommodation though. Edinburgh won't be happy until it destroys everything that makes students, and others, actually want to come here in the 1st place. Almost nothing is safe.

[Santa Cruz]

I take it the music venue goes too?

Just what Edinburgh needs...🙄

Totally agree. Absolutely sick of travelling to Glasgow for concerts/shows. We need a Hydro capacity indoor venue.

[hibbybob]

Academy Music recently bought the Corn Exchange. It’s to be done up and renamed O2. Hopefully we’ll see some big names play there again.

[Hibbyradge]

Was the venue part of the Corn Exchange not purchased by the O2 Academy brand only a few weeks ago?

Will be sad to see the football and bowling go. Many happy nights at the former. More local facilities flattened for grossly profitable student accommodation though. Edinburgh won't be happy until it destroys everything that makes students, and others, actually want to come here in the 1st place. Almost nothing is safe.

Just a touch of hyperbole there, Stu?

In any case, the new accommodation will attract students, no?

[Pretty Boy]

Just a touch of hyperbole there, Stu?

In any case, the new accommodation will attract students, no?

An element of hyperbole but the point stands.

5 years ago I could have named most of the music venues, clubs, pubs, restaurants etc Edinburgh had lost to student accommodation. I couldn't now because there are so many.

[Hibbyradge]

An element of hyperbole but the point stands.

5 years ago I could have named most of the music venues, clubs, pubs, restaurants etc Edinburgh had lost to student accommodation. I couldn't now because there are so many.

It's a gaping hole in Edinburgh culture, for sure.

If they get rid of the Liquid Rooms I swear I'll do time.

[Mon Dieu4]

Must be getting close to there being more student flats than students in Edinburgh, they are getting chucked up all over the place, I get why companies do it, printing money with the rates they charge, just wish the council would tell them enough is enough but they bring out the percentage of "affordable housing" line all the time

I've seen the prices of some of their so called "affordable housing" and it's not affordable for the vast majority

[Ozyhibby]

I can see both sides on this. I love having the WoF for my boys and it’s a great facility. I also want us to build more houses for people to live in and every time someone proposes doing so, there are loads of complaints. Housing is getting far to expensive and Edinburgh is a massively growing city. We need a lot more of it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SChibs]

https://chng.it/DMxBzrQMvj

This may do nothing but I thought it'd start it anyway to gauge interest.

[CropleyWasGod]

https://chng.it/DMxBzrQMvj

This may do nothing but I thought it'd start it anyway to gauge interest.

A couple of points:-

1. you might want to link this in with the ongoing consultation process. That will give you a better chance of being heard.

2. "Thousands of players keep fit and socialise every night". Is that the case? I genuinely don't know, but if it is "hundreds", you would help your credibility by making that small change.

Good luck :aok:

[Smartie]

https://chng.it/DMxBzrQMvj

This may do nothing but I thought it'd start it anyway to gauge interest.

There's already been one started, I was sent the link earlier.

https://www.change.org/p/montagu-evans-save-the-corn-exchange

"Student housing" is quickly becoming the bane of my life.

I agree with those who say that the housing issue needs addressing but it appears that it can only be addressed these days by knocking down useful stuff and cramming in residences only available to students.

[lord bunberry]

I can see both sides on this. I love having the WoF for my boys and it’s a great facility. I also want us to build more houses for people to live in and every time someone proposes doing so, there are loads of complaints. Housing is getting far to expensive and Edinburgh is a massively growing city. We need a lot more of it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
It’s not houses though it’s student halls. They charge a fortune to the students and then increase that again for tourists during the summer and Christmas holidays. I agree we need more housing, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of local facilities.

[Ozyhibby]

It’s not houses though it’s student halls. They charge a fortune to the students and then increase that again for tourists during the summer and Christmas holidays. I agree we need more housing, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of local facilities.

Yes, but every 4/5 students in these purpose built flats frees up a lovely Marchmont flat for a family to move into.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SChibs]

A couple of points:-

1. you might want to link this in with the ongoing consultation process. That will give you a better chance of being heard.

2. "Thousands of players keep fit and socialise every night". Is that the case? I genuinely don't know, but if it is "hundreds", you would help your credibility by making that small change.

Good luck :aok:

Yeah i got my numbers jumbled as my friends and I were working out how much money they make a night from the pitches roughly. That number is well into the thousands (10 pitches x 4 hours x £60 average = £2400)

The other petition has more support so diverting my efforts to sharing that now anyway

[Peevemor]

Yes, but every 4/5 students in these purpose built flats frees up a lovely Marchmont buy-to-let flat for a family to advertise on Airbnb.


Fixed that for you.

[Santa Cruz]

Yes, but every 4/5 students in these purpose built flats frees up a lovely Marchmont flat for a family to move into.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Lovely family flats in Marchmont are far from affordable.

[Ozyhibby]

Fixed that for you.

Different problem but one that is being sorted soon anyway.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ozyhibby]

Lovely family flats in Marchmont are far from affordable.

Of course because they are great earners from students. Seriously though, increasing the supply of homes of whatever size, price point or tenure is good for bringing down prices. The more we build the better. We need to build big luxury homes, small student flats, two bed flats and everything else in between. And if government can get in on the act as well then so much the better.
Still think it will be a great shame to lose WoF though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[lord bunberry]

Of course because they are great earners from students. Seriously though, increasing the supply of homes of whatever size, price point or tenure is good for bringing down prices. The more we build the better. We need to build big luxury homes, small student flats, two bed flats and everything else in between. And if government can get in on the act as well then so much the better.
Still think it will be a great shame to lose WoF though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Under the current system the only thing that will make houses more affordable is an economic crash. Building companies will only build affordable homes when they’re forced to as a condition to building more profitable houses. Governments talk a good game, but what they’re doing is a drop in the ocean compared to what’s needed. We need to get to a point where local authority housing is seen as desirable and a decent alternative to buying your own home.
I wonder how many people would consider it a good thing if the house they were currently living in was a council house rather than a private let or mortgaged. I’ve got a mortgage but I’d quite happily have got a council house if it was in a decent area.

[Jones28]

Well we did qualify for an international tournament, so the football stuff can go on to the back burner for now.

[Ozyhibby]

Under the current system the only thing that will make houses more affordable is an economic crash. Building companies will only build affordable homes when they’re forced to as a condition to building more profitable houses. Governments talk a good game, but what they’re doing is a drop in the ocean compared to what’s needed. We need to get to a point where local authority housing is seen as desirable and a decent alternative to buying your own home.
I wonder how many people would consider it a good thing if the house they were currently living in was a council house rather than a private let or mortgaged. I’ve got a mortgage but I’d quite happily have got a council house if it was in a decent area.

Actually, by freeing up the planning system, houses could become much more affordable. The land cost for housing in the UK with planning permission makes up a huge percentage of the cost.
We need to make much more land available with pp.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[The Harp Awakes]

I think the outcome here will depend on the terms and amount of time left on the lease, as I would assume that the WoF will lease the land from the owner?

There was a similar proposal to kick out the Porty Power League to build housing, but it got canned because 1. Local residents and Power League customers went nuts and (2) No alternative, local land could be provided to re-site the Power League site - there was apparently ages left on the lease.

The proposal is piss poor and it sticks in the craw that London based, fat cat developers can tell us what to do with Scottish inner cities.

[CMurdoch]

Capitalism.
Human greed.
Enough is never enough.
Maximise revenue, maximise returns.
Money, money, money.
Nothing else matters.

[lord bunberry]

Actually, by freeing up the planning system, houses could become much more affordable. The land cost for housing in the UK with planning permission makes up a huge percentage of the cost.
We need to make much more land available with pp.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That’s why I said under the current system. I don’t see house prices becoming more affordable in my lifetime if I’m being honest.

[One Day Soon]

I think the outcome here will depend on the terms and amount of time left on the lease, as I would assume that the WoF will lease the land from the owner?

There was a similar proposal to kick out the Porty Power League to build housing, but it got canned because 1. Local residents and Power League customers went nuts and (2) No alternative, local land could be provided to re-site the Power League site - there was apparently ages left on the lease.

The proposal is piss poor and it sticks in the craw that London based, fat cat developers can tell us what to do with Scottish inner cities.


The only people who tell us what to do with Scottish inner cities are Scottish Councils, their planning departments and the locally elected councillors who sit on the planning committees - and occasionally the Scottish Government if a planning application goes to appeal.

In fact if you want to cite any fat cat developer capable of muscling the market on land, buildings and development in Edinburgh city centre you might want to put the University of Edinburgh pretty close to the top of the list.

[Ozyhibby]

The only people who tell us what to do with Scottish inner cities are Scottish Councils, their planning departments and the locally elected councillors who sit on the planning committees - and occasionally the Scottish Government if a planning application goes to appeal.

In fact if you want to cite any fat cat developer capable of muscling the market on land, buildings and development in Edinburgh city centre you might want to put the University of Edinburgh pretty close to the top of the list.

We agree on things.[emoji15][emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[One Day Soon]

Actually, by freeing up the planning system, houses could become much more affordable. The land cost for housing in the UK with planning permission makes up a huge percentage of the cost.
We need to make much more land available with pp.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Absolutely right but inevitably - particularly in Edinburgh's case - this almost always comes down to a contest between the need for development against the desire for preservation. And the 'keep everything as it was in the 1950s' brigade often wins with its particular brand of NIMBY-ism.

If we could get placemaking right and genuinely start to plan 50 years ahead we could keep green fingers of land coming right into the heart of the city, develop a shed load of land around Edinburgh, have genuinely sustainable and comprehensive transport links and make sure that the range of facilities people want to have near them are provided for. Pandemic is the chance of a giant reset on how we think about communities, work and lifecycles, unfortunately I think our political class at all levels is too unimaginative, too timid and too used to managing rather than leading.

[One Day Soon]

We agree on things.[emoji15][emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


The end times are upon us. Quick, build an Ark.

[Billy Whizz]

Are the Demarco’s having to sell it?

[One Day Soon]

Are the Demarco’s having to sell it?

Sold it already to O2 Academy or whatever they are called and they are planning to bring live gigs back to Edinburgh. That is great news, I'm looking forward to finally seeing rock bands play here again. I miss the days of the likes of Motorhead, Nazareth and Whitesnake at the old Odeon in Clerk Street. That was a perfect venue.

[Billy Whizz]

Sold it already to O2 Academy or whatever they are called and they are planning to bring live gigs back to Edinburgh. That is great news, I'm looking forward to finally seeing rock bands play here again. I miss the days of the likes of Motorhead, Nazareth and Whitesnake at the old Odeon in Clerk Street. That was a perfect venue.

Sorry I thought they only sold the conference centre to O2
What I meant is have they been told to sell for student accommodation, or are they selling it for profit

[One Day Soon]

Sorry I thought they only sold the conference centre to O2
What I meant is have they been told to sell for student accommodation, or are they selling it for profit

Oh, I've no idea about that I'm afraid.

[Santa Cruz]

Sold it already to O2 Academy or whatever they are called and they are planning to bring live gigs back to Edinburgh. That is great news, I'm looking forward to finally seeing rock bands play here again. I miss the days of the likes of Motorhead, Nazareth and Whitesnake at the old Odeon in Clerk Street. That was a perfect venue.

Is the Queens Hall not as good as the old Odean?

[Moulin Yarns]

Is the Queens Hall not as good as the old Odean?

900 capacity compared to just over 2,000.

[One Day Soon]

Is the Queens Hall not as good as the old Odean?

Nowhere near it unfortunately. The Odeon was larger, with a bigger stage and proper stage sets so it could host bigger bands and quite large audiences - over 2000 seated I think. Queen's Hall is 900 standing.

The Odeon has been closed and mothballed for around 20 years now which is quite incredible. At one stage - funnily enough - there was a proposal to build student flats on the back part of it.

[Santa Cruz]

Nowhere near it unfortunately. The Odeon was larger, with a bigger stage and proper stage sets so it could host bigger bands and quite large audiences - over 2000 seated I think. Queen's Hall is 900 standing.

The Odeon has been closed and mothballed for around 20 years now which is quite incredible. At one stage - funnily enough - there was a proposal to build student flats on the back part of it.

I only used it as a Cinema. Honestly never knew it held so many people. Yeah it's a waste of a lovely building.

[WoreTheGreen]

Is the Queens Hall not as good as the old Odean?

Not a patch l saw Thin Lizzy and I hate to say Garry Glitter both great and a couple of years ago Average White Band at the queens hall just not a great atmosphere

[Santa Cruz]

Not a patch l saw Thin Lizzy and I hate to say Garry Glitter both great and a couple of years ago Average White Band at the queens hall just not a great atmosphere

I've only been to watch a couple of shows in the Fringe, thought it was a great venue. I dare say acoustics and layouts are different in terms of atmosphere for concerts.