After the summer holiday in Perth and Singapore, I thought it would take a long while to get used to Chandler’s Ford life, but I have been able to recover quickly and adjust to the ordinary. My perception on many things changed slightly, more specifically how Chandler’s Ford can be improved.
Obviously I don’t hate it here. It’s a great place to live and conveniently located. While there may not be many mainstream shops, everything I need is nearby. If I want to watch a movie, I go to Eastleigh. Shopping? Southampton or Winchester. Chandler’s Ford is also just over an hour away from London, so I can go there in a day.
But those are just a small amount of positives about living in Chandler’s Ford. However, there are areas in which it could be improved. First of all –
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Deal with the Central Precinct
Chandler’s Ford has a great town centre in the form of the Fryern Arcade and the Mall. So what is the Central Precinct doing? It doesn’t appear to have any defining purpose. It used to be the town centre, but that’s now been taken by Fryern. Ok, a place can have multiple shopping areas, but the Precinct is a flat, grey ugly building, and it’s in the middle of Winchester Road, so it’s in plain view of everyone who passes there (and that’s a lot of people).
So what to do with it? Well, the first option is to tear the building down, turn the shops there into individual buildings like the ones on Leigh Road and turn the empty space into a local park. Or, redesign the building and turn it into a shopping centre with an open air market in the middle and have a multiple level shopping area. I’m not talking a place like the Swan Centre, but more like a place where local businesses can thrive. Of course I would like to see a geek shop in Chandler’s Ford, but a charity book shop would be good, so that I can buy books which are cheaper.
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Have a stronger community
Eastleigh has a huge sense of community with regular markets and events. I think Chandler’s Ford lacks consistent community events. Part of the problem is the lack of a true town centre. As mentioned above there is Fryern but other areas like Hiltingbury, and even my area on Hursley Road seems to have separate community centres.
The only real big community events in Chandler’s Ford are the Fryern Funtasia and the Hiltingbury Extravaganza, but I was disappointed that there was not a book stall in these events.
Even then, I don’t think there is enough there for people my age.
I’m at that awkward stage where both the kiddie stuff and the adult stuff don’t interest me, so I need more things to keep me satisfied.
My idea about a market in the precinct would support this idea, as long as the market has a stall with books for all ages in it. I’m talking comic books, fantasy/sci-fi books and more classic literature.
The numerous parks in Chandler’s Ford could be used to make the town much more sociable and interactive for people of all ages. I enjoyed the Hope Eastleigh 2015 event in Eastleigh town centre before the summer, where there was a variety of sports, food and stalls.
So those are the two major ways I think Chandler’s Ford can be changed for the better. Obviously I don’t expect this to be done overnight, but I hope at some point my ideas come into play in some form.
What’s your view about improving Chandler’s Ford? Please leave your comment.
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I agree entirely, that Chandler’s Ford has a very big problem with not having a true “Centre”, but with Velmore, Hiltingbury (x2), Central Precinct, Bournemouth Road, Hursley Road and the Fryern area all having a few shops / convenience stores etc, one is almost forced to use a car to manage a variety of shopping if trying to remain local!
Dave,
We have various hubs in Chandler’s Ford, and it seems that each has its own ‘personality’. Last year I went to Velmore for its Christmas market. It was my first visit, and I felt I actually knew very little about Velmore.
I just hope that people in each community could reach out more and find out what other people are doing, and join them. And, people need to share information and improve communication. I use this website as a way to help enhance the way we communicate – people send me posters and event details, and we write reviews and our local encounters.
Chandler’s Ford Parish Council also needs to improve its communication with the local people. It could start from improving its website, making it more relevant, informative, updated and user-friendly. Many churches have opened up their halls for events, and it is wonderful.
Chandler’s Ford is not small. People could get lost; new residents could feel trapped. We need to do more to help this community connect better.
Doesn’t freehold mean that you own the land on which the building stands? Two parties owning the same piece of land – that will make an interesting problem for a conveyancing solicitor to work out. Note to self: don’t buy a property in Central Precinct.
As an apprentice electrician I worked on the Central Precinct when it was built, as I also did on Fryern Arcade. The precinct is just so typical of its era but is now well past its best. When it was built it had a small supermarket filling most of the rear which drew people to the Precinct. I well remember the Farthing Grill there until about 1973.
The problem is though that the Precinct is in mutiple ownership. The flats were sold freehold on top of the shops which are in different ownership and are also freehold!!
We have hall that can be used for concerts, theatre, film, lectures and social events. There is no resident group of actors or musicians so events are irregular. Could a group of entrepreneurial teenagers set up a regular music night. Lots of them play guitars and other instruments.
It is said George Bush once claimed that the French do not have a word for ‘entrepreneur.’
We once had neighbours who used their house as a church and they started singing very early on a Sunday. In response we let a local pop group use our garage to practice in on Saturday nights.