September 2003
Mansfield: Slag heap or shopping heaven | |
|  | | Apparently, the fat slags - created by Nottingham born Graham Dury - originally came from Mansfield |
| | Mansfield District Council has reacted angrily to the town being tarnished as the worst in the country. Is it the pits? Let us know. |
| | | Mansfield District Council has lashed out at a magazine and website that has named the town as one of the worst in the country.
To counter claims on Idler magazine's website the council has come up with ten reasons why Mansfield is great.
Did you know that... Mansfield is rated above Covent Garden as a shopping centre.
Did you know that... the historic centre of Sherwood Forest is in Mansfield.
Did you know that... Mansfield Railway Station was awarded a prestigious "railway oscar" in 2002!
The reaction comes after a tirade of derogatory remarks were posted on the Idler website - which the magazine claims has put the town in pole position for the title of worst town in the UK.
We'll let you judge for yourself whether Mansfield is as bad as some visitors to the town think:
Comments posted on the Idler website:
"I spent three hours in Mansfield. I still have nightmares about this truly gruesome place."
"If you get out of its admittedly depressing concrete centre, it gets far, far worse..."
"It was probably not too bad once, the countryside around it is OK, but the town is dominated, mentally and physically, by the enormous slag heaps left by the coal mining."
Mansfield is great because...
Words by Mansfield District Council | | 1. Mansfield is an historic market town and has one of the largest open-air markets in the U.K, dating to 1227 when a Charter was granted by King Henry III. | | 2. The historic centre of Sherwood Forest is in West Gate, Mansfield. | | 3. Mansfield was selected as the only place in Nottinghamshire and one of only three places in the East Midlands to receive the Queen's Jubilee Baton in 2002 as part of the build up to the Commonwealth Games and Jubilee celebrations. | | 4. Around £60million has been invested in the Titchfield area of Mansfield in the last three years alone - including two new retail parks, the redeveloped football stadium, revamped Titchfield Park and new leisure facilities. | | 5. Carr Bank Park in Mansfield holds the prestigious 'green flag' mark and is rated amongst the best urban parks in the country. | | 6. Water Meadows Swimming Complex is the best wet leisure facility of its type in Nottinghamshire and one of the top facilities in the East Midlands. | | 7. Mansfield is the only place in the East Midlands to have a directly-elected Mayor - giving local people the chance to pick the person they want to lead their town. Mansfield's first Executive Mayor is Tony Egginton. | | 8. Mansfield is home to the world-famous Cantamus Choir. | | 9. Mansfield Town Centre is rated in the top 100 shopping destinations in the U.K - one place above London's renowned Covent Garden. It has a thriving day and night-time economy with a catchment area of around 350,000 people. | | 10. Mansfield Railway Station was awarded a prestigious "railway oscar" in 2002 by The Princess Royal at the Railway Heritage Trust awards. In winning the "best Railway Heritage scheme award" Mansfield beat big city stations Piccadilly in Manchester and Temple Arch in Bristol. |
It is worth pointing out that there are 175 towns listed as being rubbish. Nottingham is not one of these.
Do you think Mansfield stinks? Let us know
Mansfield - What you think...
Do you think Mansfield stinks? Let us know | Mansfield exists in a vacuum left by pit closures and industrial decline, yet its population are remarkably resilient, proud and friendly.
Nottingham people fail to appreciate that north Notts is culturally different, but not inferior to the city.
Decades of snobbish half-truths from outsiders have given the town a bad name. The implication is that Mansfield is more violent, unruly and uncultured.
Before knocking my home town, detractors should take a good look around them. As the old saying goes; 'people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones'.
Paul Fillingham | Mansfield does have its history yes, although they are all good points, we are actually talking about it today!
As towns go it is a pretty good town, but lately some nightclubs have closed making the nightlife not as good as it once was, and I do not believe it is shopping heaven either.
Mansfield does not have a great deal of shops especially trendy designer shops. The age of the town centre shows in every direction also, it does need a makeover. A fine example of this is Mansfield bus station!!!
Mansfield generally needs a good facelift and it will be good again.
The train station got its award yes, but only because it was recently renovated my guess is.
The robin hood line we have is good if you want to travel in the day time but how about if you want to stay out late in nottingham itself?, you have to catch the last train at 9:30pm and the rainbow bus service that does run later, goes everywhere and takes forever to get you home.
As for good points about Mansfield, all I can say is that the four seasons shopping centre is kept to a clean standard, but I can't say that for the town centre itself littered with rubbish.
Mouse Ball | I work in Mansfield and I think it is a beautiful town, which is filled with un-educated youths, 15 year old mothers and lazy people claiming benefits.
Mark Byatt | I HAVE LIVED IN MANSFIELD ALL MY LIFE AND HAVE SEEN MANY CHANGES. ITS NOT AS BAD AS SOME TOWNS AND OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS THINGS ARE IMPROVING.
THE NIGHTLIFE IS VERY GOOD AND NOT AS DANGEROUS AS PEOPLE MAKE OUT.
THE MARKET WAS ONCE A THRIVING PLACE AND I MUST SAY IS NOW DYING OUT.
I SOMETIMES THINK THE CARPARK PRICES ARE OUTRAGOUS AND PLACES TO PARK ARE VERY FEW AND FAR BETWEEN BUT OVERALL I THINK IT IS A FRIENDLY PLACE.
MRS ADAMS AGED 38 XX | | Do you think Mansfield stinks? Let us know |
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