How to Heal Rotherham

I will accept that Susanne (see comments on my last post) is light years ahead of me in her spiritual development and so will take her lead and now try to make some positive suggestions on how to regenerate Rotherham...

First I would see Meadowhall on the doorstep as a huge OPPORTUNITY not a threat.

Thousands of shoppers descend there, but it is a nightmare to get in and out of at busy times and full of the same boring chainstores you find everywhere. So, Rotherham, go with the credit crunch thrift - and make yourself the UK's Number 1 Destination Town for shopping outlets selling designer names at knock down prices. Line the main shopping strip with these cut-price outlets - shouldn't be hard to attract them with a few retailer incentives; there are lots of designer outlets based 'oop North.

Also, I noticed there are lots of poster hoardings around town for the online fashion retailer asos.com. So why not persuade asos to base their first and only UK flagship retail outlet at the heart of it! That of itself would create huge PR and footfall.

Now to address the question of local enterprise, turn the lovely old cobbled arcade into an emporium devoted to local crafts people, artists and independent retailers plus (nice!) cafes with outdoor seating with subsidised rents to attract and support local businesses. Those interesting and fascinating-to-browse shops you find in places like Tunbridge Wells and Winchester. Invite local bands/musicians to play in the arcade and fill the place with music, jugglers and street artists. Think Covent Garden.

Finally I would do something with the amazing river - if you've seen it, it is almost like a 45 degree waterfall. Is there a way to create a manmade white water rafting run to attract extreme sports specialists? Up here in the Peak District we attract thousands of them and Rotherham is not a million miles away. Then direct the energy of the local hoodies to creating the kind of businesses which would thrive with those kind of enthusiasts flooding in to town.

And of course make parking plentiful and free.

These are just a few Sunday-morning-in-the-bath ideas - and apologies Rotherham if you've already got the whole thing well in hand!