Page 25 - link magazine

Wide 25

Trust argues case for town centre uni
1) still there
Everybody agrees, a university is good for Swindon. but the question
ey Burden who has been on the staff from day one.
dividing people is, where should it go?
e bookings file. When courses Carrefourshopping trolleys through The University of Bath wants to
arted a year after Link opened it the centre and come on their Sun- build a campus between Coate
rk
Park and the Great
as madness trying to get all the day walks: but a rule had to be Water Country Pa and
formation whilst keeping delays made to prevent dog owners bring- Western Hospital and has the in- tt
r customers to a minimum." ing their pets in. There was a bit of centive of free land on offer. if
Shirley remembers the massive abuse from anti-social youth but it building companies can also build
sponse from Swindon people to wasn't too bad after security staff 1.800 homes and develop a busi-
;e Link Centre. "Thursday eve- were brought in. Nowadays, with ness park.
ngs were incredible with 300 peo- CCTV cameras in the building, Campaigners have gathered
e queuing down the mall for a security is very low key. 15.000 names on a petition object-
ness class and another 200 go- Link Centre is very successful ing to the proposal and a recent
g the other way to see a film in because of its openness. Nobody EveningAdvertisersurvey found
e arts suite (now the gym). In is excluded - you can take part in of people want the univer-
ose days Swindon's only cinema sport, or be a spectator. or watch sity located in the town centre.
as at the top of Regent Street. your child using the play area in the Now the Swindon Civic Trust
With all the fuss about smoking mall. It really offers so much to the has come up with a report which
The town centre anda university
public places nowadays, its easy whole community. gives details of how this can be go together. says Alan Hayward
forgetthe council banned smok- "I've got to know lots of the cus- achieved by redeveloping sites
g at Link Centre over 15 years tomers who have used the centre running from Regent Circus. along The University of Bath, which
jo. Reaction wasn't too bad as from day one and there's never a Princes Street. through Whale until recently refused to consider
nokers could still use the bar, but ti me when it's dull. I've seen my Bridge and Carfax to North Star. an alternative to Coate Water. has
was a bit odd when the World fortieth and my fiftieth birthday here Principal author Alan Hayward. invited the Civic Trust to explain its
nooker Championships spon- and I've never wanted to work any- from Sparcells, said it explains how report and the New Swindon Com-
)red by Embassy were held here where else." the proposal would not compro- pany said it will also be looking at
1 990. The sports hall was trans- mise the New Swindon Compa- the arguments for the town centre.
rmed into a television arena and ny's plans to introduce new shop- The University has already cam-
large betting booth was built in February competition extended ping, employment and housing into mitted itself to locating a depart-
e mall. People could smoke in How many people use the town centre and argues the ment of interdisciplinary and per-
ere and you could see all this Link Centre annually? employment, style and vitality that formance arts in the town centre if
poke pouring out the top. it was Hint, think big six figures. a university could bring would pro- the Coate project goes ahead.
!ally like a chimney. Send entries to The Link vide the impetus needed to make Call Alan Hayward for a printed
The mall was a public footpath magazine, address page 4. the regeneration of the town cen- copy of the report on 07765 411604
id people used to wheel their tre a success. www.swindoncivictrust.org.uk

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