Jane Robinson from Cross Gates and District Good Neighbours’ Scheme CIO investigates the seating choices in her local area...
Following on from Phil Kirby’s article last month on the availability of benches around the city centre, we now turn to the east Leeds suburb of Crossgates. I have to admit to having a vested interest in this subject – as a member of staff at Cross Gates and District Good Neighbours’ Scheme CIO – the Neighbourhood Network for older people in Crossgates, our members regularly comment about the lack of available seating in the area. So on a freezing cold, misty December morning let’s see what seating is available…
Directly opposite the Cross Gates Scheme, across the dual carriageway is the Crossgates Shopping Centre. Outside the centre we have one delightful looking well-worn wooden bench.
As we enter the Crossgates Shopping Centre things are definitely looking up – seating is available – perhaps not particularly inspiring in its design but fairly numerous within the enclosed shopping centre. Seating in four distinct areas was being well used with most of the benches being sat upon mid-morning on a Tuesday.
However, it’s when we leave the warmth of the shopping centre that the seating situation takes a dramatic downturn… There are two main shopping streets in Crossgates – Austhorpe Road and the A6120 dual carriageway also known as Station Road.
Both roads have plenty of shops but only one single bench despite lots of room on the pavement outside several of the shops where seating could be easily accommodated. Here’s the completely public seating-free Austhorpe Road. Not one single bench to be seen anywhere.
And round the corner on Station Road, just the original solitary bench near the pedestrian crossing mentioned at the top of the article.
So where is all the seating? Walking along both roads without any opportunity to sit down until you reach the entrance of the shopping centre must prove an impossibility for many. Admittedly there is a selection of cafes where you could pay for a beverage and rest your weary feet but if you want to sit down for free you need to get inside the shopping centre? When the shopping centre closes at 6pm (or 4pm on Sunday) there is one bench available? Of course this doesn’t just affect older people but parents with small children, people with limited mobility or anyone who simply wants a rest to look around them.
In Crossgates it’s not about the variety or style of seating but just about having any seating at all for the public to use for free when they need to sit-down.