Seagull control, swimming pools and market stalls: These are your suggestions to improve Sunderland city centre

As Sunderland has been chosen to progress to the Future High Streets Fund (FHSF) shortlist, we turned to you for some of your best ideas for how you would like to see the area improve.
Sunderland City Centre shopping on High Street West.Sunderland City Centre shopping on High Street West.
Sunderland City Centre shopping on High Street West.

What do the people of Sunderland want to see change? The Echo turned to its readers to find out what you think the money should be spent on, and which ways you think the city could be improved.

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You had all kinds of suggestions, from seagull control to swimming pools.

Here is what you said:

Robin Hunter: “Extend The Bridges to cover in the High Street, the Market Square and Blandford Street. The train station would then lead directly into the main shopping mall while Park Lane would be very close to a main entrance. The Metro Centre works because it is enclosed, dry, warm and safe so do the same with the whole town centre.”

Christopher Welsh: “Seagull control (the paths are covered in guano, they harass anyone eating, [it] makes any town visit unpleasant) and definitely a leisure pool.”

Gary Thompson: “ How about covering Herrington Country Park – get some tentage up – it's a disaster up there when it rains and it gets used a lot.”

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Maureen Tate: “A leisure centre swimming pool, more clothes shops, more toilets, more small shops, an outdoor market once a week, more seating around the city and Seaburn could do with a fair swimming pool for kids indoors or out and a much better train station.”

Michael Mountain: “Condense shops more. Close further out shops and bring them closer together. Add more city living and then night restaurants and cafes will take off. Add small shopping centres (shops with loads of different stalls in), market stalls up and down pedestrianised areas to link places.”

Anne Coyne: “New shop frontages and lampposts. Go and look at some other beautiful places for ideas. Access and landscaping of the riverside.”

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