This is my hometown. Honestly, it used to never be this bad. Growing up here, every single shop would be open, and the streets would be packed. The council started raising shop rent around 10 years ago, and that's when the decline started to happen. The council assumed that building a new retail park would get business booming again, but instead, it totally crashed it. Now only some large chains can survive, whilst independent stores have gone out of business. It's up to the council to sort out the ridiculous rent and get the shops full again. I assume that's what they're attempting to do as they've refurbished the town centre, and they plan on opening a market there. I'm glad I moved away, but it still hurts to see my home looking like that.

Such a sad shadow of it's former glory. Stafford was a beautiful and lively town when I moved here 30 year ago. Some poor planning decisions have done a lot of damage, but it can only improve.

Just like most high streets most of shops closing down as well as pubs not just stafford that run down most town centres are run down to it my home town

I moved to Stafford 25 years ago and loved that I had escaped from Walsall. Tonight, I finally have to admit that it has descended into a heap of shit. M6 disabled daughter was left to wander the street whilst I desperately tried to find a way to get to her in the car. Major roads closed with no advance notice, no alternatives given, people trapped behind walls of bollards, council staff indifferent to the problems this creates, the police station closed when you need action. Somebody remind me what our council tax is supposed to pay for? Any suggestions for a decent town to move to?

i live here its great if you like closed shops , best Turkish barbers , vape shops , and car washes , and foreign food shops , all cash only , with little or no trade , ODD TO SAY THE LEAST , o and all the roads are closed to , its a third world now

Is it cleaner than Stoke on Trent Hanley

You missed the excellent park, with the River Sow running through it. It is a shame that the town centre seemed DEAD, Still it was Sunday morning.

I visited The Ancient High House (that very old house in the town) the day before you did this video. It is a pretty decent museum and is worth a visit.

This was very useful to watch. I'm contemplating on buying a house here and finding somewhere to call home. From what I've seen, Stafford is a beautiful town. As you've pointed out, it's very clean which is good to see. I don't think much can be done about the empty shops as pretty much all high street shops across the country suffer from high rents, online shopping, retail parks.

I was hoping to get a glimpse of supermarkets where the people now go? Can you make a video showing them?

15:36 the old library has been closed for a long time now and mostly left to rot. Such a waste of a lovely building.

So sad to see Stafford like this when I was a young un all these shops would be open!!

I have to say, not that it is much of a revelation, that the fashion for Retail Parks has been the knife in the heart of many of our towns and cities. Without commerce there is no 'life' in a place and the rot sets in quickly - Hanley is the prime local example of that.

You could have mentioned the weather vane on St Mary's Church which has a hole in it. Charles II (I think) was staying at the High House and was so bored he decided to try out his new pistols. Tempting to say Stafford hasn't changed.

Lived here for a couple of years in the mid 80's and it was a great place.

Almost caught up my friend

The big library may be shut. The actual library that is open is in the town centre off one of the side streets. It's tiny in comparison to the building that you filmed.

The boarded up large store on the left, was either BHS or M&S

Quite a few shops shut down because of the covid restrictions.

pedestrianised wasteland

2:35 the old Woolworths which then became Sports Direct, and moved to the new development on the south side of town. another one that moved to the new development. 3:20 M&S has also moved to the new bit.

My home town ,,

It's not the town hall it's the old library. They built a new one around the corner. Such a shame most towns are going this way. 😞

Stafford has nothing for the young, apart from clothes shops, and nothing for older adults with no clothes shops for adults . Apart from supermarket clothes. The whole town is dull, dirty and nowhere to go. Can't even find any decent sports or fitness activities for seniors ( who are still young I'm mind.) Learning new skills and hobbies these courses are miles away . We have to go out of town. I am shopping in Cannock, Stoke, taking the train to other better towns because there is nothing here. And to find people I know well are moving out of Stafford which I don't blame them . Every where you look it's disgusting, an absolute dirty place. Overgrown grass as high as 3 to 4ft and weeds . I can't remember when I last saw a street cleaner around the town. Has to be a few years now. This town has been dead and boring for years and wherever you walk through the High Street and surrounding area is an empty building . Boarded up windows or smashed glass. I myself would like to leave this grey town. Its seems I've to wait a while because of family. Persevere...

Only 3 days ago there was an incident with a gun behind the Couture nightclub.

Not filming the park? And the swans, ducks etc?

Will you do Burnley? Theres a borough called Stoneyholme its in the Top5%MostDeprivedBoroughs in England

I grew up in Stafford in the 1950s/60s. This is very depressing. Clearly so called ‘development’ does not mean better or is it my rose tinted specs?

M&S, Argos no longer there

You missed so much. You should have done some homework. You walked past the haunted Ancient High House. St Mary's & St Chad's both date back to the 1100s. There is a beautiful park with swans and a conservatory You did not do this County town justice at all..