Reform in Sheffield: “Wading through concrete” or revolutionising local politics?
Marching up her driveway, leaflet in hand, a Sheffield woman became an unlikely internet sensation last week after footage from her Ring doorbell camera was shared online.
The focus of her fury was Matt Smith, vice chair of Reform UK Sheffield West, who had been canvassing in the area when the woman confronted him. Social media users were quick to herald her as a “legend”, while others lambasted the woman for still being in her dressing gown at 2 o’clock in the afternoon. But beyond the noise, the exchange appeared to reflect a wider tension within local politics, prompting observers to question whether, in challenging Mr Smith, the woman spoke for the rest of Sheffield, or not.
So just how popular is Reform with Sheffield residents?
Last year saw Sheffield appoint its first, and only, Reform councillor John Booker, after a snap election was called in Stocksbridge and Upper Don. Cllr Booker may have clinched the win by just 192 votes, but his success was viewed by many as a mere sign of things to come.
Buoyed by its victory in the north of the city, Reform will be targeting wards across Sheffield ahead of the City Council election in May. Laura Moynahan, Labour councillor for Manor Castle, worries that, as residents continue to grapple with a cost-of-living crisis, many of them are simply looking for someone to blame. “I think Reform is a real risk, we shouldn’t underestimate the threat they pose,” she says. “I’ve actually had people say about us building new houses in Manor: ‘Oh, you’re building those for the boat people.'"
Further east, Woodhouse is another area where a shift towards the far-right does not feel implausible. At the Sheffield City Council election in 2024, Reform candidate Andrew Hizzard lost out to the Liberal Democrats by just 10 votes - and a trip into Market Square suggests that a win for Reform is not out of the question.
Dave Franklin, a long-time resident of the area, reflects: “Woodhouse has been under a Labour council for years and it has just degenerated, it’s getting worse and worse. I’ve been listening to Reform more than anything.” Mr Franklin’s dissatisfaction, fuelled by fears around the recent influx in immigration, was shared by numerous other locals, including one Mervyn Greaves. “I’ll be honest with you: I like Nigel Farage,” says Mr Greaves. “Asylum is a fantastic thing, but it’s for people who do really need it.”
Other residents, however, appeared much more reticent to express their full-throated support for Reform. While Joanne Smith agreed that Labour had let the area down, she appeared unsure of the party’s central message. “I don’t really know what Reform’s policies are,” she says. “They just make a big thing about immigration and I don’t have any thoughts on it.” Richard Taylor, who has lived in Woodhouse for well over a decade, was quick to echo Ms Smith’s confusion. “All Reform keeps saying is ‘Deportation!’,” he says. “But they’re not saying what they’re going to do about education, housing, or potholes.”
A party plagued by controversy
Reform Sheffield East has been at the centre of significant controversy in recent months, after concerns regarding its candidate selection process led to four members being permanently expelled from the party. A report published by YorkshireLive in January of this year featured allegations that, when asked to role-play a gay couple attending a councillor’s surgery, one man kissed the head of a potential candidate. This is a claim that those expelled members have vehemently denied.
Among them was former chair of the branch Mark Harrop, who remains adamant that Reform failed to follow the proper disciplinary process. “We’ve been denied natural justice,” says Mr Harrop. “We don’t know the evidence that was presented, we’ve never seen it.”
More recently, Mr Hizzard, the previous Reform candidate for Woodhouse, announced that he had not been nominated to represent the party at the election in May. In a post published to Facebook last week, Mr Hizzard claimed that he had been “wronged by the party from a great height.” He complained of infighting within Reform and maintained that, in expelling its members, the Sheffield East branch had “thrown a whole year’s work down the drain.”
A spokesperson for Reform UK told YorkshireLive that, while the party does not comment on internal matters, it had followed the disciplinary process “to a tee”.
How might recent events affect Reform’s chances in May?
Mr Harrop was keen to reiterate that, while canvassing in Sheffield last year, both him and his colleagues received “mass support” from local residents. But, with Reform Sheffield East having come to blows so publicly, is it possible that the party could be losing its momentum?
Cllr Moynahan explains: “It’s a bit confusing because we don’t know who our Reform candidate in Manor Castle is. It seems to me that they’re all falling over one another about who can be more right-wing.” Mr Harrop, now a member of Restore Britain - the party set up by Rupert Lowe - is concerned that recent events will have a significant impact on voters’ confidence in Reform. “I think Reform has lost traction, they’re wading through concrete,” he says. “Within six months to a year, I think it’s going to start to go backwards.”
Speaking to residents in Woodhouse, it appears that Mr Harrop’s concerns are not unfounded. When asked about reports of infighting within the Reform party, Joanne Smith responds: “If they’re doing this now, how are they going to run the country?”
Despite various attempts to get in contact, Reform UK did not respond to Sheffield Wire's request for comment.
Sheffield litter pickers take on fly-tipping
A team of litter pickers have made a Sheffield neighbourhood "a nice place to live", amid national rises in fly-tipping.
Fly-tipping incidents dealt with by local authorities in England have increased by 9% from 2024 to 2025, according to national statistics from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, published last week.
There were 1.26 million incidents in England from April 2024 to March 2025, 62% of these involved household waste.
Yet Blackstock Open Space, an ancient woodland in Gleadless Valley, has improved dramatically thanks to the work of Iren Wadsworth, 57, and others clearing litter from the area.
After seeing waste strewn in the woods while volunteering with Gleadless Valley Wildlife Trust in 2017, Iren started a litter picking group, just six months after moving to the area.
In the first few years she put a lot of time into advertising and getting corporate parties involved, and these groups would be able to remove four or five tonnes of waste at a time.
She said: “It was a lot of work, but I needed to do that to achieve what I wanted to achieve.”
At the beginning of 2024, Iren had gone over all the woods and brooks in the local area.
Rob Last, 64, lives locally and joined the local litter picking groups in lockdown. He said: “This whole place used to be covered in litter when we first started. We used to get round about 5000 bags of litter, it's now down to about 2000 a year.
“It's got a lot better and people are dropping a lot less stuff now.”
Iren said: “The woods were so depressingly bad that people said they didn't want to go there, it's not a pleasant experience. When we’ve cleared the sections round their houses they say thank you so much, now I feel comfortable and like it's a nice place to live. So that's what we’ve achieved."
“We’ve done the major work now. There's nowhere we've completely done because you don't know what's still underneath, but it's a lot better.”
In years of cleaning up other people’s litter, Iren still doesn’t understand why people fly-tip.
She said: “Criminal youth gangs will steal cars and joyride them and set them alight in the woods and that's their thrill.
“If people want to get rid of stuff, the woods are right by the houses, so they chuck it in the woods. Humans are lazy, they'll just do the quickest easiest thing. That's our nature."
She told Sheffield Wire that littering isn’t always intentional, as sometimes bins fall over, or maintenance teams don’t have the staff to clear heavily littered grassy spaces before mowing.
Rob also litter picks twice a week with Iren and Kev Walters, 54.
Rob said: “I haven't the foggiest idea why they do it. There's lots of mysteries. On the way here, I found a set of kitchenware, two boxing gloves, a shower curtain, it's all just totally random. What they’re doing there or how they came to be there, we have no idea what goes on at night in this valley.
“We don't hate these people, they have difficult lives. We work with the people here because we live here and we’re here all the time.
“Loads of people think you can come in and engage with the community but you can't. You just have to be here all the time because people won't trust you otherwise.”
Thanks to Iren, litter pickers, bags and gloves are now available in Sheffield libraries for free.
Doncaster Rovers fans encouraged to “get excited about it”, with a Wembley visit in their sights
A mouth-watering semi-final against Stockport County in the Vertu Trophy awaits the Rovers fans on Tuesday evening, with the reward of a Wembley final within touching distance.
Doncaster will be searching to regain their confidence after a 4-0 defeat to League One leaders Cardiff City on Saturday.
Assistant manager, Cliff Byrne, said: "We're disappointed with the result, the outcome of the game and elements of the performance which we'll look to put right as we go forward."
Grant McCann's Doncaster team are looking to make it to their first Wembley Stadium trip since the League One play-off final against Leeds United in 2008, where they were promoted to the Championship.
Speaking on fan excitement, Byrne said: "We'd encourage the fans to get excited about it and get right behind us on the night.
"Come out in your numbers because the support really does count, it really does make a difference in these cup games as we've seen in the previous rounds."
On the challenge the opponents will provide at the Eco-Power Stadium, Byrne said: "They have good depth to their squad."
In both league clashes between the two sides this season, Stockport have emerged victorious on both occasions, with Rovers' looking to upset the League One play-off challengers.
A penalty shootout victory over Huddersfield Town in the last round secured their semi-final status, as Rovers try to win the competition for a second time, following their success in the 2006-07 season.
The Vertu Trophy consists of 48 League One and League Two sides, alongside 16 Category One Academy teams, presenting a valuable opportunity for lower league teams to win silverware.
Luton Town or Northampton Town compete in the other semi-final tie on Wednesday.
The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Football.
Image courtesy of Doncaster Rovers.
Upcoming World Book Day: a “complete shock” for Sheffield parents
A magical day for a child but an extra expense for their parents. World Book Day is coming up, but this time it will be echoed by a worsening financial crisis.
The annual event this year will be held March 5 in every school around the country, to encourage children to read and be more interested in literature, all while they are dressed up as their favourite book characters.
But this day can put a strain and pressure on families, especially ones with multiple children.
To combat this, Sheffield is offering alternatives to buying a brand new costume. Many charity shops around the city, such as Marie Curie, are selling second hand costumes all year round, and schools are also coming together to offer parents cheaper and eco-friendly alternatives.
Will Oliphant is a dad-of-two, with one child in nursery school and another in primary.
He said his children always take part in world of book day, with past costumes ranging from the Gruffalo, to the golden ticket from Charlie and the chocolate factory. They usually buy new costumes or make them, but often his younger child wears his eldest's costume.
But this year their school is running a second hand costume sale for the first time, and the Oliphants are planning on attending. He said: “The aim is that you buy a second hand costume and that money goes to the school and it’s less waste in general.”
Michelle Rawlins' daughter Tilly, aged 10, goes to a different school that is running a clothes swap where parents can bring in old costumes and then other parents or the same parents can go and swap.
This year Tilly has decided to wear the same costume from last year to dress up as her favourite book character Hermione Granger.
Mrs Rawlins said: "It helps parents financially and stops this waste of clothing that might only be worn once, and it means children can share.”
Becky Vaughan has described World Book Day as a "complete shock", with two daughters in primary school, aged five and seven. While her eldest has settled on Grace from city of dragons after many ideas, her youngest has set her heart on a character from K-Pop Demon Hunters.
She said: "I feel like it comes as a complete shock every year. We all know it's the first week of March but it comes around so quickly and it's like "oh God it's world of book day this week, what are we doing?""
To help out parents, the school also gives children the option to come in their pyjamas and bring along their favourite book.
"It's quite a lot of pressure on parents. It can put a lot of strain, it's quite expensive sometimes as well."
Sheffield residents comment on social media ban as consultation period announced
The UK Government has announced a three month consultation period for potential restrictions on social media, AI chatbots, and gaming sites for under-16s.
The consultation will engage with questions around age verification and curfews for social media sites, as well as whether addictive features such as infinite scrolling and auto play should be turned off to help with sleep.
Bridget Phillipson, Education Secretary, said: “Every child deserves a childhood – real experiences, real friendships, real opportunities.
“We are determined to make that a reality, both inside and outside the classroom.”
Several Sheffield schools, like High Storrs and Silverdale, operate no-phone policies, not allowing students to use their phones inside school hours.
High Storrs had previously operated 'no phone zones' for Sixth Form students but moved to a complete ban in 2024, after reflecting on advice provided by the Smartphone Free Childhood movement.
Last month, Ruth Fitzell, a representative from the Smartphone Free Childhood movement, presented Sheffield City Council with a petition showing concern with the level of smartphone use amongst teenagers at a children and families policy committee meeting.
Several councillors supported the proposal to form a group to explore the issue.
As part of the Government’s efforts to support parents, a website has been launched offering online safety advice.
One Sheffield resident said: "There is things you're exposed to that you really shouldn't be"
However, she added that social media use could become "more secretive and that could pose more risk for them".
Another said: "I see a lot of people who seem to be trapped in that phone world."
Last month, Conservative Leader, Kemi Badenoch said that the Conservative Party would support a ban on social media for under-16s.
The consultation period will last until 26 March 2026 and will try to engage with a range of people, including parents, carers, young people, teachers, and academics.
Image Credit: verkeorg, Flickr
Chuckle Brother to travel the length of Great Britain in effort to raise money for Marie Curie
Paul Chuckle is set to start his From Me To You Tour to raise money for Marie Curie.
Chuckle, who hails from Rotherham, will travel over 800 miles from John O'Groats to Land's End on the Marie Curie 'Daff Bike' from March 3 to 11. He hopes to raise up to £40,000.
2026 marks the 40th anniversary of the charity's Great Daffodil Appeal which raises funds to care for people with terminal illness.
Paul Chuckle, the stage moniker of Paul Elliot, is urging people to meet him along his route and give what they can. He said: "If you see a bucket, pop something in.
"Whilst I'd love to be able to cycle the iconic John O'Groats to Land's End route like so many incredible fundraisers do, I'm really excited to get to travel the route with the 'Daff bike', meet lots of people, have some fun and say a huge thank you – from me to you!"
The charity helped Paul and his family toward the end of Barry Chuckle's battle with bone cancer in 2018.
He said: "There truly is only one chance to give someone the best possible end of life. That’s why the Great Daffodil Appeal is so important. Every penny raised will help Marie Curie provide expert end of life care and support to people with a terminal illness and those close to them."
Paul will be stopping:
Glasgow: Wednesday 4th March
Glasgow Fort Shopping Centre, 12-2pm
Bradford: Thursday 5th March
Morrisons Enterprise 5 Store, 12-2pm
Birmingham: Friday 6th March
Victoria Square, 12-2pm
Penarth: Saturday 7th March
Marie Curie charity shop, 12-2pm
Exeter: Monday 9th March
Morrisons Prince Charles Road, 2:30-4:30pm
Plymouth: Tuesday 10th March
Plymouth Argyle F.C, 12-2pm
Paul hopes to see as many fans as possible on his tour. He said: "Marie Curie and I are grateful for every penny you’re able to donate."
You can donate via the Marie Curie Website.
First dedicated dementia research nurse will bridge gap for communities marginalised from trials
One of 20 designated dementia research nurses across the UK has been brought into Sheffield, in an effort to boost accessibility to dementia trials.
A £3 million investment from the Alzheimer's Society has funded Jo Howe's new position in the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation trust making the site one of the UK's first to have this sole dedication to dementia research.
Mrs Howe, said: “I am honoured to be part of the first UK-wide network of dementia research nurses. My main aim is to promote dementia research to both staff and the public and make it easier for people to get involved. "
According to Alzheimer's Research UK dementia is the nations biggest killer and yet less than 1% of people diagnosed with dementia were recruited to early-stage research trials and 95% of those that have are from a diverse background, with 95% being of White British/European origin.
Laura Rooney, Lead research Nurse at Alzheimer's Society, said: "Research will beat dementia, the UK’s biggest killer.
We know people living with dementia are keen to take part in research and find it incredibly rewarding, but so few are offered the opportunity."
One of the specific goals of the Alzheimer's Society's UKDTN Research Nurses programme is to tackle barriers which prevent people taking part in clinical trials; focusing on bringing people from a range of backgrounds into dementia research.
Sheffield Memory Hub is an organisation working to support Sheffield locals primarily of African and African Caribbean descent suffering from dementia by using culturally appropriate cognitive simulation activities.
Carl Case, Sheffield Memory Hub's Co-ordinator, said: "Researchers and organisations need to ask themselves why groups are underrepresented, how they are getting out to them, who they are using, how can they better engage groups and remove barriers?"
He went on to say that for those in the community frequently engaging in trials and research, there is a developing cynicism in being over researched without feedback, impact and implementation shared.
An important factor in building trust, and confidence in the research process
Mrs Howe's new role is an important step in the currently lagging dementia research and The Sheffield Memory Hub will also be taking part in piloting the Admiral Nurses' new face to face support sessions in April.
Sheffield charity looks to future after emergency fund appeal target exceeded
A Sheffield-based domestic abuse charity has surpassed their goal for their emergency fund appeal but warns they must move beyond "emergency fundraising to long-term stability" to ensure it can continue to be a thriving lifeline for women.
Mums In Need is a Sheffield-based charity which supports women and children facing emotional, legal and financial abuse following coercively controlling relationships and post-separation abuse. This includes one to one counselling, financial advice and personal wellbeing sessions.
The organisation was plunged into a funding crisis earlier this year and was forced to launch an emergency fund appeal on Just Giving to raise £12,500 by Monday 2 March to keep critical services operating. The charity had warned supporters that if they did not reach their total then they may be forced to reduce or close their services.
Currently, 70 families are reliant on Mums In Need's specialist support. The charity was forced to close their waiting list for new referrals because of the funding shortfall.
The emergency fundraiser has reached a total of £15,660 at the time of publication, exceeding their original target.
Laura Riley, founder and CEO of Mums in Need praised the generosity of donors in their support for local women and children, thanking them for standing by the charity when it needed them the most.
She said: "I am incredibly relieved, and deeply moved, to share that thanks to your generosity, we didn’t just meet that target… we surpassed it. Your support has been a literal lifeline.
"Your ongoing support becomes the safety net that keeps our services strong and families protected."
Ms Riley said that consistent income streams are necessary for Mums In Need to have a viable, long-term future.
She added: "While this immediate crisis has passed, we are not yet out of the woods. To ensure we never face this kind of uncertainty again, we need to move from emergency fundraising to long-term stability.
"Regular, predictable income allows us to plan ahead and protect our services. It ensures that no family ever loses access to the support they depend on."
You can donate to Mums In Need's fund appeal by clicking on the link below: SaveMIN: Emergency Fund Appeal for Critical Services - JustGiving
Link to Mums In Need website: Support & Info
Wednesday fans’ doubts grow as long wait for new owner goes on
The drama surrounding Sheffield Wednesday's ownership has continued, with the club's preferred bidder dropping out of the battle for ownership
A consortium, led by Dunfermline co-owner James Bord withdrew their interest, as they concluded their valuation of the club was significantly less than their bid of £47.8m. Despite the withdrawal, a number of bidders still remain interested, including former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley and American businessman David Storch.
Ashley was formerly CEO of Sports Direct and owned Newcastle United between 2007 and 2021, initially popular, Ashley's time at Newcastle ended in disgrace, trying to sell the club on multiple occasions, renaming the their stadium to 'Sportsdirect.com @ St James' Park Stadium' and suffering two relegations. The club was sold to a consortium for £300m in October 2021.
Despite this stint, Ashley has made his interest in Wednesday clear, with his representatives set to meet with the club this Thursday. Ashley's bid is thought to be lower than other's in competition for the club.
Wednesday fans seem split on the potential of Ashley as owner, one fan wrote that if Ashley can ensure no points deduction for Wednesday next season, "He's already the best owner we've had in a decade." Others made more cautious statements.
Other fans are keen on the interest from David Storch, the founder of investment firm Arise Capital Partners. When questioned by the BBC on why he held interest in the club he said : ""When we went to the Wednesday game on 5 November (against Norwich), I just couldn't believe the atmosphere, the energy, the singing, the fan engagement.
"We have a blueprint for proper governance, fan engagement, financial stability, sustainability and football strategy."
Storch is adamant the club will not accept any points deduction in League One, as he aims to guide the team back towards security. His strong promises have won over some fans. One Facebook user said: "I like what Storch has had to say about plans for infrastructure, engaging with the fans, etc but I also like that he's quite clear on being sensible with the purchase price."
The club have announced: "We have set a clear deadline for new indicative offers and will move forward without unnecessary delay."
They said: "We understand this news will be disappointing.
"However, the Club is funded for the remainder of the season, interest in acquiring Sheffield Wednesday remains active, and the sales process continues."
Sheffield bars celebrated annual cocktail festival
Bars across Sheffield have come together under one roof to host their annual cocktail festival.
Last Saturday, over 20 bars and brands served their most popular drinks at The Steamworks venue. Alongside live music and food trucks, the festival allowed people to experience their favourite bars in one place.
The festival also offered other entertainment outlets, such as a 360 video booth and small business vendors to purchase from.
Speaking to bartenders at Kuckoo in the city centre, the festival is important in highlighting Sheffield's hospitality sector. They stated: "It is a really great opportunity for Sheffield to showcase what it has to offer.
"We can talk about what makes us unique and what we have to offer as a business."
Dead Donkey Bar, located in Southwest Sheffield, also celebrated the city's hospitality. Bartender, Doug, said: "The fact that you can walk in and see how many businesses are here makes you realise how much of a diverse scene Sheffield has compared to other northern cities." He also praised how friendly the community is.
The premise of the festival is to celebrate what Sheffield has to offer. Danielle Hill, the organiser of the festival, said: "I wanted to create something that gives people the feeling of walking around Sheffield on its best night, but all under one roof. It’s a way of championing the people behind the bars as much as the drinks themselves."
Miss Hill highlighted that this was a significant time to host the event as it gives the city something to look forward to, and gives businesses a boost after the tough winter months.
While it is pivotal in raising the profile of individual businesses, it also brings the community together. Miss Hill stated: "It builds brand partnerships, gives teams something to be part of, and creates content and momentum they can use long after the day is over."
As well as the bars, Weston Park Cancer Charity also attended. The charity was selected by the festival, hoping to raise funds for the charity's efforts to continue giving free advice and help to those living with cancer.
The charity had a raffle, with all prizes having been donated by the bars that attended. Last year, the charity managed to raise £2,000.
The bars were also under friendly competition, with judges giving prizes to: best bartender, best dressed bar stand and best bar duo.
Attendees of the festival also enjoyed the event. One attendee said: "We are here to try all of our favourite venues in Sheffield. It is so nice to support them."
“Goal is to go four for four”: League leaders, Sheffield Hatters, aim to win all trophies this season
Sitting at the top of the Super League Basketball standings, winners of the Betty Codona Trophy, and through to the SLB Cup final, the Sheffield Hatters are well-placed to complete the quadruple this season.
“Going for the quad was our goal at the start of the season internally, and obviously we're on track for it but we have to play hard, we had to play tough today to win,” said Hatter's head coach Vanessa Ellis, after the match against the Caledonia Gladiators on Saturday. “Nothing comes easy, but anything worth having you have to work hard for and I'm really pleased and proud of the team and the effort that we put in.”
The quadruple consists of winning the SLB Trophy, Cup, league title, and the Play-off final. The last team to win all four was the London Lions in 2023/24.
The Hatters strengthened their position, maintaining their first place in the season's standings with a victory against their biggest title rivals the Gladiators at the Canon Medical Arena.
Sheffield-born, Georgia Gayle believes the Hatters have a strong chance at completing the quadruple as the team prepares for the SLB cup final against Manchester on 22 March.
She said: "We've beat everybody already, so why shouldn't we."
Listen to Shauna Harrison speaking about the match with the Gladiators and how the team is feeling about upcoming final:
The Hatters are on their eighth win in a row after beating the Gladiators 83-70.
Gayle said the key to their current success is their strength as a team.
"We know that teams can't sustain staying with us for 40 minutes," she said. "We have a lot of depth in our team so we can sort and rotate everybody, and I feel like maybe other teams don't have that there so eventually they're going to start to slow down and that's when we turn it up."
Antoinette Lewis, named most valued player of the match, said: "We're excited. The goal is to go four for four, we’ve won the Trophy, we've made it to the cup final, we know it's going to be hard against Manchester in Manchester.”
The team is ready to “go in fighting” in the final to continue their mission for the quadruple.
Historic England remove objection to old John Lewis building renovation after redesign
A redesign to the facade of the Cole Brothers building has been approved by Historic England, which previously expressed concern over a lack of historical preservation.
Historic England, the body responsible for listing and preserving significant buildings in the UK, said in a letter to Sheffield City Council that it has "no objection to the applications on heritage grounds".
Urban Splash, an architectural firm based in Manchester that operates all over the country, submitted their original plans for a renovation of the Grade II listed building in September.
These plans aim to turn the former department, store built in 1963, into a mix of flexible workspaces, cafes, leisure spaces, and more.
The Council consulted with Historic England and the Twentieth Century Society (C20) on the original plans to ensure the essence of the original building is preserved.
Both organisations expressed concerns with the design, most of all the main facade, due to the extent of the changes, which the C20 society called "unnecessary".
These changes concerned how the design replaced the existing darker mosaic tiles which are in a state of disrepair, with perforated panels intended to replicate the current look.
However, a redesign submitted on 12 February changed the proposals for the main face of the building, taking on board advice on how to better preserve the post-war architecture.
Some residents have expressed support for a more cautious approach to the renovation, with one saying: "If they are going to change it, as long as it isn't going to be anything too dramatic, then fine"
Another said: "I feel quite strongly that they should keep it true to its nature as it is now."
But this feeling is not universal, as one man said he wished they would "knock it down".
While they were in opposition to the original design, the C20 Society said they were excited about the possibility of the building being renovated, but that they had not yet looked at the new design.
The planning application is awaiting approval and notices informing the general public were put up around the site last week with comments from the public being accepted until 23 March.
Image credit: Urban Splash