Being my first comment. Prior to 1847 Chapmans had plans for a new store obviously then a pristine city location in Carlisle. In year 2000 Ikea said, they wanted to expand with 20 additional new stores around the country. It was mentioned earlier it would harm city furniture shops and why when we then had MFI. The then Carlisle road structure for Ikea was poor for road access for some directions such as those in West Cumbria who still see the city as nearer than the far north east as a long journey. They'll soon seen Newcastle much nearer with the CNDR. Carlisle needs more very fast, not less sooner, as is the habit of the city's planning if Carlisle City Airport is anything to weigh in against. In 2009 Primark is known to be interested in creating a store in Carlisle. If Primark wanted the Victoria Viaduct store of Chapmans it is as said too small unless they reduce the range of products lines available with as mentioned possible storage problems. Maybe a scope for a suitable city site of former Lowther Street school/HM Theatre which is presently a car park, or in this locality. The buildings are past their prime in paid full time employment along much of street frontage. Would that not include Civic Centre or Rural Payments Agency (MAFF) building instead of council poaching further on Rickergate. In regard Ikea which I too would prefer not having a lengthy journey. Would many of the prime sites at Kingmoor with the new Carlisle bypass development route making access now more freely available with a new pub now planned and perhaps a new McDonalds drive thru' to add more litter to newly opened virgin countryside to add to Doc's electioneering which hopefully with his competitors includes many new jobs. I would prefer if the Chapmans store is indeed to small then Vasey's be given the opportunity to lease the building as they are one of the few in the city that will be left with some fine furniture made by British craftsmen. The latter being known to supply the Chapmans (and hopefully future) building with quality and not mass produced copied tat, sometimes made by children working long hours. My eldest fashion designer son added to me, he's seen some terrible working conditions in his travels. Shame on those who think those of similar age don't deserve a better lifestyle, such as education before forced into employment. The Clothing industry is ripe in some countries at employing cheap labour working long hours for... Despite the claims against sub-contracting to cheaper options goes on, despite many a companies efforts to stop the process. Would you like your kiddies to work ...

MAKE THE BUILDING WHERE MFI WAS A PRIMARK ITS HUGE AND HAS HUGE FREE CAR PARK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"However Dr Hendry's 'write a letter and tell them that the old chapmans building is dead good and that, and they should move here' is just naive drivel. Business isnt done like that, and he knows it. Cheap headlines."

Good God Jim, we agree on something!

You are also correct about the free parking but having unsuccessfully attempted to statistically refute my assertion of your colleague's apparent muteness, could you perhaps tell us what IS being done by our glorious City Council in the economic development area that the papers are not reporting or I may have missed? You mention that the council "continuously talk" but what are they doing?

Anon, thats very interesting, you claim that Carlisle should have general free parking (it does, and substantial amounts, limited to one and two hours), yet you fail to give an example of any city anywhere else in the country that gives free parking.

Clue: There isnt one. There isnt even another city that gives free one hour and two hour parking.

There is no free on street parking in Newcastle, and there certainly are no municipal car parks in Newcastle that are free.

The metro centre has free parking because it is not in a town centre. Just like B&Q on london road and Argos up at kingstown.

If the solution was free parking, The Lanes would have brought in free parking ages ago.

The idea that Carlisle is an 'unwelcome place to shop' is fanciful at best. The immediate city centre is a fabulous. With open spaces and a wide selection of stores (it lacks the specialist stores that you get in larger shopping districts though). The Lanes shopping centre again, is an excellent retail experience, with parking close by.

And of course Councils facilitate, they continuously talk with landlords and to businesses who want to relocate.

However Dr Hendry's 'write a letter and tell them that the old chapmans building is dead good and that, and they should move here' is just naive drivel. Business isnt done like that, and he knows it. Cheap headlines.

Carlisle is simply an unwelcoming place to shop. I live in Brampton and would drive 50 miles to the Metro Centre any day rather than 9 to Carlisle. Our councillors should work on free parking to start with. Before anyone suggest I take the bus, it costs twice as much as Diesel in the car to the Metro Centre! I'm not sure it is within their remit to encourage or facilitate discussion between a landlord and a potential tenant either.

Jim, I too did a search and came up with the same number but (and I am sure you realise this) instead of showing that that individual "was quoted in 338 stories in 2011, 365 times in 2010...", it just shows the number of times the surname appears in a search and many many mentions have nothing to do with the individual concerned. The numbers you have given are totally misleading. So, yes, I get the picture; you are, as I predicted, sticking up for your constituent. Nothing wrong with that. Quaintly noble, in fact.

And no, I don't measure the success of someone politically by the number of times they get in the paper, if that were the case, Dr. Hendry would be top of the league. Thanks for the information anyway; always appreciated but please be more accurate next time.

carlisle needs a primark instead of people having to travel to newcastle. i love the shop and it will bring new jobs to carlisle

BM you do realise that just because a newspaper doesnt report something (or it does and you miss it), doesnt mean something hasnt happened
The councillor who holds the portfolio for economic development is anything but 'remarkably mute'.
Having just checked, the 'remarkably mute' individual you refer to was quoted in 338 stories in 2011, 365 times in 2010.. Well you get the picture.
Of course i dont measure the success of someone politically by how often they get in the newspaper, but as you do, i thought this information might help you.

I can't help agreeing with much of Alan Brown's sentiment and couple that with a disquieting embarrassment that there is a facebook page devoted to getting Primark to come to Carlisle. While a Primark store would be welcome and I have nothing against them or their products at all, they are cheap and now the whole world can make the subconscious association with that cheapness and the people of Carlisle; risking derision of some sort from those all too willing to mock us poor deprived northerners. Primark is fine but we really should aspire to much, much more than that.

I also agree that those in charge of economic development should be working flat out to try and get businesses to set up here, whatever they may be. Sadly, the economic development portfolio holder on the City Council is remarkably mute, apart from expressing a wish that the Central Plaza hotel should be a, er...hotel, again. Perhaps she might care to comment or explain what actions she has initiated to persuade firms to invest in Carlisle and reveal what she has done 'behind the scenes'. (one awaits Jim's intervention in defence of his colleague constituent).

Sadly though, it looks like the city centre has little to offer Primark in terms of a suitable site of a suitable size and Dr. Hendry's pronouncements are empty electioneering designed to give the impression of being busily active for the benefit of all. Cheap populism without substance, nothing more.

A facebook page to support Primark? Carlisle is slowly turning into a city of boarded up shops or shops selling cheap rubbish and people seem happy to encourage it. We'll soon live in a city that has a reputation for somewhere to be avoided, we need to be looking to encouraging visitors from elsewhere to stay and spend their money - poundshops, bargain shops and primark arent going to do that!