Walsall is a brilliant town with lots of great shops and restaurants. If you want to see the real meaning of going downhill. Then you should see what's happened to West Bromwich over the last 20 years. That will be a real eye opener.
Hi, Thanks for your comment about the film. We appreciate your concerns about West Bromwich, the decline of which you correctly point out. However if you recall our chosen title ‘Not Just Walsall - Not Just My Town’ we set out to show Walsall as an example of what is happening to numerous towns across the West Midlands and indeed the UK. We hope we also made the point that the cause of this decline (Mike Orton’s contribution) are the likely outcomes of Neoliberal Capitalism. Walsall really chose itself as a subject for the film as the original idea came from Momentum members in the town. Also our presenter Tom Roberts is a TV and stage actor and was born in Walsall and his father is well remembered in the town for his Youth Work. Tom presented the film for no fee which we really appreciate. Likewise the entire production was self-funded by OpenEye Film members. Thank you again for your contribution and we hope you look at our other productions on our UA-cam Channel. OpenEye Film
As late as 2009, you would see plenty of police about, prior to that, much more police on the streets, But Now seeing police on the streets is a rare novelty.. Also it feels the town has lost its spirit, before social media era, the whole borough had a buzz, a vibe, hope, dreams and ambition, but now it seems ,it's all going,gone.. God Bless Walsall..
I visited Walsall for the first time last year. It's a lovely town, but there are a lot of problems there as covered in this video. The people of Walsall are some of the nicest people that I've ever encountered though. It's a town with a lot of heart that could thrive again.
I lived in Walsall until I was 31 and the years I spent there, it was the last 10 years of my stay there was the time the town started going down hill.. 8 years on and all I hear is horror stories of how crime is out of control and how the council slack at their job.. I have a lot of friends that still live there and I hear them go on about the people around them, it’s clear to me it’s not just Goverments policy’s screwing the town over, it’s also the majority of the people that live there.. They’ve given up.. not every has, all my friends are proud of the town it used to be and so am I, I’m a Pelsall lad and I carry my Yam Yam with where ever I go. Just wish the community would come together and tell these tories to f**k off!If they don’t.. the town will die out.
I grew up in Pelsall and appreciate now what a relatively safe and pleasant place it was to grow up in. As for Walsall, decades of a labour council hasn't helped either plus very poor town planning over the years. People have to take pride in their town. It's ultimately up to the good people of Walsall to take the lead. Were all those interviewed offering a balanced view? Struck me as mostly of the leftie persuasion
Great work. Walsall really needs the support services and I still can't believe it now that the main police station is closed with a borough population of 270,000. Especially with the problems Walsall have. My family are from Walsall and I'v known many kids that have grown up in houses without carpets, no wifi at home yet school needs them connected to it for their homework. I can tell you first hand that things in Walsall are getting bad. it's affecting people I know who are just close to giving up because they feel they have nowhere to turn and are gradually feeling more and more lost and are losing their confidence. Things need to change so great work with this video and will share it out as much as possible.
It has deteriorated further now and because illegal immigrants have been given hotel accommodation, it makes the population even more disillusioned. Poverty is worse, crime at an all time high, no go areas, murders. Still a national issue and no Government to date has improved the lot of the population. No police, can’t get a doctor’s appointment, excessive dental fees, higher cost of living. Shoplifting is the norm. I could go on.
The rot set in a long time ago. Out of town shopping developments, focus by successive councils on certain areas and not others. Austerity has compounded the problem. The vulnerable are always first hit and hit the hardest. It has also never been a united town. This about the borough. Folk in the individual toens are concerned, rightly, about their own area.
Excellent film telling it from the heart and soul of a town! But just a bit sad that it's already all but over for other fine Midlands towns like West Bromwich! Wish they'd heeded and remembered the warning - death knells that came from other parts of the country when Thatcher and her Tory lot had done her worst to them! South Wales the North East (with my home town Middlesbrough) andLiverpool - the latter of which she was said to have wanted to see wiped off the British map! 'They did not listen they're not listening still- perhaps they never will?
Lived in Walsall but left in 1984 for Leicester but good memories of walsall college ,pleck park and market and town centre and also Dilkes Arms on saturdays but my visits lately tells me its very deprived compared to other English towns but i miss the place any way.
As to the Police office at Bloxwich telling a woman who found knives outside her boundry... If she didnt hand them in.. 1- theft by finding 2- possibly stolen property 3- could have been used in a crime. Id suggest the counceller find out who was the duty officer that day and put in a complaint of an officer giving the wring advise that could have put the citizen in trouble with the POLICE for disposing of someone elses property/evidence
Hi Jon, Thank you for your comment. I'm not sure on the song title, I think it's most defiantly a Royalty Free track, I will check with the Producer from this project and get back to you. Thanks Li
Hi Jon, thanks very much, and I'm glad you liked the film. The piece is called 'Snowmen’ by Kai Engel who has a number of pieces on the Free Music Archive. freemusicarchive.org/music/Kai_Engel/
Walsall market joke now.to get to arboretum now is terrable about 4 set lights .how many poeple from Walsall go to queen Mary and Walsall academy we schooling kids from outside Walsall.walsall have built 2 new leasure center s .we have okay football team lots of shops so it's okay really . should have some sucurity around bus station at night.we have good tip in bloxwich.never see any police in bloxwich or traffic wardens.
Walsall was also my home town, it was prosperous so what happened? It wasn't the fault of the tories, socialism, multiculturalism, diversity, attacks everything. Just down the road, Darlaston, another town that has been devastated, all the factories gone, nothing made there any more. As with the country intersectionalism has atomised neighbourhoods, which was the point of it all. We were a nation but no longer, just people who happen to live on the same stretch of land going off in their own directions pulling against each other.
It wasn't council funding that built the town of a 100 trades, it was enterprise. Council and government funding isn't the answer, begging in fact is not the answer. Learning to have your own initiative is the cure and that's whats lacking and has caused the poverty. A nation always needing a government to do stuff or get free stuff. I'm from Walsall and I used to see shame when peole claimed benefits from the gov now its seen as normal. Labour destroyed the Black Country, destroyed its work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit, now folk just blame and beg. See for yourself.
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Absolutley BRILLIANT piece of work. It speaks volumes and the truth. WELL DONE Open Eye Films and to all that took part.
I moved out, yobs in Birchills, tyre dumping, all this 14 years ago. What a dump. Went back a few weeks ago, i left with a tear in my eye.
Walsall is a brilliant town with lots of great shops and restaurants. If you want to see the real meaning of going downhill. Then you should see what's happened to West Bromwich over the last 20 years. That will be a real eye opener.
Hi,
Thanks for your comment about the film.
We appreciate your concerns about West Bromwich, the decline of which you correctly point out. However if you recall our chosen title ‘Not Just Walsall - Not Just My Town’ we set out to show Walsall as an example of what is happening to numerous towns across the West Midlands and indeed the UK. We hope we also made the point that the cause of this decline (Mike Orton’s contribution) are the likely outcomes of Neoliberal Capitalism.
Walsall really chose itself as a subject for the film as the original idea came from Momentum members in the town. Also our presenter Tom Roberts is a TV and stage actor and was born in Walsall and his father is well remembered in the town for his Youth Work.
Tom presented the film for no fee which we really appreciate. Likewise the entire production was self-funded by OpenEye Film members.
Thank you again for your contribution and we hope you look at our other productions on our UA-cam Channel.
OpenEye Film
As late as 2009, you would see plenty of police about, prior to that, much more police on the streets, But Now seeing police on the streets is a rare novelty..
Also it feels the town has lost its spirit, before social media era, the whole borough had a buzz, a vibe, hope, dreams and ambition, but now it seems ,it's all going,gone..
God Bless Walsall..
I visited Walsall for the first time last year. It's a lovely town, but there are a lot of problems there as covered in this video. The people of Walsall are some of the nicest people that I've ever encountered though. It's a town with a lot of heart that could thrive again.
I lived in Walsall until I was 31 and the years I spent there, it was the last 10 years of my stay there was the time the town started going down hill.. 8 years on and all I hear is horror stories of how crime is out of control and how the council slack at their job..
I have a lot of friends that still live there and I hear them go on about the people around them, it’s clear to me it’s not just Goverments policy’s screwing the town over, it’s also the majority of the people that live there.. They’ve given up.. not every has, all my friends are proud of the town it used to be and so am I, I’m a Pelsall lad and I carry my Yam Yam with where ever I go.
Just wish the community would come together and tell these tories to f**k off!If they don’t.. the town will die out.
I worked at back of IMI, What a contrast the non industries there now.
I grew up in Pelsall and appreciate now what a relatively safe and pleasant place it was to grow up in. As for Walsall, decades of a labour council hasn't helped either plus very poor town planning over the years. People have to take pride in their town. It's ultimately up to the good people of Walsall to take the lead. Were all those interviewed offering a balanced view? Struck me as mostly of the leftie persuasion
Great work. Walsall really needs the support services and I still can't believe it now that the main police station is closed with a borough population of 270,000. Especially with the problems Walsall have.
My family are from Walsall and I'v known many kids that have grown up in houses without carpets, no wifi at home yet school needs them connected to it for their homework.
I can tell you first hand that things in Walsall are getting bad. it's affecting people I know who are just close to giving up because they feel they have nowhere to turn and are gradually feeling more and more lost and are losing their confidence.
Things need to change so great work with this video and will share it out as much as possible.
It has deteriorated further now and because illegal immigrants have been given hotel accommodation, it makes the population even more disillusioned. Poverty is worse, crime at an all time high, no go areas, murders. Still a national issue and no Government to date has improved the lot of the population. No police, can’t get a doctor’s appointment, excessive dental fees, higher cost of living. Shoplifting is the norm. I could go on.
The rot set in a long time ago. Out of town shopping developments, focus by successive councils on certain areas and not others. Austerity has compounded the problem. The vulnerable are always first hit and hit the hardest. It has also never been a united town. This about the borough. Folk in the individual toens are concerned, rightly, about their own area.
I grew up in Walsall it's my town I am proud to come from Walsall
Excellent film telling it from the heart and soul of a town! But just a bit sad that it's already all but over for other fine Midlands towns like West Bromwich! Wish they'd heeded and remembered the warning - death knells that came from other parts of the country when Thatcher and her Tory lot had done her worst to them! South Wales the North East (with my home town Middlesbrough) andLiverpool - the latter of which she was said to have wanted to see wiped off the British map! 'They did not listen they're not listening still- perhaps they never will?
Brilliant filmography.
Thanks Jan! Glad you liked the film !
Lived in Walsall but left in 1984 for Leicester but good memories of walsall college ,pleck park and market and town centre and also Dilkes Arms on saturdays but my visits lately tells me its very deprived compared to other English towns but i miss the place any way.
As to the Police office at Bloxwich telling a woman who found knives outside her boundry... If she didnt hand them in..
1- theft by finding
2- possibly stolen property
3- could have been used in a crime.
Id suggest the counceller find out who was the duty officer that day and put in a complaint of an officer giving the wring advise that could have put the citizen in trouble with the POLICE for disposing of someone elses property/evidence
I wonder how much time Sean Coughlan was spending on certain sites on the internet. 🤔And how much time actually working.
The woman in the fumbnail is my school governer lol
Who?
Omg same who r u
Pity they did not teach you to spell
What is the song name playing at 39:24 ?
Hi Jon,
Thank you for your comment. I'm not sure on the song title, I think it's most defiantly a Royalty Free track, I will check with the Producer from this project and get back to you.
Thanks
Li
Thank you and i really like the documentary. I live in Walsall so i can relate to the problems.
Hi Jon, thanks very much, and I'm glad you liked the film. The piece is called 'Snowmen’ by Kai Engel who has a number of pieces on the Free Music Archive.
freemusicarchive.org/music/Kai_Engel/
Walsall market joke now.to get to arboretum now is terrable about 4 set lights .how many poeple from Walsall go to queen Mary and Walsall academy we schooling kids from outside Walsall.walsall have built 2 new leasure center s .we have okay football team lots of shops so it's okay really . should have some sucurity around bus station at night.we have good tip in bloxwich.never see any police in bloxwich or traffic wardens.
Walsall was also my home town, it was prosperous so what happened? It wasn't the fault of the tories, socialism, multiculturalism, diversity, attacks everything. Just down the road, Darlaston, another town that has been devastated, all the factories gone, nothing made there any more. As with the country intersectionalism has atomised neighbourhoods, which was the point of it all. We were a nation but no longer, just people who happen to live on the same stretch of land going off in their own directions pulling against each other.
I worked at company EPAG, back of IMI. Forge industry slowly died. Now nothing in the area, mosques and dodgy 2nd hand car and taxis.
I LOVE SARA LEA......NOW AND FOREVER
It wasn't council funding that built the town of a 100 trades, it was enterprise. Council and government funding isn't the answer, begging in fact is not the answer. Learning to have your own initiative is the cure and that's whats lacking and has caused the poverty. A nation always needing a government to do stuff or get free stuff. I'm from Walsall and I used to see shame when peole claimed benefits from the gov now its seen as normal. Labour destroyed the Black Country, destroyed its work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit, now folk just blame and beg. See for yourself.
The 'homeless people sitting outside shops' are grifters who are housed in local hostels and can't manage their free money.
Yes i saw a group of girls talking to dog man, they said need a lift to your flat. Just begging. This was 5 years ago.
It took till 9:44 before I heard a Walsall accent.
From 2:20 to 2:44 you see me in the background 😎
Wow!
amazing work by all 👏🫡