Opening of Victoria & Broadmarsh Shopping Centres


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Hello All, hope your all keeping well this weather? I'm hoping someone can help me with this question. Does any film footage exsist in relation to the "Grand" openings of the Victoria Shopping Centre and the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre????

I ask partly because I purchased sometime ago a Blu-ray copy of "Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush", and there was a feature that celebrated the new town centre of Stevenage. And after talking to a pal of mine who works for the BFi, he said that loads of this features were made in the 50's, 60's and early 70's, with town and city councils celebrating their leap into the world of modernism.

It would be fascinating to get a snapshot of what the publics reaction was to both places :)

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The RCTS website have some great photos which I've mentioned before, and among them are pictures of the Victoria hole when the car park is under construction, the old station has almost gone, and a co

Thank heavens there aren't any films of Victoria Centre's early days.  When I first went there it was chucking it down of rain outside so I had a brolly, having walked from the Lace Market where I had

When the centre gets it's 'makeover' with fancy new entrances on the corner and at the clock tower, perhaps there will be another Grand Opening (or re-opening) Everyone should be there with their cam

Sorry Sean but I do not know about film of the opening but I well remember the Victoria Centre being built. I was working at Raleigh as a 'gofor' in the design offices and used to go frequently to J E Wrights on Huntingdon Street for supplies. I used to walk through the Vic Centre while it was under construction. There were a series of passage ways through the site lit with strings of bulbs. I suspose with health and safety you wouldn't get this today but that is how it was. Looking back now I cannot understand why they did not keep the train station at this site building the shopping centre on top. Tunnels and bridges ready made directly out of the City. The site of Nottinghams only station is now placed out of the City Centre. As for film, I suggest you look here. http://www.macearchive.org/ I have aquired some Raleigh footage from them recently. Good luck.

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Poohbear. For many years there was still the 'big hole' where the Mansfield Road tunnel exited where they could have made room for the station. For quite a while it was just left as unused space. It is only more recently that the car park has been extended into this area. I would think that a tunnel could have been run to the south under the centre to exit towards the Trent etc. Still it's done now but surely a central ststion would have been preferable.

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In the early thirties the council built a ring road with the future in mind...at the time it was incredibly wide and way over the top for the traffic on the roads then...but someone had the common sense to look to the future.

Unfortunately in the 50s and 60s these people were long gone and replaced by planners that didn't even look into the next week let alone the future.

What an opportunity missed to use the existing railway lines and tunnels for trams...ready made routes from the outskirts of the city right into the center without further congestion on the roads.

Pity the common sense of the thirties wasn't available thirty years later.All they thought about then was the great God motor car.

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The RCTS website have some great photos which I've mentioned before, and among them are pictures of the Victoria hole when the car park is under construction, the old station has almost gone, and a couple of running lines still exist.

You realise that the planners could have accommodated a new, smaller station, kept some running lines, and still had a shopping centre and car park.

Like this. The original extent of the car park (under construction), and the unused remainder of the hole which existed for many years.

vic1-1.jpg

The famous footbridge through the roof of the station.

vic2.jpg

And a slightly surreal shot showing a lack of station.

vic3.jpg

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I may be wrong, but I seem to remember that when the Victoria Centre was first built, the trains were still running - and there was an area to the north, before the tunnel, that could easily have accommodated a small (commuter) station.

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Many thanks folks for all your input and for the images. I did have a look at the M.A.C.E Archive and came across a video from 1964, where the architect discusses his plans for the revelopment. I was shocked that it was decided to develope the area that early - as I had always believed it was around 1968.... All in all I personally feel that it was a great shame that the people of Nottingham lost such a well loved building as the train station. But I do find it hard to undertand why it was demolished yet the Victoria Hotel survived.

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When the centre gets it's 'makeover' with fancy new entrances on the corner and at the clock tower, perhaps there will be another Grand Opening (or re-opening)

Everyone should be there with their cameras because it will be talked about on here in fifty years time!

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Broadmarsh

More rubbish!

How the centre could look - but most probably won't!

Could create 2000 jobs, There could be up to 1000 people working there.

These 'developers' make the most ridiculous claims because they know that stupid gullible councillors will fall for it every time.

No one wants Broadmarsh now, that's obvious to anybody. Pull it down, reinstate Carrington Street, make it easier to reach the bus and rail stations and do everyone a favour!

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If I were a shopkeeper in the Broadmarsh Centre at the moment I would be looking into getting a refund on my rent. No one seems to bother going in there.

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More rubbish!

No one wants Broadmarsh now, that's obvious to anybody. Pull it down, reinstate Carrington Street, make it easier to reach the bus and rail stations and do everyone a favour!

Could we have Drury Hill back too? ;)

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Agree completely with you ChrisB. And yes Bubblewrap Drury Hill would make a better addition than what is there now...

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I took a day off school when Viccy Centre opened..not that much commotion to be honest..thought that an official day took place later..seem to recall a plaque and a velvet curtain?

Had snuck in there one evening with my Mum..Liked Westerner and Western Jean Company.

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I can save a Couple of Billion on Rad-Reds posted plan, the moment they start excavating they'll find all sorts of archaeological features that will delay the project.

 

Maid Marion Way underpass or surface road won't be required at all if the volume of traffic into the city is going to be down due to lack of shoppers.

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At the back of my old grey matter, I vaguely remember before all that, when there was a row of Alms houses on, would it be Kirkwhite street., or the start of Arkwright street? I could have only been a toddler at the time. Don't know what I'd be doing down there or if I was with a parent. Wonder if CT has a picture of that time.

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They're  the ones CT., thanks. You have clarified the name of the road. I'd forgotten about Carrington street. Arkwright street must have started at Canal street. So, so long ago.

The Walter fountain was before my time, but I  do remember the Alms houses. Also turn left into the old Broad marsh bus station, where one caught West Bridgford and Clifton buses.

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