fogrider 179 Posted May 31, 2020 Report Share Posted May 31, 2020 I remember driving the Fire Brigade Landrover fire engine all over the place in the Broadmarsh centre. It was purchased for use in the car parks under the Victoria centre , having a special low bodywork built for the purpose. When Broadmarsh was opened, we went down a couple of nights before it opened and I was told to drive the Landie around to see how useful it would be in there. The floors in the avenues were really shiny and it seemed somewhat alien scrubbing the Landie tyres in the tight places ! Strange days Great days Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Unmade Marian 26 Posted June 2, 2020 Report Share Posted June 2, 2020 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 just started working - and in my defence indoor shopping was brand new - so there I was having a goz at all that was going on still with said brolly up - oh, how ridiculous I felt when the Taylor Woodrow workers pointed out that "it wasn't raining inside, love". My favourite shop was a hippy boutique upstairs called I'll Leave It. 2 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,466 Posted June 3, 2020 Report Share Posted June 3, 2020 I never liked Vic Centre at all when it was new. It had a strange shade of lighting which looked part-gloomy and faded; unlike the new Broad Marsh which was bright and modern (and in those days it had a lot of shops). In later years Broad Marsh went downhill and Victoria improved. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
radfordred 6,284 Posted June 25, 2020 Report Share Posted June 25, 2020 You could not make it up, that new nearly built Broad marsh car park is at this minute on fire Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The Pianoman 1,535 Posted June 25, 2020 Report Share Posted June 25, 2020 Insurance job Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stuart.C 491 Posted June 25, 2020 Report Share Posted June 25, 2020 "You're only supposed to blow up the bledy derelict INTU Broad Marsh Centre not the new Library, Bus station and Carpark that's nothing to do with Intu" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mary1947 2,079 Posted June 25, 2020 Report Share Posted June 25, 2020 What do I think of the centers (we always seem to follow the USA eg Shopping centers) To me they ruined a good city, they say the online shopping is killing off town shops, but before the centers we had Toby's Jessop's (now J Lewis) Person's, Big Co-op, Griffins an Spaldings, Marks, BHS Woolworth's C/A and many more, People would walk though the square, not rush though it, to get from one shopping center to the other. In my opinion my City wants a revamp to make it Queen of the Midlands and please lets get rid of thouse fountains or get better one's eg look at Antibes France. But you can't change progress. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BilboroughShirley 1,120 Posted June 26, 2020 Report Share Posted June 26, 2020 Intu is in the news due to the possibility of going into administration. When I read their list of shopping centres the Victoria Centre and Broadmarsh were both there. When they were both set up who owned the centres then? Was it the council and then they sold out? It will be a disaster if they both close as a result of what is going on. Another bit of Nottingham history that I am clueless about! I appreciate the posts from Nottstalgia members who put me right. Big thanks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,466 Posted June 26, 2020 Report Share Posted June 26, 2020 BS, we should know by the end of today (Friday) if intu go into administration and what that will lead to. https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/live-decision-expected-future-intu-4265502 The majority opinion seems to be that Broad Marsh is now an irrelevant waste of space and there's no point in trying to 'modernise' it. Shopping Centres were a 60s and 70s thing and having two in one city is definitely one too many. Vic Centre will almost certainly survive - maybe under new owners - but I can't see anyone wanting to resurrect Broad Marsh in anything like its old format. I believe the council own the land and the operators - intu - pay a rent and manage the site. Broad Marsh has changed hands many times in the last 25 years and no-one has been able to make a success of it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jonab 1,644 Posted June 26, 2020 Report Share Posted June 26, 2020 The news here is that INTU has gone into administration, well in Spain at least. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beekay 5,145 Posted June 26, 2020 Report Share Posted June 26, 2020 Maybe it's time to knock the whole lot down and put back the statue and rebuild the Alms houses that were there. At least they would of more use. Could even be a little park in there. Edit. BS, you must have some tales about Warwickshire. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Sparrow 10,306 Posted June 26, 2020 Report Share Posted June 26, 2020 When you think what was destroyed to build the Broad Marsh Centre! Never liked that place, even when it was new. Unfortunately, Drury Hill cannot be put back. If it had been left alone it could now have been a corner of old Nottingham to rival the Shambles in York. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,134 Posted June 26, 2020 Report Share Posted June 26, 2020 I rarely went into the Broad Marsh Centre. I thought it was a bit shabby. I stopped using the Victoria Centre when the parking prices became silly. Since lock down I’ve discovered I can get all I want on line without having to visit these impersonal shopping malls. I’ll probably never go into Nottingham again. Not having a ‘bus service and having a long walk to the station, my only way into town is by car. Unfortunately the City Council have gone out of their way to discourage the motorist. . 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beekay 5,145 Posted June 26, 2020 Report Share Posted June 26, 2020 From what I've seen on you tube etc.,to go round that area and the castle district, you need an American accent with a shoulder full of cameras. Can't see anything inviting, that goes for the market square too. Totally unrecognisable from the days when I used to drive buses round there. What happened to Granby street? Did it get swallowed up by the monstrosity, Maid Marion Way? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
poohbear 1,360 Posted June 26, 2020 Report Share Posted June 26, 2020 Just read that INTU Vic Centres owners have gone into administration Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stuart.C 491 Posted June 26, 2020 Report Share Posted June 26, 2020 That's going to be interesting because unless the Administrators can find enough cash in the business to pay for the continued maintenance , cleaning, security and other liablities etc for the centres then they all will have to close. Broad Marsh is effectively closed anyway due to safety issues with the exception of the walkway though from Collin St to Listergate. Contractors are / have removing /ed thier equipment and scaffolding Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brew 5,417 Posted June 26, 2020 Report Share Posted June 26, 2020 Maybe Westfield will buy it back at a bargain price... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jonab 1,644 Posted June 26, 2020 Report Share Posted June 26, 2020 Is my memory fading or am I correct in thinking that there was a quite tall block of flats poking out of the middle of Victoria centre. They don't seem to appear in any of the current pictures. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ayupmeducks 1,730 Posted June 26, 2020 Report Share Posted June 26, 2020 Shoulder full of cameras???? I doubt many Americans own a camera as such these days, just the smart phone. I haven't seen anyone, except the "news" media carrying any camera for years. I must be the exception to the rule, and my wife too, who needs one for her business. Even the big DSLR camera manufacturers are admitting that the end of the camera is pretty close with very low sales figures. So you'll just have to listen for the accents now.....LOL Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stuart.C 491 Posted June 26, 2020 Report Share Posted June 26, 2020 Yes the flats are there, but behind the clock tower. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.9564102,-1.1515237,311a,35y,90h,39.42t/data=!3m1!1e3 And no, the Post Office isn't half way up the flats it's in WH Smith inside the Centre, Queen St has been closed down Re Westfield, I think they were in difficulty as well, not quite to £2bn like INTU. Correction that must have been when the original 2 Australian brothers owned it, it's owned by the French now. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,134 Posted June 26, 2020 Report Share Posted June 26, 2020 21 minutes ago, jonab said: Is my memory fading or am I correct in thinking that there was a quite tall block of flats poking out of the middle of Victoria centre. They don't seem to appear in any of the current pictures. It's still there and can be seen on Google Earth street view from Trinity Square. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LizzieM 9,507 Posted June 26, 2020 Report Share Posted June 26, 2020 3 hours ago, poohbear said: Just read that INTU Vic Centres owners have gone into administration The Nottingham Post needs to start employing journalists with a few brain cells. In the on-line report re INTU, the reporter states that they had 'collapsed into consideration' 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jonab 1,644 Posted June 26, 2020 Report Share Posted June 26, 2020 Thanks StuartC and philmayfield. I was looking at the wrong bit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stuart.C 491 Posted June 26, 2020 Report Share Posted June 26, 2020 Lizzie, Prufe reeding went down the pan long before INTU did. I think the problem is that most professionals rely on the Word type programs for auto correction, although I can't say I ever seen 'collapsed into consideration' used so where that came from I've no idea. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,466 Posted June 26, 2020 Report Share Posted June 26, 2020 1 hour ago, LizzieM said: The Nottingham Post needs to start employing journalists with a few brain cells. In the on-line report re INTU, the reporter states that they had 'collapsed into consideration' I don't think the NEP employ anything that could be termed 'journalists'. I suspect they use university students (or similar) who want work experience just to get a foot in the door (and with very little - if any - payment). I look at it every day, not because I think it's good, but simply because there's very little alternative. Some of the writing and understanding of language is quite spectacular. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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