DaveN 1,118 Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 Following on from the Victoria Centre over the years it's now the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre http://www.nottinghampost.com/pictures/pictures-Nottingham-s-Broadmarsh-Centre-years/pictures-25074340-detail/pictures.html#1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisB 150 Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 Some very interesting pictures but there's nothing very appealing in Broadmarsh. No one seems to want the big unit which used to be Alders (and the Co-op) Broadmarsh serves more purpose as a thoroughfare than a shopping cenrtre - even though the main avenue isn't terribly wide and it's stuffed with sales stalls. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 Although I've walked though The Broadmarsh Centre hundreds of times I have bought very little from the shops there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,450 Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 I reckon that is partly because there aren't actually that many shops there! Almost the entire upper floor is empty, and the former big Co-op unit has been empty for several years. Take a look at post #44 here http://nottstalgia.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9811&hl=+broad%20+marsh&page=3. That's around 18 months ago, but it hasn't got any better. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DaveN 1,118 Posted December 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 I can't remember the last time I went to the Broadmarsh - it must be years and years ago. As I live north of the city I tend to frequent the Victoria Centre. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TBI 2,351 Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 Broad Marsh has always been the poor relation to Victoria Centre, ever since it opened. In recent years its become nothing short of a dump. They can't even give units away to the charitables any more. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MELTONSTILTON 452 Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 In the late 70s I liked Broad Marsh, but the last time I was in there, last May, I found it a bit rundown and it seemed almost abandoned, especially the first floor........ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
benjamin1945 16,139 Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 Best thing about 'Broadmarsh' was/is the 'Wimpey Grill' i used to love a 'Big Bender'.......lol. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,450 Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 For a look at what Broad Marsh Centre was like in its early days, when it had shops............http://www.picturethepast.org.uk/frontend.php?&user_keywords=broad+marsh+centre&operator=AND&town_village=&date_period=&database=&action=search&keywords=Ref_No_increment%2CDisk_No%2CLocal_Accession_No%2CMap_Reference%2CTown_Village%2CLocation%2CTitle%2CDate_of_Image%2CDate_Period%2COther%2CForm_completed_by%2CKey_Terms%2CThemes%2CKeywords%2CPhotographer%2CArtist%2CEngraver%2CPublisher%2CForm_of_Acknowledgment%3BCONTAINS%3B%25broad%25%3BAND%3BRef_No_increment%2CDisk_No%2CLocal_Accession_No%2CMap_Reference%2CTown_Village%2CLocation%2CTitle%2CDate_of_Image%2CDate_Period%2COther%2CForm_completed_by%2CKey_Terms%2CThemes%2CKeywords%2CPhotographer%2CArtist%2CEngraver%2CPublisher%2CForm_of_Acknowledgment%3BCONTAINS%3B%25marsh%25%3BAND%3BRef_No_increment%2CDisk_No%2CLocal_Accession_No%2CMap_Reference%2CTown_Village%2CLocation%2CTitle%2CDate_of_Image%2CDate_Period%2COther%2CForm_completed_by%2CKey_Terms%2CThemes%2CKeywords%2CPhotographer%2CArtist%2CEngraver%2CPublisher%2CForm_of_Acknowledgment%3BCONTAINS%3B%25centre%25%3B#rowNumber2 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DavidA 153 Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 For a look at what Broad Marsh Centre was like in its early days, when it had shops............http://www.picturethepast.org.uk/frontend.php?&user_keywords=broad+marsh+centre&operator=AND&town_village=&date_period=&database=&action=search&keywords=Ref_No_increment%2CDisk_No%2CLocal_Accession_No%2CMap_Reference%2CTown_Village%2CLocation%2CTitle%2CDate_of_Image%2CDate_Period%2COther%2CForm_completed_by%2CKey_Terms%2CThemes%2CKeywords%2CPhotographer%2CArtist%2CEngraver%2CPublisher%2CForm_of_Acknowledgment%3BCONTAINS%3B%25broad%25%3BAND%3BRef_No_increment%2CDisk_No%2CLocal_Accession_No%2CMap_Reference%2CTown_Village%2CLocation%2CTitle%2CDate_of_Image%2CDate_Period%2COther%2CForm_completed_by%2CKey_Terms%2CThemes%2CKeywords%2CPhotographer%2CArtist%2CEngraver%2CPublisher%2CForm_of_Acknowledgment%3BCONTAINS%3B%25marsh%25%3BAND%3BRef_No_increment%2CDisk_No%2CLocal_Accession_No%2CMap_Reference%2CTown_Village%2CLocation%2CTitle%2CDate_of_Image%2CDate_Period%2COther%2CForm_completed_by%2CKey_Terms%2CThemes%2CKeywords%2CPhotographer%2CArtist%2CEngraver%2CPublisher%2CForm_of_Acknowledgment%3BCONTAINS%3B%25centre%25%3B#rowNumber2 And shoppers too! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 The only shop I tend to visit when I walk through is a charity shop. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisB 150 Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 Best thing about 'Broadmarsh' was/is the 'Wimpey Grill' i used to love a 'Big Bender'.......lol. And did you have a Banana Longboat for afters? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
benjamin1945 16,139 Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 Probably Chris......lol Quote Link to post Share on other sites
darkazana 1,736 Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 Broad Marsh has always been the poor relation to Victoria Centre, ever since it opened. In recent years its become nothing short of a dump. They can't even give units away to the charitables any more. Strange how peoples views differ, I always thought of Broad Marsh as more up market than Victoria Centre in its hey day. Better shops (Except Jessops of course, nothing could outdo Jessops in my eyes then) and a cleaner brighter feel to it. It seemed to go down hill with the closing of the Co Op. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,450 Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 I agree that in the early days Broad Marsh was the better / nicer place. I knew it well because it was the terminus for buses from Clifton. Back then it seemed brighter and more modern than the slightly gloomy and dull Vic Centre. Broad Marsh was great from when it opened in 1975 until around the mid 90s; then the decline started. Shop units closed and weren't re-occupied by a new tenant. Then it was gradually taken over by pound shops, charity shops and shops which only exist for a few months. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,569 Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 I agree with Chris B it is mainly used as a thoroughfare because it leads somewhere,ie: the bus station or the train station so it's a short cut to both whereas Vic center does'nt really lead anywhere and it's not a short cut, the only bit you could describe as short cut would be from Glasshouse street through to the Trininy square area,well thats my thoughts anyway Rog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
barclaycon 569 Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 It's a dump. It has been for a long time. What a dreadful way to introduce people to the city - walking from the bus station and train station through Broadmarsh. The planners need to re-think the whole thing. Try and make that thoroughfare a pleasant experience. I think the standard 'shopping centre' model is out of date, and if they spend the millions that they've proposed then they need to be a bit more imaginative than just tarting it up. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
poohbear 1,360 Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 The planners need to re-think the whole thing. Too many shops...only so many slices in a cake. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DaveN 1,118 Posted December 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 I remember when I was a kid we used to go to the old broadmarsh bus station to catch a Barton's bus to visit my grandmother who live in Wilford. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan 14,793 Posted December 5, 2014 Report Share Posted December 5, 2014 "Mendled" my way through Broad Marsh the other day after hearing about this outfit . http://www.reglazemyglasses.com/pricing-guide.html Was most impressed with their service & prices. Result, new specs on order ! They will even fit new lenses in to your old frames too. How many opticians will do that ? Not many, if any. Then called at "Chuck's Wagon" cafe on the upper level, I had one of the best bacon & tomato cobs in years ! A quick tour of the pound shops & that was it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mary1947 2,079 Posted December 5, 2014 Report Share Posted December 5, 2014 I agree with barclaycon Broadmash centre is a dump and what a way to introduce new comer's to our city. After moving out of the city I mostly come in by bus urrrrrr what a horrible approach to our city I am on of course to coming up Alfreton Rd near Canning Circus. Shop's boarded up building's falling down ect. Next time you go to Canning Circus and down/up Alfreton Rd, just take a look what a mess! they used to say Narrow marsh/ Broad marsh St Ann's were slums but I think this part of the city beats it. It needs all pulling down and rebuilding. What as happened to THE QUEEN OF THE MIDLANDS? 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TBI 2,351 Posted December 5, 2014 Report Share Posted December 5, 2014 Cliff Ton #15 I agree the ambience of the centre was very good from a shopper perspective, and it was brighter as you say, because it had daylight from the ceiling windows along its length. The issue was simply that the shop tenants weren't making any money and rents were high. I speak though from a retailers' point of view, working in the centre for the first three years of it's opening and then more years than I care to remember in the city centre. From the off, many stores weren't hitting anything like the expected footfalls. Two of the biggest, the Co-op and the Sainsburys struggled into the eighties before calling it a day. Broad Marsh became more and more of a cut-through from the bus station, up Listergate to the city centre, and the upper mall 'rat-run' up to Vic Centre via Bridlesmith Gate. It's decline has always been in sharp contrast to the prosperity of of the Victoria Centre which still goes from strength to strength. Having said that I personally hate it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
poohbear 1,360 Posted December 5, 2014 Report Share Posted December 5, 2014 If you build mega stores that sell everything and are the equivalent of 50/100 smaller shops...Why are we surprised when we see streets of boarded up shops?? I've never understood the point of EC grants and the like being pumped into run down areas to tart them up...you may as well chuck the money down the nearest drain. Planners want to retain the character of areas to make them attractive to live in...but whats the point if the commercial guts of an area have been sold down the river?....You just finish up with a souless area swamped in Chinese Chippys and pizza shops...dead during the day and reeking with the stench of curry at night. Wipe them out and build housing with just a few convenience stores....You don't see pubs being kept open when the trade has dried up....so why shops? THERE ARE TOO MANY SHOPS 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Limey 242 Posted December 5, 2014 Report Share Posted December 5, 2014 Poohbear has a good point, but I would add that I think some of the decline is also due to the proliferation of car ownership. It is easy to get in your car and drive to the local ASDA or Tesco to do the vast majority of your shopping. If neighborhoods USED the local stores instead of getting in the car, the shops would prosper and proliferate! As long as we cater to the car owner, this situation will not improve. We have a similar situation in the US where the old "downtown" areas are dying and folks tend to blame the likes of Wal Mart (ASDA). Problem is, those stores are cheap and they have massive parking lots - and people will vote with their wallets! Lets make it easier to use public transport, and harder to park at the superstores and things "may" slowly change for the better! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan 14,793 Posted December 5, 2014 Report Share Posted December 5, 2014 Who in their right mind would shop at the local convenience store & pay rip-off prices ? Limey is quite correct, people will vote with their wallets. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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