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I think we need to be careful what we wish for. Going back to what was is a wistful idea but not one that would necessarily work.

We all like a little nostalgia but realistically how relevant would rebuilding Drury Hill be? The shops would be small ‘boutique’ here today gone tomorrow type and hardly likely to afford city centre rents and rates. It would not be long before the howls of protest about access and congestion started and the council castigated for agreeing to a stupid idea.

 

Carrington Street could be remade quite easily but why, to what end? City planners are determined to pedestrianise the centre so how much use would there be having an arterial road direct to the Market Square?

 

In the programme it mentions building using more ‘traditional’ methods – never going to happen – far too expensive to build and maintain.

 

Pianoman mentioned Dresden but the comparison doesn’t stand up. Dresden is a much bigger city with a dramatically lower population density, nor, with the exception of a few buildings, did they rebuild ‘as was’. The avenues and boulevards of Dresden are huge with modern apartment blocks everywhere.

 

We hate the ‘malls’ but use them anyway. Who wants to go back to going from shop to shop lugging bags of shopping before trekking off to the tram or bus stop? Since the 70’s the population pf Nottingham has more than doubled. What was viable then would not be fit for purpose now and building for ‘now’ would be short sighted.

 

At the end of the day the council will decide and there’s almost nothing anyone can do about it, I have little faith in their ‘public consultation’.

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At the end of the day the council will decide and there's almost nothing anyone can do about it

 

It's the developers who will decide. The City is too broke to contemplate fighting a vastly expensive appeal in the High Court; especially if you have an SoS like Robert Jenrick who invariably favours the developers.

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Who wants to go shopping in the city with all the hassle of carrying things to the ‘bus or car? Shopping may be a pleasure for some people but, since the lockdowns, I’ve much preferred having stuff delivered to the door. There are certain things like fresh foods that are better selected in a shop of course. Looking at the recent queues for Primark there are still a lot of enthusiastic shoppers out there!

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42 minutes ago, bamber said:

It's the developers who will decide

Not in this case, ownership has reverted back to the council I believe and it will be a council decision who they choose for the contract.

The Chinese took a huge chunk of a similar situation in Bolton, how much input they will have remains to be seen. Maybe NCC will go the same way though it will probably cost oodles to the taxpayer the same as the tram...

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  • 1 month later...

Interesting reading - and photos.

 

I'd pick fault with them on one point.....the caption to their first photo says "Shops in the streets beyond are thriving".  No way is that correct. The streets all around Broad Marsh are an extreme ghost town.

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I don't know who thought the city needed a 2nd indoor shopping centre.  If I remember correctly, Victoria Centre was still fairly new when they started BM. I guess they thought, if one was good, 2 were better. It never did take off, and a quick turnaround in a lot of shops. I never liked it, myself, and only shopped at BHS. 

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CT, that building to which you refer, isn't that the one where you could buy snooker cues, among other things?

I'm only guessing, as it was back in 1963 ish when I bought mine. Went down there with a mate ( Alan Roberts) from Bilborough depot.

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Unfortunately not., it is over 50 years ago. The only thing I'm reasonably sure of, is that it's a  well known name. So well known I can't remember it !

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Thanks for the post Stuart, that was a great reminder. Elston & Hopkin brings it all back. 

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I've learned something about Elston & Hopkins.

 

The name rang a bell and reading Stuart C's link, they had a snooker hall on Goldsmith Street which is where I remember seeing their name. But they also had a workshop on Canal Street which is presumably what Beekay remembers.

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  • 1 year later...

Surely it's about time they did something with this blot on the landscape, even if it's only to use it for bomb practice. 

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  • 3 months later...

Fear not Beekay, work is due to start next year,,

 

https://westbridgfordwire.com/the-uks-longest-bench-to-be-part-of-broad-marsh-green-heart-development/?fbclid=IwAR3OPsDz4H4u2wbd-Jc_mcyvUqtiueomoF88WUOr2FsJzvdmsKhsnem5UC4

 

However I'm not convinced that the longest bench in the U.K is going to be such a good idea.

It'll be perfect for cyclists, both pedal and electric, scooterists, skateboarders, skaters, freerunners to do stunts on and off and come nightfall a good place for some of the homeless to sleep on.

It may also prove to be a good place for drug dealing etc.

And if there's any room left maybe a few people could actually sit on it.

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