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They're a little bit behind :Shock: and they keep changing their minds about what's going to be there.

 

Broad Marsh Centre is still open but with improvement works going on.

 

The work is to build a new Bus station and to extend Broad Marsh shopping area.

Closing Collin Street to traffic and paving it over.

New car park, Central Library and lots of other developments in the surrounding area.

 

 

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Eric’s shoe shop was next door to Flints newsagents which was owned by my wife’s grandparents. The shops here did very well as they got a lot of footfall from Players factories.

Indeed. A much better looking building than the 60s monstrosity which replaced it.

Looking at those photos of Maid Marion Way brought back memories of Brentford Nylons. Whilst searching through some drawers recently I came across some of their products. Several sheets, pillow cases

Thanks Stuart. It certainly didn't look as though it would be finished any time soon when I was there a few weeks ago....in fact, there didn't seem to have been any change since I was last there in October!

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On 6/8/2019 at 1:40 PM, Bilborough Girl said:

 Does anyone know what the intended outcome of all that construction work is, when it's intended to be finished and if Broad Marsh Centre will ever open again?

 

This is the official Council Propaganda version of what will happen. I'm not convinced it won't turn out to be a massive white elephant.

 

https://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/media/456785/broadmarsh-artists-impressions.pdf

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Effectively the Broad Marsh centre blocked off the route to Trent Bridge and I am sure it was a factor in the awful destruction of Arkwright Street. West Brigeford is flourishing and the Trent is a lovely place to be. How stupid was it to close off a perfectly functioning road which was the main route to the river and the football and cricket grounds. Furthermore, I could imagine that Arkwright Street could have been a street of boutique shops and curio places, micro pubs and a delight to walk along. 

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Similar to the Shambles in York, or The Lanes in Brighton !

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18 hours ago, mercurydancer said:

I do miss Sisson and Parker. I recall the beautiful staircase. Second only to the Co Op 

As I recall there was also a beautiful staircase in Griffin and Spalding ( now Debenhams) but it seems to have disappeared.

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30 minutes ago, philmayfield said:

I always got lost in Griffin and Spalding's. Not a shop to easily get out of if there was a fire!

I have always got lost in that shop too, still do and invariably have to ask an assistant where to find different departments so I rarely venture in what is now Debenhams.  The whole interior needs gutting, there are too many steps and sloping creaky floors.  

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Given the financial state of Debenhams I doubt they'd spend millions on levelling it out, if they own the building.

If it's owned by others, then Debenhams wouldn't be able to justfiy the massive rent increase.

 

That building will be destined for a few small shops with many luxury flats above it.

 

The 9 flats above Wheeler Gate Sainsbury started from £160k when they were converted. (building not owned by Sainsbury)

There's probably potential for 50 or more .

 

 

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1 hour ago, philmayfield said:

I always got lost in Griffin and Spalding's. Not a shop to easily get out of if there was a fire!

 

I always had the same problem with Pearsons on Long Row. A lot of small spaces on different levels; holes knocked through walls to connect one old building with another, and a couple of steps up or down; and quite a few departments with no windows or daylight.

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Pearsons were one of my old firm's audit clients back in the 60's. If you thought it was a rabbit warren in the shop you should have seen it backstage! They bought the old AB Gibson premises and it eventually went through to Parliament St.

.

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Back as far as the 1960s I often had the thought "what if there's a fire" when I was in Griffins! It was such a rabbit warren that people would have a job to find their way out. I was in there a few weeks ago and lo and behold, I STILL couldn't find my way out! Is it a listed building? I have a recollection of being told, or once reading, that the shop consists of a series of wealthy merchants' town houses knocked through to join them up. Certainly, if you stand in the Square and look at the architecture, that could be their origin. It would also explain the higgledy-piggledy interior layout.

 

The buses to Bilborough had their terminus outside Pearsons in the 1970s. It was a lovely shop.

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It's had the creaking irregular floorboards as long as I can remember. Everything does seem so scattered I'm afraid.

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Mrs PP worked at Pearsons in the 60's and confirms that the offices were a bit of a warren. She found it an interesting place to work but not as good as Home Breweries. She was a S/H typist- million words a second :biggrin:

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Was it Pearson's that used to have a large music section and sold Hammond and other organs? My Dad used to love going in there to browse and he eventually bought an organ of his own (second hand though, not from Pearsons).

 

I remember Selectadisc too, I bought quite a few albums from there.

 

Also I remember the man who worked in menswear at the Co Op. He had the mannerisms of Mr Humphries in Are You Being Served!

 

Another shop I remember was the first supermarket to open at the far end of the Victoria Centre, I think it was called Scan (?). I had a Saturday job there collecting trolleys but I only lasted a few weeks as I had trouble steering them in a straight line!

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18 minutes ago, AlanB said:

I remember Selectadisc too, I bought quite a few albums from there.

 

I spent a fortune in the various Selectadisc shops over the years.

 

And I remember - but had forgotten - Scan in Vic Centre. It didn't seem to last very long.

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I remember Scan in Viccy Centre. It was taken over by Tesco, I think. 

 

Scan was the first supermarket in my expeerience to have a full in-store bakery and it was almost worthwhile going there to sniff the bread being baked.

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