Victoria Centre

[steve banting 0]

I had to go into a certain establishment on Glasshouse Street to have an 'Ailment' attended to. When I came out a great cheer went up from the builders on the Vic. Centre site.

[Ashley 288]

We used to be able to get on roof of VC, great view all round, but good also when foggy as like flying above the clouds, Top (26th) Floor had totally obscured glass near the lift where someone jumped out from 1976 onward, over the years this window replacment got progressively lower! first 25th then 24th etc, remember a "fuss" one day and on 4th floor roof garden a body was covered with a sheet, a WPC had part of his leg,(knocked off when he hit a window sill part way down) in a plastic bag!

[RockitRon 2]

I had a flat in the Victoria Centre from 1979 to 1981. 10th floor at the back, looking out on to Huntingdon St and up Woodborough Road.

Mine was of the 2-bedroom variety (although, unlike almost everyone else, I didn't share with anyone or have any unofficial lodgers!). It was very spacious - main bedroom had a built-in wardrobe, the kitchen was bigger than in many 3-bedroom houses then, and now, with loads of cupboard space.

It was always warm (heat presumably rising from below) and the only time I really needed to use the hot-air system was when it snowed outside. Naturally those were the days the system broke down. Hot water was also supplied by the system, so I did use it, but I frequently got a refund because I never used the monthly standard DD charge.

Tales abounded of people jumping off various levels, and of residents of the 26th floor having to hold on for dear life when the wind blew, but I never actually witnessed anything of the sort.

[mariag 4]

I lived on the 4th floor (cannot remember exact years but around 1989) Yes it was very warm - directly above the shop floor. I guess you were in before the flats had a security system? I had friends on the 26th floor and no it didn't sway but they were a lot colder and suffered with damp. Since I left there many years ago they have had the windows done.... they were really needed cos they were filthy without any chance of cleaning them!

I really enjoyed my time in the flat...... great for rolling back after a night out.

[Ashley 288]

I must have been in both your flats! we visited them all once a year to carry out a service, must have been about 5 suicides that I recall, remember one woman landed on the old bus station roof! another only just missed one of the caretakers, you had to take care on the roof garden (4th floor) as people chucked all sorts out the windows, only thing that hit me though was contents of a teapot! Do you remember Hendrix the window cleaner? he used to climb half out the sliding windows to get to the other one, one day someone saw him, thought he was going to jump and police and all sorts came! There were in later years lots of gays living there and it got the nickname of The Fairy Castle

[mariag 4]

Fairy towers - hated getting in the lift with any butch looking women! I remember a very good looking security guy (real eye candy) who worked in the security which the office was on 4th floor not you I take it Ashley? LOL! Yes, the roof garden was littered with folks rubbish that was thrown out of windows from all floors.I remember there being mice as well scuttering about on that roof garden.

[Ashley 288]

"(real eye candy) who worked in the security which the office was on 4th floor not you I take it Ashley?"

cheek! why ever not! lol, no that was in later years, do remember going into old office was it flat 4.16? to collect keys to do a job and girls in office were going on about this bloke who lived in this flat, how both fancied him, as it was this bloke was in, big blond guy, I think Swedish and pro piano player, also bent as nine bob note!

[Fynger 841]

Hendrix the window cleaner

He's still wandering around Ilkeston....see him quite often.

[mariag 4]

"(real eye candy) who worked in the security which the office was on 4th floor not you I take it Ashley?"

cheek! why ever not! lol, no that was in later years, do remember going into old office was it flat 4.16? to collect keys to do a job and girls in office were going on about this bloke who lived in this flat, how both fancied him, as it was this bloke was in, big blond guy, I think Swedish and pro piano player, also bent as nine bob note!

It certainly sounds like same guy - muscular, blonde/fair hair - didn't know he was swedish or a piano player???? Thought he was called something non swedish like Paul? Sure he wasn't gay as he used to eye us ladies up in lycra and rubber, thigh length boots - yikes already said too much.... do NOT wear any of that anymore mind..... he WAS real eye candy but at the time more into long haired make up wearers - sadly! I lived 4- 10 flat

[Ashley 288]

no, didn't work there was a resident, I'm saying gay, fact bathroom full of framed paintings of nude blokes a bit of a give away? talking of "kinking clothing" on another key left job there was a suspender belt and pair of sheer fully fashioned black nylons hanging in an airing cupboard, I had to move such to get at the water tank, I thought I've just got to meet this woman! so went back to "check for leaks" only to be greeted by older lady in full Salvation Army outfit!

[radfordred 6,104]

The District Heating system is still in use - it feeds the Viccy Centre and the Nottm Trent. If you go into the Red car park there is a door into the old railway tunnel and the pipes come into the centre there. Large rats down there though!

The doors were open but there's no one in?

[Guest]

Witnessed the demolition of the station and Taylor Woodrow's building of Victoria Centre.

There were a number of booths near the side entrance to the downstairs market. John Winfield ran the paper shop one,there was a heel bar and a hippy type jewellery booth.

Next to Western Jean Company was a boys outfitters called Orange Hand.

I had a girlfriend that worked in Wimpys.. wasn't it near Miss Selfridge then?

Hippo mentioned Loons in an earlier post.. I'll Leave It was a shop for those.

Scan,Lord John,Etam,Peter Lord,Chelsea Girl ,Cecil Gee,Jeff's were a few that lasted..the pink and turquoise refit in the late 80's killed it for me...what was that food court all about?

[Cliff Ton 9,519]

I took this is 2005 and it's surprising how much has changed in just over 10 years.

 

The entrance to Vic Centre has been completely changed and remodelled; the road & traffic layout is different; on the left up Mansfield Road, York House has been demolished; and the photo was taken from Trinity Square car park which is no longer there.

[sue B 48 1,224]

Where are all the Buses?, you can't move for them now.

[Cliff Ton 9,519]

Good question !    I'm fairly certain I took the photo quite early on a Sunday morning, which would partly explain it.

[denshaw 2,764]

5 past 2 if the clock was working.

[Cliff Ton 9,519]

I hadn't noticed that before, Den !  

 

I've looked back at my original and it definitely was taken in the morning, so the clock was wrong when the photo was taken.

[LizzieM 9,056]

Road-marking going on at the time, possibly changing the road layout as you took the photo CliffTon. 

[Guest]

Went for an IQ test and interview to join the RAF near Halfords.

Was the pub Blueberry's then? Think my Dad had a snap of Cassius Clay outside Vic Hotel..

[Cliff Ton 9,519]

2 hours ago, LizzieM said:

Road-marking going on at the time, possibly changing the road layout as you took the photo CliffTon. 

.....although it's changed again since then, because these days all traffic coming down Mansfield Road has to turn right into Shakespeare Street to go the complicated way round.

 

1 hour ago, iandawson said:

Was the pub Blueberry's then? 

No, but I remember it when it was Blueberry's. I went in that place quite often in the late 70s - mid 80s.

In 1978 it was still The Regent; became Blueberry's around 81 or 82; became Ledger's around 85 - 86; and I've lost track of its names and never been in it since those days.

[Guest]

Victoria House, looks a little tired in the photo, do recall Price Waterhouse being in there...they floated a company that went bust i worked for.

[Guest]

As regards,The Mansfield Arms-started out under that name from 1894- 1973,it then became The Regent,this lasted until 1983.

Traded under the name Blueberry's from 1983-1988-renamed Ledgers  then for a time it was Bensons,and now Keogh's.

My mates Dad ran it..Leonard, Irish fella..he went onto run The Wilberforce..which had a strange spirits law.

Ivor Thirst..neon was on the gable end of Mansfield Arms.

When Lynda La Plante's Widows was on the box there was a search in the TV series for dead criminal Harry's ledgers containing info on ' jobs'

Got off the 18 one morning some bright spark had sprayed HARRYS in front of Ledgers.

[MargieH 7,221]

This last weekend when I was in Nottingham with some of our family, we went to the Victoria Centre as I wanted to show our grandchildren the water clock.  My son had already told his little lad (our 6 year old grandson) that the water made the clock work, but when we got to it, the little lad immediately noticed that the stream of water was missing the 'paddles?' on the wheel that was turning.  He decided that it must therefore be an electric clock and not a water clock ..... "out of the mouths of babes".  He still threw a coin in the water and made a wish which he later said was that "Father Christmas will tell daddy some winning lottery numbers!"   

[Jill Sparrow 9,258]

#73

 

I had no idea the Emmet water fountain was still there. I remember walking through the Victoria centre on an almost daily basis many years ago and the clock was always playing that irritating piece by a Scarlatti or one of their contemporaries! 

 

Just realised the music was written by Rameau!

[catfan 14,756]

That's how bad it was then Jill !!