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A few weeks ago someone (I think it was taxiray) mentioned a new book about the history of Maid Marian Way. I've finally got a copy and it has a lot of photos I've never seen before (and also not on Picture the Past). Here's a couple of examples.

 

The road going left-right is Friar Lane, and you can see the gable end of the Salutation in the gap between the buildings

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Granby Street, which became the top end of Maid Marian Way. The building on the right is now the Park Plaza hoteleUZj556.jpg

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A Maid Marian Way Before-and-After, with three reference points which have survived; the bandstand in the Castle; St Nicholas' church; the old Radio Trent building.

What these pictures of MMW fail to do, unfortunately, is to give any idea of the proximity of the Castle. Non-Nottinghamians may not realise that only a few metres away are buildings of major historic

There's no doubt that someone was determined to ruin Nottingham and they certainly succeeded. Had they been prevented, we'd now have a city to rival York and Chester. Sheer vandalism!

Great pictures. Thanks for posting them too.

The picture of Granby Street is particularly nostalgic to me.

You can see the NCT clocks where the numbers 13,56 and 60 buses used to leave from for Bilborough. That bus in the picture might be a number 56.

When we'd been into town we used to walk up the alley (what was it called?) past those huge lamps outside the Imperial up to Granby Street to catch the bus home to Elstree Drive at the bottom of Hollington Road.

Last time I walked up past The Imperial in 2007 those huge lamps had gone. Can't remember if it's still called The Imperial even.

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That alley referred to was/is St.James Street, as is I think "the other half of it" higher up over Maid Marion Way. Interesting to not the fashions in that last photo, the women are well dressed, elegant even with gloves, handbags etc, and not a pair of leggings in sight! whilst the chaps all seem to be wearing suits plus one in a trilby type hat, early 1960's?

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early 1960's?

Spot on. According to the book 1963.

whilst the chaps all seem to be wearing suits plus one in a trilby type hat,

And nobody with hats/caps which are facing backwards or twisted sideways

When we'd been into town we used to walk up the alley (what was it called?) past those huge lamps outside the Imperial up to Granby Street to catch the bus home to Elstree Drive at the bottom of Hollington Road.

Last time I walked up past The Imperial in 2007 those huge lamps had gone. Can't remember if it's still called The Imperial even.

Like Ashely said, not so much an alleyway, just a narrow road which was split in half by Maid Marian Way The place isn't called the Imperial any more but I couldn't tell you what it's called now

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The Imperial is now called the Roebuck, it is a Wetherspoons pub.

Wetherspoons normally call the pub after something or someone that is assosciated to the pub, so I wonder why it is called the Roebuck.

i thought the Imperial was a little higher up St james Street than The Roebuck? I may be totally wrong but thought the latest name was Bla Bla Bar?

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i thought the Imperial was a little higher up St james Street than The Roebuck? I may be totally wrong but thought the latest name was Bla Bla Bar?

Having said that I've just been on the Roebuck's site and it says

'Almost opposite this Wetherspoon pub is the former Malt Cross Music Hall. Built in 1877, the music hall occupied the site of the Malt Cross public house, originally the Roebuck, first recorded in 1760' so that may be the Roebuck connection.

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i thought the Imperial was a little higher up St james Street than The Roebuck? I may be totally wrong but thought the latest name was Bla Bla Bar?

I thought it was a bit further up as well, such as Bla Bla; or even further along where there is/was some kind of Australian bar.

Which one was (or is) the Newshouse up there?

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I thought it was a bit further up as well, such as Bla Bla; or even further along where there is/was some kind of Australian bar.

Which one was (or is) the Newshouse up there?

I think Newshouse was even further up. I used to work on 7th floor above Lloyds bank until 1986 at Royal Insurance. it was still The Imperial and The Newshouse then. I think the Imperial then changed to something very Russian orientated .Google streetview doesnt go up there so thats no help. I can only remember by the fact that The imperial seemed to stand back whereas Roebuck stands forward (if you get what i mean!) and then Newshouse further up stood forward again (the build line). The Australian bar is the 'Up and Down under' but no idea where it is

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Ah yes, Im glad i wasnt going daft! Im sure The imperial was the one next to Roebuck then. I seem to think The Roebuck was a warehouse of some sorts.

 

but the Roebuck isnt the old Newshouse, that was definitely much further up. I think Roebuck was a warehouse of sorts

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i dont remember it being called this......must have been during my 'bringing up children years' of the 90s. Didnt frequent the pubs much then!!

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I think Suzy is right, the Imperial is now Bla Bla Bar.

The wetherspoons is the old Newshouse.

The Roebuck is definitely the Wetherspoons pub, upside of that as mentioned is the Bla Bla Bar (The Imperial) and finally above that is the former Newshouse which is a an Australian-themed pub/sports bar named the Up and Down Under Bar. The Malt Cross is directly opposite the Roebuck. There was an interesting piece on the history of The Malt Cross recently on Leftlion: http://www.leftlion.co.uk/articles.cfm/title/a-potted-history-of-the-malt-cross/id/3879 Apparently designed partly with the idea of it housing an ice rink!

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The Roebuck occupies the building that was once a wholesale warehouse dealing in floor coverings.

Between The Imperial and the News House was J Hardy and Co. Ltd, wholesale furnishers. There were (are) caves under J.Hardys which were used as stockrooms for rolls of lino etc. Until the late 50's or early 60's the caves used to connect to the Salutation.

The caves under the Newshouse were used as the beer cellar, and I would imagine there might still be caves under The Roebuck.

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I thought the Imperial was the old "Crusader" steak bar, ate there a few times when the wife and me were courting.

Also didn't "Hounds Gate" use to run right up to the castle before it was cut by "Maid Marrian Way". Can't believe I don't remember exact anymore.

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Also didn't "Hounds Gate" use to run right up to the castle before it was cut by "Maid Marrian Way".

Yes it did and still does. Hounds Gate exists in two halves; the one from St Peter's Square up to Maid Marian Way, then the other half from MMW up to Castle Road. (And Castle Gate does the same thing)

A brilliant demonstration of the vandalism of the 60s

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I don't recall the building of Maid Marion Way, or really what was there before it? If going into town via Radford Rd route it was always down to the market square then "go again from there" do recall visiting the castle (and the general/eye hosp. once than once) but still can't recall the coming of the MM. One place I do remember in that area and still know the address was Minerva House Spaniel Row, those of a certain age will know why? but do any recall where the car tax/driving licence offices were before that?

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Although we look now at the modern buildings with distaste, back when we were young we didn't give a monkeys, I worked on the Albany hotel at the top of Maid Marian Way as I have already mentioned in another thread. To coin a phrase from "saturday night and sunday morning" "I was out for a good time and all the rest was propa ganda"

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One place I do remember in that area and still know the address was Minerva House Spaniel Row, those of a certain age will know why? but do any recall where the car tax/driving licence offices were before that?

Not sure if it was before or after, but it was on Talbot Street. Another site for car tax that didn't have car parking...brilliant!

I also remember people filling out the forms staring at a sign on the wall because they didn't know how to spell 'Department of the Environment' ....another fancy name for a tax department. :glare:

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Just spent a little while messing around Google Earth to find the place I remember going to with my dad to get his tax disc (I may have gone there for an early one for myself too ) and find Pooh already put it , Talbot Street it was.

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