Post-war redevelopment

Coventry is not on its own in this area of constant re-development, but that serves as no excuse. A few developments might be circumstantial, but what I have seen in the last thirty years is very short sighted planning, where we dig a hole, then move it. It is even more painful now, as cuts are having to be made to the general running budgets, whilst these capital projects soak up cash that goes nowhere, only to the next spend in a few years time on some other scheme. Some of the problem may be associated with the demographics of the management. In commercial business, it is interesting to compare with a wholly owned subsidiary company, where the subsidiary dictates the role of the parent company. There might be a parallel here with Coventry. At the end of the day, the commercial parent company is restrained by its share price performance, but with Coventry it's us! The rate & tax payers, along with the citizens who lose out from the cuts. IE, We all lose out if the development does not generate additional revenue that can be audited. Not plastic accounting!

Like several of you other respondents, I have 'returned' to Cov in recent months. Dear oh dear!!! It's awful, truly awful. What's happened to OUR City? Yours very very sadly. Bad Boy.

It's not just the City Centre any more. Earlsdon Street has already become a "City Centre Mk2" and I expect the malaise to spread to other suburban high streets in the near future.

I popped into town on Saturday. Not been since the work started on Broadgate. WHAT A MESS!! I cannot believe they have cut down perfectly healthy trees and dug up what bit of grass there was for this eyesore! Yet another grey (or brown) slabbed area. When will they learn?

Why on earth are they ripping the heart out of Coventry. Shame on the powers that be. That beautiful city centre is getting smaller and smaller and those disastrous buildings distract the views of the Spires. Can't help but wonder what sort of a city council is operating there now. SHAME SHAME SHAME!!! I am glad I was there when it was all grass and Lady G, and that is the memory I will always keep.

Has ever a year passed when a 'PLAN' for the centre of Broadgate hasn't been unveiled? Do the people have to pay for these cockeyed plans? We get some great 'artists impressions' but the results are never the same as the pictures - in some cases 'thank the Lord'. How much money was spent at the back of Primark? £4 million, count it, £4 million and now they are going to re-jig it. But there again there's plenty of money - OURS!!!!! Come and give us your opinion, THEN we can ignore you!!!!! End of RANT. I think I'll have a pint and a lie down.

Just heard that it appears the Ricoh (or should that be the City of Coventry Stadium) have been awarded seven of the womens football matches - which I believe are being played two weeks BEFORE the start of the Olympics I'm all for womens football, but I don't think that the money being spent on the Broadgate development (which is largely aimed at attracting visitors during the Olympics) is going to draw huge crowds and income to the city for these matches, do you?

Sad thing is the Football Club will not make money out of it, and that's a scandal.

When the Lower Precinct, Smithford Way and Market Way were opened, there was a large store on each corner of the cross. M&S and BHS were in the same places as they are today. On the other side of Market Way to BHS was Woolworths (although there ware many smaller shops built into the Market Way side of it, including Stones (the GUS electrical chain) and Greens the photographer. Later, Woolworths sold or let the front half of their store to Boots, who moved there from the Corporation Street end of Smithford Way. On the other corner was a large furniture store, from which I purchased my first double bed, wardrobe/dressing table set and three piece suite. I think it was Maples, but I may be wrong. They were the least up-market furniture store in Coventry. Those who lived in Kenilworth Road and Anstey Road used Anslows in High Street. We bought our dining suite from Holbrooks in Hertford Street, which was just within our price range. Otherwise...

"Wades"

We bought our first dinning room suite from Wades just after we got married in 1964

Re City redevelopment when I show photos of Broadgate when I was a child to my youngest daughter and 9 grandchildren they prefer it in the 50/60s green my other two children can recall what it looked like, when I tell them how we had individual shops not large corporations only Owen Owen, M/S, BHS we had individual boutiques, shops, where we were individuals in dress etc they were envious of my youth having a choice to dress and shop knowing it was unique to other towns/cities. Why would people want to come to Coventry to shop when they can get it in their own town, as like on holidays here you would think if you picked some one up and they closed their eyes they would think when opening their eyes they were in the same place this is towns and cities allowing the big corporations to take over. My uncle came from Australia a few years ago thinking of coming back to Coventry he was very disappointed stated we are all living on top of one another here and the same with the town looking like all other cities world wide hence he said that's why he moved to Australia prior to being in Singapore as that has gone the same way, another Aunty was thinking coming back here but her children have visited here and she too will stay in Australia she used to own the wool shop in Spon End does any one recall it.

Hi all, I have been reading this site and the forums for a while and it is truely fascinating (well done Rob!). I think I meet the criteria for being a true cov kid, although we moved to Nuneaton in the 90's. I was born at Walsgrave and lived on Torcross Avenue for 15 years until we moved. I went to Wyken Croft then Caludon (2nd intake of girls!), for 8 years I was a member of the Risen Christ church choir and had the great experience of regularly singing at St Mary Magdalen's. My parents and grandparents were all born in Coventry and I would love to know if anyone knows of my family as unfortunately my father and his parents are no longer alive to ask about their history. My father was one of 7 and they were all born at 28 Kingsway, Stoke, apparently my grandfather was also born there, I think those houses were there in the 1920's? The family surname is de Main and my grandfather's house was a very stict Catholic one. My mother was a Hutt before marriage and my great great uncle was Arthur Hutt of VC fame. I have done some work on my family tree and just wish I could have the time and resources to continue this, my Hutt grandparents are both still alive living in Stoke Aldermore, in fact my mother, auntie and grandma were all born in Roundhouse Road and I have vivid memories of playing in my great grandma's anderson shelter which was still there when the house was sold in 2001. I have worked at the Coventry Building Society and Yorkshire Bank on the High Street and used to love exploring the old buildings, Yorkshires has hardly changed and the floors above are derelict. The Building Society has an amazing vault which connects with the other banks right down High Street, does anyone know much about these? The connections have been crudely sealed but it would be great to explore them and see where they lead! I now work at Coventry University in the William Morris building and I would like to know more about the history of this building, I think they have tried to save some of the original features. I walk past an old sign each morning which advises that 'tea leaves must not be poured down these drains'! I really enjoy reading through everyones posts and I hope I can contribute! Leanne

I forgot to add something. A few years back an elderly lecturer from the university died and his widow donated his entire research and literature collection to his fellow academics. I managed to fill my car boot before the rest was destroyed The lecturer must have worked in town planning and/or history as he had lots of books about the history of Coventry. I managed to salvage the City of Coventry Review Plan 1966 which contains some very interesting proposals, models, maps, plans and photo's. I'd be happy to share this further if anyone is interested? Leanne

Hello Leanne That's very interesting. I was aware of other vaults in the area but not those particular ones. I suspect they were used to store wines and spices in the days when merchants occupied most of the High Street. There are quite a few references to that building scattered around this site but essentially it began as the Hotchkiss machine gun factory, was taken over by Morris Engines and massively expanded, then gradually shrank again due to major fires and change of usage. I'm sure everyone will be interested if you could post some of them here