City centre shopping precincts

Yes its seems amazing that it was not just the war that destroyed some incredible areas and buildings. Even prior to then there were some sacrilegious clearances done. The Council has not changed much has it! I'm always amazed that on old photos especially from the air it's immediately obvious where the ancient clustered courts and older buildings were yet hardly any are left. The only single area I can still see standing is that section between the Burges and Palmer Lane here Anyone know exactly who or what are in them? They should be saved.

Hi to you both. A lot of people have told me over the years that it was the period between the wars that took so much of the old Coventry away. I was not around at the time, but I have drawn comparisons between places where they have retained their old character. The building of Corporation St & Trinity St were the two big examples in Coventry. At that time, tourism was not in the thinking, "Who wants to be sent to Coventry" sentiment kind of thing. Coventry was where you went to work & got dirty, not a scheme of sitting supping afternoon tea on a terrace over looking the Sherbourne flow by. I had (still have) relatives who lived in Cornwall & sometimes asked them why they came on holiday to Coventry. "To see the relatives" was the reply. I wish we could be supping afternoon tea on a terrace over looking the Sherbourne flow by. Best wishes. Pam & I enjoying afternoon teas at Sutton Cheney by the Ashby canal. Could this have been at the bottom of Trinity St. by the Sherbourne?

Dutchman, brilliant as always. I did not realise that Smithford Way was that so far advanced in 1956. I thought those shops and the Locarno were built a little bit later than that. Do you remember the big crane that they used to build the tower block in the Lower Precinct. The builders went bust, and the crane just sat there for what seemed ages.

The map is dated 1956-61 but I suspect it's closer to 1961 as the City Arms on the corner of Fleet Street and West Orchard has already been demolished. I don't remember Mercia House being built at all, Adrian, which is very strange because it was on my route home from school at the time!

Mercia House under construction, circa 1968:

Dutchman, a brilliant photo of the crane, thank you. I didn't know the building was called Mercia House. The photo shows it nearer completion than I remember it. From memory, the crane had, for a while, a bright yellow banner, displaying the name of the contractor on the jib. I agree with you, I think it would be nearer to 1961 as it clearly shows the Locarno, and I don't think that opened until late 1960. I can also remember the circular cafe first opening, and I thought that was even later than the Locarno.

Good to see Mercia House. Les and I married in Dec 1969 and moved in on the ninth floor. Our lounge room window overlooked St John's church and our bedroom window overlooked the roof top car park of the market. We considered ourselves very lucky to have such a lovely view. There was a security guard downstairs in the 'lobby' who carefully monitored the comings and goings of people. He would buzz us on the intercom and tell us who was wanting to visit us before he let them into the lift. Saturdays were busy for us as many friends and relatives who came to town would call in and leave their heavy bags to pick up later. It was exciting living right in the heart of the city then and the flats were very new and modern. A little different when we saw them last year but then they are over 40 years old. Gilly

This world is getting even smaller! We married in the September of 1969 - and looked around the flats and bedsits in Mercia House (I'm fairly certain it was also the 9th floor!) - but sadly the cost of a bedsit (£8pw) and a one bed flat (£11pw) was out of our price range You're right, the views were fabulous. We settled on a flat in Earlsdon in the end, at £5pw.

Yes, Mercia House was a very desirable location when it was first built. I was told the penthouse flat or flats were £16pw which was a huge sum of money at the time (average wage was just under £20pw and you could rent a luxury flat in Earlsdon for £8pw). Sadly it has since declined. Someone who works nearby told me the tenants are now mostly 'care in the community' types. At least the phone-box/urinals which once stood outside have been removed.

Does anyone remember the above shop? I worked there in the early 70's. I was on the fruit and veg counter for two years. I never touched the fish but I still stunk of it every day The shop has been many things since - it is next to BHS. When I pass the back of it, on the way from the car park, I can see the loading bay. I can remember being a very cold 16 year old, on icy mornings, bringing in the veg and preparing cauliflowers for display The work was hard and my feet ached, but we had a great boss and most of the staff worked well together. Outside the shop used to be the water feature that had walls around each end - and the murals which are the ones on the Herbert wall, I believe. I managed to escape shop work by studying at night school and eventually higher education - after all these years I'm pleased about that!

Certainly do Anne, and especially the smell! Mind you it was no worse than the fish market or the many independent fishmongers around the city with open fronts. I expect you were very poorly paid by modern standards as well?

Yes, the pay was bad - I can't remember how much it was, but I worked at Timpson's two doors up, when I left school at 15, and earned £4 7s 6d a week!

Anyone remember the poem 'She's window shopping' which was on a paving slab outside Boots (ex-Woolworth's frontage)? I saw with dismay that it was lying broken where the work was done in that area a few years ago. Surely it should have been saved in the museum?

Hi all During the era of this photo, M&S in Coventry stated that their turnover here in Coventry was No 4 in the UK. That lasted for over a decade. M&S always coded their stores according to trade rank. I am told that Solihul & Stratford are the top rated stores along with Fosse Park, nearest to Coventry now, Coventry has been downgraded. So much so that in those days, M&S were involved with producing a 'well being' film documentary about Coventry, but I cannot find it anywhere. I saw it once when at college in the sixties. Thank you for the photo.

I remember it being like this! What a great photo. I remember being taken to see Princess Margaret opening part of the Precinct - and some people getting paint on their clothes from the barricades!