Hales Street

A bit depressing - it looks as though they slice the top off. It's really shabby.

Sadly it's part of the flat roof 'progress'. With the Opera House gone it was better than a derelict wasteland but it's definitely looking shabby. Given the major improvements in the area, I think it can't be long before it's either replaced or at least refurbished.

Just as a point of order. This isn't a Coventry Archives image. It came from the grandson of Appleby and was scanned at my office. The transparency was large. Interestingly, the nail bar on Hales Street has just uncovered a cellar of old bottles. It sits about on the site of the pub we see in this image.

A smashing photo Ben. 1a was H D Moore Wines and Spirits in 1955 (see below) and is now American Nails Design on the south side of Hales Street, just east of the modern zebra crossing. The building is left of the old photo above, a bit beyond the horse and cart. All the buildings from the left to the middle of that scene are now road way or pavement.

Another picture puts Corporation Street, Hales Street and Well Street into a modern scale. See how narrow Well Street was. See how far left the mock Tudor pub is.

So yes, Helen, the nail bar used to be the wine shop where mum worked some time in the 60's. Don't think she would have managed to drink all those bottles though!

When I see the builders, I'll ask for photographs. Most of the bottles were empty, so no valuable wines. I remember being shown a bottle with Friar Tuck on it, and Waters bottles.

Another new one to me looking over Hales Street with the Fire Station showing and Swanswell Gate.

That's a beaut, Neil! Early 1938, I would think, looking across the demolition rubble of the Old Hippodrome, and the laying out of Trinity Street..... and note that the newly built extra three bays on the left side of the Fire Station (1934) are in place, too. Love it!

Another good one Neil. Whenever I see the Fire Station I visualise the cobbled stones. A typical feature of dear old Cov.

A similar view to my post #205, but a bit later.

Fantastic shot of Hales Street, the Opera Picture House and the plough!

It says over the entrance "No Orchids for:" so it must be "No Orchids for Miss Blandish", which was showing in 1948. It must have been popular as it was retained for a further week.

Good shot of the entrance to the old Motor Museum including The Smithfield in the background and Dame Vera Lynn who was opening the 'Blitz Experience' exhibition, 14th November 1990.