Hales Street

I am in favour of new buildings. As I mentioned, it's about the height. New doesn't mean good, it means it may be good or bad depending on what it is.

When I began this forum a few years ago, the intention was to create a platform on which people could exchange views on our city, help each other with questions and provide memories, etc. I was perhaps na

Succinctly put. Thank you from one who prefers civil discussion. Derek.

Well done Rob, it certainly needed saying. No need at all for this sort of language from opinionated people. Don't spoil such a brilliant site.

I would like to think that the members involved in the posts in question had become overheated and regretted the remarks on reflection.

Really? You think those terrible two storey boxes on the opposite side are better? Even those shops next to the new flats look like they could just be plonked into any of the 1930's suburbs - they're by no means special or unique. The only truly 'antique' building along there is the old school. Even the theatre that so many people lament wasn't particularly old. Are the block of flats 'obscenely gigantic' or is it that we've not kept pace, neglected the city centre and it is now ridiculously small and unsuitable for many modern uses? The Owen Owen building at the top of that street stands much taller due to the hill, and that is just an horrific blank brick wall. Perhaps we should tear down anything above two stories because they're 'gigantic' compared to the origins of the medieval city? I'm not sure I like the design of the new building and I'd prefer the square in front of the Transport Museum more built up while maybe utilising the building site as a public space and uncovering and making a feature of the river and the edge of Bablake underneath. But to castigate the new building when most of the existing buildings on that road are tatty, grotty and frankly past their sell by date it does just come across as the generic 'new = bad, old = good' mantra.

For me new = good, if it's a complementary size to existing buildings.

But if that had been the thought from the beginning of history every single building would be two storey max and basically the entire country from London to Manchester would need to be paved over to accommodate all the necessary housing, employment etc. Would a complementary sized new building, whose economic viability meant it could only be made with poor materials and less time spent on design etc. be better than a much bigger one, but whose size allowed for a much better design with quality materials? If something taller were to now be built along the rest of Hales St and up Trinity St/Burges would it be considered good, because it would be of a complementary size to this new existing building?

Hales Street yesterday Front: and back:

Great illustrations Robin. I love these old characterful buildings, still useful functioning businesses. Hard to believe someone was arguing against a person because their preference would be for a new building to be complementary to those it was going to be among.

I'm with AD here. All I see is a row of shabby old shops that look even worse than they did 50 years ago. Yes, they may be old, but I see nothing of merit in them whatsoever. They are eyesores. Old does not mean that they are necessarily worth saving. I would demolish the lot and create something worthwhile, possibly opening the area out and making the most of the River Sherbourne nearby, where people would have somewhere civilised to relax and dine.

"I would demolish the lot and create something worthwhile.." Parts of them are a lot older than they look and on a purely selfish point of view, their survival is important. While trying to determine the appearance of the old city, the first port of call was to pinpoint existing and identifiable buildings on the old maps. Several of the anchor points I used when I started this project have already been demolished and it would be harder than ever to match 21st century Coventry with its past. They are grotty buildings however, but they don't need to be and could be the basis of a pleasant social area, opening up the river. Which is the plan as far as I know.

I only remember Hales Street from my years living in the city, mainly my youth, and it always seemed a pleasant street with the Opera House, Mattersons, and useful and attractive shops. I have not seen it for many years now and so cannot envisage its present appearance. It seems a shame, from my memories of it, to lose it all, however as I no longer live in the city but am now resident in the deep south, it is not for me to say. I only hope that local opinion will come up with the best solution for this and all the rest of the ongoing development of the city.

Paintwork is the key, especially that white or cream near building. I remember when the Tollgate pub looked an absolute mess because of the neglected paintwork and being smothered with masses of plants, but I didn't think "now is the time to demolish it".