Broadgate

Great videos dougie, what a shame Primark didn't make an effort like Owen Owen used to years ago.

Oh my, just found this topic, I remember that Lyons tea place, at that time I believe it first opened for the services of all the people working during the raids, then opened to anyone, at that time we were on rationing as well, you probably know all this, but firemen, ambulance, ARPs, etc all were allowed to go to the front of the queue. Now I feel embarrassed, from 51-57 I lived in the centre of town, walked around the centre, dozen times or so a day, never took much notice, or maybe I've forgotten, hardly remember a thing, yet I know people were excited. A new town was being built, rationing had all but disappeared, new colours and designs in clothes, music was flooding in, new hairstyles, after those dreadful scarves the woman had had to wear, plenty of work, abundant opportunities, and the old Victorian ways were being eroded, everything was on the up, records and record players, washing machines, televisions, inside 'loos', things the average working man could afford. And there wasn't a better time and place to be than in Coventry.

From The Telegraph - late '70's

That's a good image Neils Yard but like MR in previous posts I am a little confused. From 1968 up to 1995 I was living and working in Birmingham so I was not around when that pic was taken. To set my head right just where would the photographer have been standing in relation to modern Broadgate? I see the new cathedral fl

I cannot troll back through all comments on this thread so this may have been asked before. Why is Broadgate so named? I know 'cause I've just read about it. Norman

The building with the barrel roofing was the Coventry City Council Municipal Staff Canteen in Derby Lane. I started working for the council in 1971 and used it regularly. It was a big place with self service counters and seated several hundred. Its location made it close to the Council House, Broadgate House (where I worked), plus many other municipal workplaces. The food was always good and extremely cheap. I recall in 1971 the main courses were 10-12p, soup 2p and a hot pudding 3p. It was clearly subsidised but many council workers were on very poor salaries then, especially the clerical staff.

Yes Norman - as Red says they are heading up to Pepper Lane - I would say you would be inside Cathedral Lanes "Shopping Centre" in todays aspect - probably just about where the entrance is to Wilkos' by my book!

Thanks for replies. I've got my head round it now. Norman

It was supposedly named after the nearby castle gate which once connected Smithford Street to High Street.

After reading through and looking at pictures in the books that were give to me in Coventry a few weeks ago, I don't think Coventry was any different to any other big developing town or city before the war, I was thinking of all the old buildings that most have been lost during the blitz but it seems they had almost gone before 1939 as very few are shown in the books I was given. I would like to upload this one photo of Broadgate in 1948 that Princess Elizabeth attended out of a collection of Photographs by Deborah Keene

^^^Count the factory chimneys!

I noticed the chimneys too Dutchman and I could not see the Princess, is that her sitting on the steps?

I'm guessing that the left most chimney might be Courtaulds at Lockhurst Lane and the next one was Courtaulds at Little Heath, Old Church Road.

Out of town supermarkets have had their part in making Coventry city centre's demise. I have now been back in Coventry for 6 months and have only been to the city centre twice. Once was to go to a lecture from fellow forumite RLCherrington and the other time was when my friends came over from France. Then it was only because the children wanted to ravage the £ shops. I found out today that couriers now deliver on Sundays. I've already had one delivery today and awaiting a second. Most of my groceries are delivered to the kitchen of my flat too. The Sunday deliveries have upset my day really. I had planned to visit RLCherrington for a coffee and a natter before she escaped back to London.