Empty space behind the market

Hi Dutchman I remember that mysterious ramp between the butchers as a child shopping with my mum in fear of being confronted by the conger eels on the fish slabs which were at eye level to me in those days frightened to death they would come to life lol

As I recall there was no physical connection between the market and this building except for an access from the roof top car park. For many years Callow and Maddox specialized in the supply of upholstered car seats for some of the local car makers. They eventually moved to School Lane, Exhall. There was, of course the snooker club (I misspent a lot of my youth there) and I remember buying rosettes from another firm for a dog show we ran. I also used to go bowling (AMC?) but I can`t remember if that was in this building. I have a feeling it was where Argos is now.

The bowling alley (Top Rank) was on the opposite side of Rover Road, accessed from street level (up two flights of stairs) or direct from the roof-top car park

To avoid confusion, here is a map showing the general layout of buildings in the area:

Diagram showing the overlap between the circular market and Victoria Buildings at ground level:

I can also remember there being a printing company based in the building. They were possibly on the first floor, the access being in the arcade that led out of the fish market. I recall using them for a couple of jobs printing raffle tickets for our football club in the 70s.

Diagram showing the fish market at basement level:

A film on the new parking above the market and shops - Coventry 1961

There is a picture on the Mirrorpix site of Norman Wisdom Ten Pin Bowling at the Top Rank Queen Victoria Road in 1963 at the official opening

Well, Dutchman, as a kid and later on, I just used to go into the fish market and it never occurred to me it was in a different building! Thanks for that information

Another interesting link which explains what was there. It also says the Iceland are moving to the base of the flats that are being built.

I remember the plans for this site being mooted some years ago, along with a whole load of other big plans for new apartment blocks and shops and restaurants in the city centre. I think this site is just going to be boring shop units, probably low rise and cheap, as part of that 'precinct south' plan.

Hi Annewiggy That article's a great find. I see it`s dated May 2006. The sad thing is the site still stands empty nearly 8 years on. This has happened in Coventry on so many occasions where buildings are demolished with great plans promised and then we have to put up with random spaces boarded up for years which then distracts from what is actually developed i.e. Ikea and the Skydome and market (improvements)

Skydome has some useful things in it, but as a 'cityscape', IKEA/Skydome/Lower Precinct and Spon Street are... astonishingly bad. For a start, Skydome's main entrance overlooks service areas and semi-derelict backsides of Spon Street (Which never feels finished!), and IKEA has created a street that is just blank walls (Along with the Lower Precinct car park.) The whole lot stinks of cheap, poorly put together developments that have had no thought put into them - even Skydome's car park and the Arena are poorly linked. IKEA is just ridiculous and in the wrong place. It's never going to create footfall anyway. I suspect though, developing stuff when there's no real street plan results in this sort of back to front mess where the person on the ground is inconsequential and places like Spon Street are just a nuisance and get in the way of large footprint sheds. Then again, it's quite handy, as you can use these places and don't have to see the city centre. Straight off the ring road, and straight out again when you've finished. Who needs streets? (Maybe the people who would live in city centre apartments?)

That patch of land is still the current graveyard for the old market clock frame: Here she lies.......... You can get a good view of it from the IKEA Cafe....