Prince of Wales, Churchill Square

Image: © Simon Carey Taken: 30 Jul 2006

Head north up Cannon Place then east along Clarence Square following the passage between the shopping centre and the pub. The latter until 1965 was on a street called Clarence Street, then part of Clarence Square until 1996 when that was blocked and the revamped Churchill Square extended. The original Churchill Square was one of the last open shopping centres built and opened in 1968. Initially successful, its drab grey 60s concrete structure soon became a wind tunnel and a no-go area late at night. By the mid 1980s the major shopping stores were moving out and the lower levels emptied. When Tesco departed in 1990 it was felt a revamp was desperately needed. The open pavements were covered, the levels rebuilt, the brutal offices demolished and since its reopening in 1996 has been a huge success attracting the big stores back though once inside you could be in any major shopping centre in the country. Click on the link to take you to the next picture. http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/211996

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