Chester Cross and Eastgate Street

Image: © John S Turner Taken: 6 Jun 2007

This is a repeat of a photo taken by Pauline Eccles in 1976, and is the view along Eastgate Street as seen from the top of a flight of steps from Watergate Street up to Watergate Row – see Image It is interesting to see what changes have occurred in the last thirty years. The basic layout of the Cross and Eastgate Street hasn’t changed, however, moving clockwise round the photo: The car is missing because the streets are now pedestrianised during the middle of the day, and the road surface is now stone blocks with no white lines. There is now a black plastic waste bin on the pavement and on the very edge of the photo there is a fingerpost directing tourists to the local attractions. High above the signpost and attached to the wall of the Victoria pub is a CCTV camera looking along Eastgate Street. In front of the steps to St Peter’s Church and Ecumenical Christian Centre there is a bench, and there are more benches along the south wall of the church. At the end of the benches a classic red phone box has appeared. The ‘turn left’ sign, above where the phone box is now, has gone as vehicles are no longer allowed to cross the paved Cross area. Ratners shop, on the corner of Northgate Street, has been replaced by H Samuel, and above it the most significant change to the buildings is that the hidden alley and area known as the Dark Row has been opened up in keeping with the other ‘Rows’ - see Image for the view from inside this new Row. Various other indistinct changes have taken place along Eastgate Street with changes to signage and shops, pedestrianisation, benches, small trees, a kiosk, and the City Council’s advertising banners hanging down partly obscuring the view of the Eastgate. On the right, in the near foreground, the sign advertising Beresford Adams and sons (Estate Agents) has been re-branded to show a modern ’B’, and the stylish eagle-headed bracket has sprouted pigeon proof spikes; and lastly, nearest to the camera, the gentlemen’s hairdressing salon sign has gone to be replaced by one for the Countrywide lettings agency, part of the Beresford Adams business.

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