IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Moorfoot, SHEFFIELD, S1 4PL

A fortress-like brick building, rising in tiers over the city centre. I'm sure the views from inside are lovely.

This used to emit water once upon a time

Moorfoot stands broodingly south of the city centre like a pyramid on acid or a giant orange sandcastle that has collapsed. In plan it is two irregular pentagons, built up irregularly and with irregular projections. So, all in all, pretty irregular. By the Property Services Agency, 1978. From the other side: Image It was occupied by several Government departments until 2010, and while at first glance the building looks unoccupied - the surrounding greenery is untended - it has since been partly taken over by bits of the city council.

Once a busy thoroughfare this section of The Moor was pedestrianised when the Manpower Services building was constructed in about 1977. The brickwork and some windows of that building is just visible through the foliage. The penultimate shop on the left (next door to the Yorkshire Bank) was the first location for a Virgin Records shop in Sheffield. It opened in 1973 (if I remember rightly) and many hours browsing through its racks was spent by the photographer. The listening facilities were excellent for the time with four decks feeding good quality headphones. Interestingly, considering Richard Branson's (who no one had heard of at the time) later business venture, the seating for this area was provided by cast-off airliner seats. The chaotic nature of this area sometimes led to confusion with the headphones swapped around with their cables tangled. One very memorable day this led to me taking a minute or so to find the correct pair and so being plunged into the middle of "Bittern Storm over Ulm" from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unrest_(Henry_Cow_album) in an instant I was hooked. I sat in delighted amazement, mesmerised, for the remaining 21 minutes or so of the LP's side. I bought the album and rushed home so I could play the rest.

Moorfoot stands broodingly south of the city centre like a pyramid on acid or a giant orange sandcastle that has collapsed. In plan it is two irregular pentagons, built up irregularly and with irregular projections. So, all in all, pretty irregular. By the Property Services Agency, 1978. From the other side: Image It was occupied by several Government departments until 2010, and while at first glance the building looks unoccupied - the surrounding greenery is untended - it has since been partly taken over by bits of the city council.

Looks like I should be calling it "The Department for Work and Pensions"

Taken from Thomas St

Looking down the lowest section of The Moor, the view rather interrupted by roadworks on Cumberland Street. The large office block of the government's Department for Education, Moorfoot, is in the background.

A large postbox outside what used to be a post office until fairly recently.