Grand Arcade these days notso

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Thu 05 Jan, 2012 4:45 pm

Wrong end of town?As a kid we were taken to see the Clock which was a wonder to behold. Don't think it works now, may I grumble about that?

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Thu 05 Jan, 2012 4:48 pm

Jogon wrote: Wrong end of town?As a kid we were taken to see the Clock which was a wonder to behold. Don't think it works now, may I grumble about that? Said clock I think can be seen herehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/phill_dvsn/441860149/You mean that one Jogon?

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Thu 05 Jan, 2012 5:35 pm

That is the one, barely visible in this shot is the cockerel up above the main clock.

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Thu 05 Jan, 2012 5:41 pm

I'll post a few photos of those hidden characters later tonight. It must be years since they've come out from behind those doors.

buffaloskinner · Post by **buffaloskinner** » Thu 05 Jan, 2012 7:13 pm

There used to be a Pet shop on the left as you walked down, used to look and wait in there for the hour to strike.Its a crying shame that these pieces of art no longer work

buffaloskinner · Post by **buffaloskinner** » Thu 05 Jan, 2012 7:20 pm

Here are a couple of behind the clock scenes from Leodis[img]http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL[/img][img]http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL[/img]

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Thu 05 Jan, 2012 7:25 pm

P.34, City Lights by Keith Waterhouse mentions this, the inscription has been dumbed down a tad and the clock doesnt work and the figures aren't moving.

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Thu 05 Jan, 2012 7:31 pm

I mourned the passing of the pet shop, but never spent any money there. I did spend money in the fishing tackle shop (bottom right) and Blacks Camping (used to be lower middle left). Then the YHA Shop (bottom left) which used to be a gents hairdressers mid 70's, and I also used the (Waldrens?) Bedding shop top right.There is still in there the trophy shop where you can, well, buy trophies either for sports clubs or for home use to make it look like I'm good at something.Currently there is a pleasant coffee shop/cafe thing mid right.Dont forget to look at the lovely Vicar La frontagehttp://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2717471

Tasa · Post by **Tasa** » Thu 05 Jan, 2012 8:51 pm

I agree that the arcade looks very sorry for itself these days and it's a shame that the clock is at a standstill.Just a couple of memories of the arcade when I lived in the city centre as a child in the 1960s:I used to feel sorry for the animals in the pet shop window because they used to cower every time the door banged shut! I remember the "menagerie" at the back of the shop for which you had to make a small donation before you could go and view the animals and fish.My Dad's friend, Mr Przewozny (answers on a postcard for the correct pronounciation!), owned the jeweller's shop in the arcade just at the halfway point where the arcade of shops split. This photo on Leodis shows the shop sign saying "High Class Repairs" (on the left, about halfway up).http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL

Post by **chameleon** » Thu 05 Jan, 2012 9:15 pm

Jogon wrote: Wrong end of town?As a kid we were taken to see the Clock which was a wonder to behold. Don't think it works now, may I grumble about that? You together with everyone of a certain age - or more Even my children recall trying to ensure we were nearby at an appropriate time to stand wait watch and listen.Perhaps the demise of the arcade is in part due to the greater emphasis on the retail trade being further down towards the Corn Exchange and with the closure of the bus station, far less cause to pass that way?