Towns or Cities where you were born or lived that have declined or improved over the years

[Peter Sarf]

What really drums home to me, is that - other than the larger cities, the UK's other urban areas seem to have deteriorated (or not improved) almost without exception.
It makes for depressing, but unsurprising, reading

+

Personally not driving they haven't been great for me, but given that sufficient shoppers prefer them then they are hardly a folly.

The town I went to school in, Bedford, is similar to a number of places mentioned here. Both department stores, Debenhams and Beales, have shut and are largely empty, with little hope of replacement. M&S shut a few years ago and W H Smith are about to follow. Like many other town centres, the main grocers left a while ago with just the Tesco Express type grocers remaining, but to be fair also a wide range of ethnic grocers.

The rise of the car means that many have deserted town centres for most of their shopping, using the out of town supermarkets and retail parks plus internet shopping.

Ironically, town centres like Bedford would be helped by converting the disused department stores into flats - an increased set of people within walking distance of the town centre.

The theme I see is large out of town shopping centres that most people prefer because they do have a car.
That leaves out those who do not have access to a car but they are a minority unfortunately.
"Car Culture."
This results in a lot less foot fall in town centres so they start to run down.
Also the undesirables will be the first to not have access to a car so they are concentrated in the dying town centres. Making it even nastier for the desirables that do not have access to a car.

Some town centres will make themselves niche. Attract all the non mainstream shops that sell specialist items. And blossom without the mainstream stores - BUT not perhaps generate much income in the form of business rates. So the temptation is to turn the town centre into a dormitory town has to be fended off.
(in Croydons case it is "luxury affordable housing" and hostels thus concentrating problems in the centre).
Most town centres will decay with just a few local shops.
You cannot get your hair cut on eBay but you can buy the tools to do it yourself.

So I can see the retail process being mainly large out of town centres probably drawing business from a dozen or more classic towns.
Most of the classic town centres will be irrelevant with maybe one in a dozen hanging on.

Then one day people will moan about all the pollution and the fact that public transport does not go near the out of town shopping centres.
Then the bus routes will be re-configured to suit out of town shopping.
Then the out of town car parks will be priced so as to discourage car use.
Then the out of town shopping centres will die and be replaced with flats.

Rinse and repeat.

 

[Howardh]

Saw an old photo of Bolton and my attention was drawn to a shop "Sharps' Electronics" - there used to be a myriad of those around town, Comet, Euronics, Modern Radio, Dixons, Radio Rentals too, and many independent stores all selling TV's, radios, speakers etc. All gone - why? Surely buyers want to see what they are buying first, rather than through a catalogue shop like Argos?

Even Tesco megastores had a decent display of TV's and so on, now just mobile phones! Of course in the past there was always a gaggle of men stood outside a TV showroom at 4.45pm on a Saturday! Also note the disappearance of specialist camera shops; I suppose photos taken on mobiles are as good, or even better?

The demise of those shops, many in small buildings, hasn't helped Bolton or any other town at all.

 

[dangie]

... Also note the disappearance of specialist camera shops; I suppose photos taken on mobiles are as good, or even better?

A 'proper' camera will in most cases be capable of producing 'better' results due to sensor size, lenses etc, but for most users and how the image is to be viewed, a modern mobile phone is perfectly adequate.

Also, the best camera is the one you have with you. An all singing, all dancing 'Canikon' is of little use if it's stuck at home in the cupboard, and your mobile phone is in your pocket.

 

[asw22]

Bradford is an absolute dump. It's the nearest large city to me and I make every effort to avoid going there. Definite contender for worst city in the country!

The larger places in West Yorkshire mostly seem quite run-down now, with the exception of central Leeds (and to an extent Halifax - that's not a bad town centre).

Bradford has been in decline for a long time, not helped by the loss of its main industry and geography (quite a distance from the motorway and not on a major rail link). There has been some attempts to regenerate it with CitiPark, Broadway etc and I would hope the City of Culture could help the city where I spent a significant number of my younger years.
I have also seen Leeds declining over the past 20 years, with some significant employers moving their main offices out of the city in the last 2 decades. In the past 15 years I have been through some sort of redundancy process 7 times. So Leeds now depends on retail (many closed shops in the city centre), cyclists delivering food, high property prices and increasing numbers of student flats in, or close to, the city centre (mostly for overseas students). It is now very difficult to find a job even in Leeds with lots of ghost jobs being advertised.
What we really need in West Yorkshire is a way to stimulate the local economy rather than everything being centralised within a small part of London.

 

[Yorkshire09876]

I would hope the City of Culture could help the city where I spent a significant number of my younger years.

In the year running up to the City of Culture, it seems that the done thing is to dig up most of the city centre and put down a load of block paving. I noticed it happening in Bradford last year (on the occasions when I had to go there for something), and exactly the same happened a few years back in Hull - I was over there a lot with work during the year when that was city of culture and the previous and following years. Apart from more block paving than previously, I can't say that it's had any noticeable impact on Hull (a colleague who is a lifelong Hull resident agrees), so I wouldn't expect it to do much for Bradford either.

 

[alex397]

The city of Canterbury is looking rather tired and run down now. But it still looks a lot better than most other towns and cities I see in the UK.

Like everywhere in the UK, it’s lost major department stores. BHS went, but thankfully replaced by a popular Primark. However, independent Nasons closed, and the building has been vacant since and is crumbling away. Almost opposite that is the former Debenhams, leaving an eclectic mix of buildings, but part of it is a rather beautiful 1920s Art Nouveau (ish) building with the remains of a grand staircase. Sadly some teenagers set it on fire recently, leaving it with no roof. Of course, the roof hasn’t been covered up, so the building is open to the elements awaiting its inevitable rapid deterioration. This is right in the centre of Canterbury, with one side of the building right by the Cathedral entrance.

The city also suffers quite badly with anti-social behaviour which the police don’t really have a handle on. It’s not a pleasant place to be in the evenings. A stark contrast to many continental towns and cities I visit. I’ve now resorted to making a log of all the incidents I witness or am involved in.

Despite this the city remains very busy in the centre, particulalry at weekends with visitors. In fact, there’s recently been an influx of tourists with their selfie sticks, trampling on the flower beds of Westgate Gardens. Canterbury is certainly not a ‘no go zone’ that ‘no one visits’ like some residents hilariously say. But to me it says a lot about the deterioration of Briths town centres, having a tourist hotspot with lots of students in the ‘rich’ South East also suffering. Shops are continuing to close down (and if they are replaced, it’s often a vape shop, nail bar or barbers), but it seems more effort is being put into the out-of-town retail parks. A new Next has opened at Wincheap, despite there being a large Next in the city centre - I wonder if they will soon close the city centre store?

There was also a new development opened in recent years, slightly out the city centre, with a cinema and a few bars/restaurants, which certainly won’t help.

 

[Cletus]

Who's town has had one of these? "Exciting new plan to revitalise Dover town centre" It of course involves experts and consultants, so will cost a lot and achieve nothing.

Exciting new plan to revitalise Dover town centre

www.dover.gov.uk

blah, blah, blah

Dover has been having these plans since after WW2 when the German shelling and bombing flattened half of the town.

 

[Yorkshire09876]

Who's town has had one of these? "Exciting new plan to revitalise Dover town centre" It of course involves experts and consultants, so will cost a lot and achieve nothing.

Probably quite a few will have had one of those, and very few or none of them will have delivered anything worthwhile!

Anyone remember the plans to remodel Barnsley as a Tuscan hilltop town, a couple of decades ago? That was a laugh!

 

[johntea]

Who's town has had one of these? "Exciting new plan to revitalise Dover town centre" It of course involves experts and consultants, so will cost a lot and achieve nothing.

Exciting new plan to revitalise Dover town centre

www.dover.gov.uk

Dover has been having these plans since after WW2 when the German shelling and bombing flattened half of the town.

Castleford has 24 million quid seemingly lost behind the sofa of a few council members!

We 'famously' got a new bridge over the River Aire in 2008 with a bit of help from that Kevin McCloud bloke from Grand Designs and err...not much since!

Castleford’s £24m regeneration schemes delayed as deadline extended

Major work to transform Castleford looks set to be delayed after a deadline to complete regeneration projects has been extended.
Wakefield Council secured £24m of government funding for the town centre in 2019.
It is hoped the revamp will increase visitor numbers and involves creating two of Yorkshire’s ‘premier public spaces’.

https://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/news/people/castlefords-ps24m-regeneration-schemes-delayed-as-deadline-extended-5089035

We do have two 'premier public spaces' already to welcome visitors, the derelict Poundstretcher building and the closed down Wilkos!

Transport wise however we now have excellent bus and rail station facilities so you can at least quickly escape the misery to York / Manchester / Leeds / Sheffield

I think a lot of the damage was done when Freeport / Junction 32 / Xscape opened up however just off the M62, anyone with a car will probably just visit there and have no reason to visit the town centre anyway

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Anyone remember the plans to remodel Barnsley as a Tuscan hilltop town, a couple of decades ago? That was a laugh!

Must have missed that. Were these plans announced on April 1st, by any chance?

 

[asw22]

In the year running up to the City of Culture, it seems that the done thing is to dig up most of the city centre and put down a load of block paving. I noticed it happening in Bradford last year (on the occasions when I had to go there for something), and exactly the same happened a few years back in Hull - I was over there a lot with work during the year when that was city of culture and the previous and following years. Apart from more block paving than previously, I can't say that it's had any noticeable impact on Hull (a colleague who is a lifelong Hull resident agrees), so I wouldn't expect it to do much for Bradford either.

Sadly I think the same in that it will take a lot more than some block paving / pedestrianisation to try to revive Bradford (my dad was in BRI for a few months last year so I made regular journeys from / to Leeds by train & bus so had the "privilege" of walking across Bradford as the Interchange was closed).

We do have two 'premier public spaces' already to welcome visitors, the derelict Poundstretcher building and the closed down Wilkos!

Transport wise however we now have excellent bus and rail station facilities so you can at least quickly escape the misery to York / Manchester / Leeds / Sheffield

I think a lot of the damage was done when Freeport / Junction 32 / Xscape opened up however just off the M62, anyone with a car will probably just visit there and have no reason to visit the town centre anyway

Back in the 1990s, we used to like the Ridings centre (with its glass lift and fish pond) - sadly this seems to have declined since. The library near Westgate seems fairly pleasant though.

 

[THC]

Castleford has 24 million quid seemingly lost behind the sofa of a few council members!

https://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/news/people/castlefords-ps24m-regeneration-schemes-delayed-as-deadline-extended-5089035

A common refrain where local government is concerned but not all councillors or officers are on the grift, I assure you!

What is more likely is that the funding came with stipulations for match funding, timescale etc. that cannot now be met. Construction inflation, skills shortages etc. have all impacted on delivery of many regeneration projects in recent years and this is probably no different.

THC

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Probably quite a few will have had one of those, and very few or none of them will have delivered anything worthwhile!

Anyone remember the plans to remodel Barnsley as a Tuscan hilltop town, a couple of decades ago? That was a laugh!

Off topic - but "architects" persuaded local decision makers to build an Italian style hilltop "villiage" above the 600ft contour between the 2 Rhondda Valleys - known as the Penrhys estate and blessed with both flats roofs and poor road access. Naturally often up in clouds and rain. They seemed to think it would be a mecca for the population to aspire to..........

 

[Yorkshire09876]

Must have missed that. Were these plans announced on April 1st, by any chance?

No, it was a genuine proposal!

BBC NEWS | England | Tuscan vision for Barnsley

 

[alex397]

Off topic - but "architects" persuaded local decision makers to build an Italian style hilltop "villiage" above the 600ft contour between the 2 Rhondda Valleys - known as the Penrhys estate and blessed with both flats roofs and poor road access. Naturally often up in clouds and rain. They seemed to think it would be a mecca for the population to aspire to..........

I’ve just looked that place up on Google Streetview. It’s certainly not reminding me of Italy. A post-apocalyptic Italy perhaps.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Saw an old photo of Bolton and my attention was drawn to a shop "Sharps' Electronics" - there used to be a myriad of those around town, Comet, Euronics, Modern Radio, Dixons, Radio Rentals too, and many independent stores all selling TV's, radios, speakers etc. All gone - why? Surely buyers want to see what they are buying first, rather than through a catalogue shop like Argos?

Even Tesco megastores had a decent display of TV's and so on, now just mobile phones! Of course in the past there was always a gaggle of men stood outside a TV showroom at 4.45pm on a Saturday! Also note the disappearance of specialist camera shops; I suppose photos taken on mobiles are as good, or even better?

The demise of those shops, many in small buildings, hasn't helped Bolton or any other town at all.

To add, Currys, Rumbellows and other TV rental shops that have disappeared..

Just occurred to me the main small items shops left are CEX (a haven of tech) and Cash Converters (I don't recommend). Both selling secondhand so perhaps that is where the items bought online that then people did not like end up ?.

A 'proper' camera will in most cases be capable of producing 'better' results due to sensor size, lenses etc, but for most users and how the image is to be viewed, a modern mobile phone is perfectly adequate.

Also, the best camera is the one you have with you. An all singing, all dancing 'Canikon' is of little use if it's stuck at home in the cupboard, and your mobile phone is in your pocket.

Agreed. I watched 35mm photography get more expensive as the masses migrated to compact cameras that instead used cartridges (110 & 126 for example) then to APS. In my travelling days I used to have my trusty old SLR and a cheap compact camera still using 35mm film. The idea was that the compact camera was less of a loss if broken/stolen. Many of my best photos were taken with my compact camera as that was in my trouser pocket rather than buried in a snout bag within the top of my ruc-sac on my back !. I got through three compact cameras btw.

Then along came the mobile phone which is perfectly fine as a compact camera replacement for almost all people. So the camera shops were only going to survive if they became mobile phone shops.

Bradford has been in decline for a long time, not helped by the loss of its main industry and geography (quite a distance from the motorway and not on a major rail link). There has been some attempts to regenerate it with CitiPark, Broadway etc and I would hope the City of Culture could help the city where I spent a significant number of my younger years.
I have also seen Leeds declining over the past 20 years, with some significant employers moving their main offices out of the city in the last 2 decades. In the past 15 years I have been through some sort of redundancy process 7 times. So Leeds now depends on retail (many closed shops in the city centre), cyclists delivering food, high property prices and increasing numbers of student flats in, or close to, the city centre (mostly for overseas students). It is now very difficult to find a job even in Leeds with lots of ghost jobs being advertised.
What we really need in West Yorkshire is a way to stimulate the local economy rather than everything being centralised within a small part of London.

It is very noticeable that we make very little in the UK and keep the commerce merry go round working by resorting to service industries.

In the year running up to the City of Culture, it seems that the done thing is to dig up most of the city centre and put down a load of block paving. I noticed it happening in Bradford last year (on the occasions when I had to go there for something), and exactly the same happened a few years back in Hull - I was over there a lot with work during the year when that was city of culture and the previous and following years. Apart from more block paving than previously, I can't say that it's had any noticeable impact on Hull (a colleague who is a lifelong Hull resident agrees), so I wouldn't expect it to do much for Bradford either.

Ha city of culture eh.... Croydon here - passed me by completely.

Who's town has had one of these? "Exciting new plan to revitalise Dover town centre" It of course involves experts and consultants, so will cost a lot and achieve nothing.

Exciting new plan to revitalise Dover town centre

www.dover.gov.uk

Dover has been having these plans since after WW2 when the German shelling and bombing flattened half of the town.

Ha exciting new development eh.... Croydon here and Westfield falling through and resurrected and falling through and resurrected (yawn).

I’ve just looked that place up on Google Streetview. It’s certainly not reminding me of Italy. A post-apocalyptic Italy perhaps.

I am orf to street view next.

EDIT

51.643679,-3.443287 @ Instant Street View

51.643679,-3.443287 @ Instant Street View

www.instantstreetview.com

Yup sort of reminds me of the place we stayed in at Tuscany one Christmas back in the 1990s. Converted farm house on the top of a hill, hardly accessible. On Chistmass day the snow was being blown up the hill past the windows and down the other side. Very bracing. Otherwise the sky was wall to wall blue.

I am sure the "light" is not the same in Wales as it is further South in Italy ?.
It does not look like a tightly knit small community/village.
Any painters living there yet ?.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I’ve just looked that place up on Google Streetview. It’s certainly not reminding me of Italy. A post-apocalyptic Italy perhaps.

Shall we say , it has had a lot of social problems. As a geographer will keen "urban" interests , one I ought to have visited. There is a genuine Catholic shrine nearby. Whist the valleys have little land on the valley floors , buildlng up there was either an act of great faith or extreme stupidity.

 

[Yorkshire09876]

Some town centres will make themselves niche. Attract all the non mainstream shops that sell specialist items. And blossom without the mainstream stores - BUT not perhaps generate much income in the form of business rates.

Mostly more pleasant smaller towns - this doesn't tend to happen with larger ones.

Smaller towns without a lot of specialist shops can survive with the remaining smaller ordinary shops, plus the inevitable coffee shops. These tend to be either wealthy (e.g Ilkley), or those which are the focal point for a surrounding rural area.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Mostly more pleasant smaller towns - this doesn't tend to happen with larger ones.

Smaller towns without a lot of specialist shops can survive with the remaining smaller ordinary shops, plus the inevitable coffee shops. These tend to be either wealthy (e.g Ilkley), or those which are the focal point for a surrounding rural area.

I can believe that. Towns that are not big enough to justify an out of town shopping centre. Small is beautiful ?.

 

[dangie]

Mostly more pleasant smaller towns - this doesn't tend to happen with larger ones.

Smaller towns without a lot of specialist shops can survive with the remaining smaller ordinary shops, plus the inevitable coffee shops. These tend to be either wealthy (e.g Ilkley), or those which are the focal point for a surrounding rural area.

I think there’s a difference in picturesque towns which people like to visit, compared to towns in which people wish to live. Smaller specialist shops are great for casual browsing, but useless when you need a pint of milk.

 

[Peter Sarf]

I think there’s a difference in picturesque towns which people like to visit, compared to towns in which people wish to live. Smaller specialist shops are great for casual browsing, but useless when you need a pint of milk.

I recall the Medway towns.

Strood - quite good still by the mid 1990s but not what it was back in the 1970s, sort of recovering itself maybe by 2015.
Chatham - the main shopping area which was OK last time I looked in mid 1990s but has apparently become an empty shell.
Rochester - sandwiched in between - a touristy place with touristy shops and bars/pubs. We used to frequent the nighttime entertainment there a lot in the 1980s and 1990s.
Gillingham - dying a death, I remember it looking very sad in the mid 1990s.

The blame for most of the decline in the Medway Towns was put on Hempstead Valley shopping centre. I never went there and living in Strood I would say Strood shrugged the effect off being furthest from Hempstead Valley. Gillingham on the other hand lost out big time it seems.

I left Medway in 1988. Charham is now a total mystery to me but apparently became dead on its feet in the 2010s. I suspect the redevelopment of Chatham in the 1970s hurt Strood and Rochester (assume Gillingham as well) but Hempstead Valley has in turn killed Chatham. Strood changed but is pleasant, Rochester really orientated itself towards tourism.

I have not been back since 2020 and have no urge to but I wonder if it is better than Croydon !.

 

[Barnsley]

Probably quite a few will have had one of those, and very few or none of them will have delivered anything worthwhile!

Anyone remember the plans to remodel Barnsley as a Tuscan hilltop town, a couple of decades ago? That was a laugh!

I remember it!! we thought it was so funny!
What they have eventually done to Barnsley is really good though, we are getting visitors from all over to the new Town Centre, we just need a decent Train Service, ie trains that go to where local people want to go, York would be a good start point!

 

[Ivor]

I recall the Medway towns.

Strood - quite good still by the mid 1990s but not what it was back in the 1970s, sort of recovering itself maybe by 2015.
Chatham - the main shopping area which was OK last time I looked in mid 1990s but has apparently become an empty shell.
Rochester - sandwiched in between - a touristy place with touristy shops and bars/pubs. We used to frequent the nighttime entertainment there a lot in the 1980s and 1990s.
Gillingham - dying a death, I remember it looking very sad in the mid 1990s.

The blame for most of the decline in the Medway Towns was put on Hempstead Valley shopping centre. I never went there and living in Strood I would say Strood shrugged the effect off being furthest from Hempstead Valley. Gillingham on the other hand lost out big time it seems.

I left Medway in 1988. Charham is now a total mystery to me but apparently became dead on its feet in the 2010s. I suspect the redevelopment of Chatham in the 1970s hurt Strood and Rochester (assume Gillingham as well) but Hempstead Valley has in turn killed Chatham. Strood changed but is pleasant, Rochester really orientated itself towards tourism.

I have not been back since 2020 and have no urge to but I wonder if it is better than Croydon !.

Yes I remember my many years on the road calling on retail & Hempstead Valley in the late 70s the Savacentre opening which was a joint Sainsbury’s & BHS venture & many consumers flocking there obviously taking a lot of trade away from the Medway towns.

Like many towns retail declined slowly but surely especially in the 90s & moving into the 2000s so many had a terrible look like Chatham with the Pentagon Shopping Centre really taking a huge hit.

 

[alex397]

A common theme here is the out of town retail parks and shopping centres taking people away from town and city centres. It does seem to be a planning failure to have allowed this to happen on such a scale. And we don’t seem to learn from it either, as new retail parks continue to open and expand.

For example, in Canterbury a new one opened in recent years, away from the traditional centre, though with restaurants and a Curzon cinema rather than shops. The traditional cinema, with an art deco interior in the city centre (the Odeon), closed in recent years.

 

[Peter Sarf]

A common theme here is the out of town retail parks and shopping centres taking people away from town and city centres. It does seem to be a planning failure to have allowed this to happen on such a scale. And we don’t seem to learn from it either, as new retail parks continue to open and expand.

For example, in Canterbury a new one opened in recent years, away from the traditional centre, though with restaurants and a Curzon cinema rather than shops. The traditional cinema, with an art deco interior in the city centre (the Odeon), closed in recent years.

I very strongly agree we are still sleep walking into creating soulless out of town shopping (etc) areas that then destroy the town centres. Ideal for those wanting to use a car.
Then we wonder why the town centre is in trouble !.
Solution in Croydon is to turn everything into flats. So there is no actual purpose other than being a dormitary.
Oh and homeless shelters in the centre of Croydon thus further undermining the quality of what could be a nice area with some effort. It is said that Nestle moved out of Croydon as an employer because of the amount of antisocial behaviour on the town centre streets. I remember there was an increase in on street drinking and arguing (swearing and spitting etc) amongst the disadvantaged at that time. It was as though some people were deliberately trying to ruin Croydon and have continued with planning blight on St Georges Walk and Whitgift shopping centres.

 

[Falcon1200]

Not even Oxford, the 'city of dreaming spires', is immune. Debenhams in the city centre closed some years ago and the building is still vacant, Boswells (an independent department store which had a wonderful toy section) is now a hotel, and HMV in Cornmarket, where I bought a CD just a couple of weeks ago, has, much to my surprise and dismay, closed. The signs in the window give a clue why - 'You can still buy from us online'.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Not even Oxford, the 'city of dreaming spires', is immune. Debenhams in the city centre closed some years ago and the building is still vacant, Boswells (an independent department store which had a wonderful toy section) is now a hotel, and HMV in Cornmarket, where I bought a CD just a couple of weeks ago, has, much to my surprise and dismay, closed. The signs in the window give a clue why - 'You can still buy from us online'.

I frequented Oxford 1991 to 1993. Boswells was a favourite haunt, I am shocked it's gone.
I also used to frequent The Jericho Tavern, with very narrow staircase to the music venue on the first floor.

 

[Ridercross]

I very strongly agree we are still sleep walking into creating soulless out of town shopping (etc) areas that then destroy the town centres. Ideal for those wanting to use a car.
Then we wonder why the town centre is in trouble !.
Solution in Croydon is to turn everything into flats. So there is no actual purpose other than being a dormitary.
Oh and homeless shelters in the centre of Croydon thus further undermining the quality of what could be a nice area with some effort. It is said that Nestle moved out of Croydon as an employer because of the amount of antisocial behaviour on the town centre streets. I remember there was an increase in on street drinking and arguing (swearing and spitting etc) amongst the disadvantaged at that time. It was as though some people were deliberately trying to ruin Croydon and have continued with planning blight on St Georges Walk and Whitgift shopping centres.

I can remember a couple of decades ago we used to look negatively at what was happening in the US, where Main Streets were becoming ghost towns because of the out of town malls, so we knew it was a risk here. Yet despite this warning, our planning rules and policies did nothing to prevent our town centres becoming the same a few years later!

 

[4COR]

I frequented Oxford 1991 to 1993. Boswells was a favourite haunt, I am shocked it's gone.
I also used to frequent The Jericho Tavern, with very narrow staircase to the music venue on the first floor.

The Jericho Tavern (of Radiohead first gig game) is still there, though much more upmarket than when I first moved to Oxford in 2004. Boswells went 5 years back! (My dad did very well from the Hornby stock in the clearance sales...).

The centre of Oxford is very much still undergoing upheaval from the development of the Westgate shopping centre, the mass migration of shops there, and the voids that were left behind.

 

[Sun Chariot]

The Jericho Tavern (of Radiohead first gig game) is still there, though much more upmarket than when I first moved to Oxford in 2004.

Bonus points too, G, if you also know what Radiohead called themselves when they first started playing there. No cheating on the Internet!

Thom Yorke used to bank with Bicester Lloyds. One of my pub mates worked there; and often commented on "...the peroxide egotrip who acts like he's famous or something."