Marquis of Granby Disco.

[adviserjenny]

Yes I know it doesn't look good but anything that scuppers such idiots is fine by me! By the way did you see the programme on TV about Park Hill? Some mad man who runs English Heritage spent millions gutting them! What for you might ask?

 

I also have memories of Hyde Park and Park Hill as I lived further up City Road, some of the girls who lived there went to my school (Hurlfield Girls). When they were built they were the bees knees, how times change!

[mjw47]

They built Hyde Park flats when I was at school, St Vincents, I left at 15 in 1960 & went to a Technical college in Ireland for a further year.

 

When the flats were built I had a friend who lived there. According to him they were excellent at first & for quite a few years after.

The drawback with that type of housing is the same as the drawback with just about everything in life, people. It takes a relatively small number of idiots to make life miserable for the majority in that environment.

 

As to how it became listed is any ones guess. There is no aesthetic aspect to it that I can determine. Having said which, I am no great lover of modern art or architecture & there's always the possibility that I'm simply missing the point.

[darra]

They built Hyde Park flats when I was at school, St Vincents, I left at 15 in 1960 & went to a Technical college in Ireland for a further year.

 

When the flats were built I had a friend who lived there. According to him they were excellent at first & for quite a few years after.

The drawback with that type of housing is the same as the drawback with just about everything in life, people. It takes a relatively small number of idiots to make life miserable for the majority in that environment.

 

As to how it became listed is any ones guess. There is no aesthetic aspect to it that I can determine. Having said which, I am no great lover of modern art or architecture & there's always the possibility that I'm simply missing the point.

 

I always understood it was because of the "Uniqueness" of the building i.e. terraced streets built on top of one another

[mjw47]

I always understood it was because of the "Uniqueness" of the building i.e. terraced streets built on top of one another

 

You may have something there. I recall there was a terrific fuss made at the time about 'villages in the sky' & I know that a number of officials from the continent came to inspect them both during the building work & afterward.

 

Never saw it myself, I can remember saying at the time that they would end up in a bad way.

 

Personally I think something a little more than 'uniqueness' should be required for preservation. Unique but an eyesore, is hardly a reason to pour more money into retaining anything.

 

Still, I imagine if you're actually living in them & not having to look at them the views must be pretty decent. And providing your neighbours are ok then for a young couple they supply a need.