Our Christmas Meeting with Peter Walters talking about his latest book: Coventry Remembering—1914-18 Two quizzes with photos that will fascinate Seasonal refreshments Monday, December 12 at 7.30pm Shop Front Theatre, City Arcade
Arguably the best delicatessen in Coventry One of the largest independent jewellers in the country The Christian Bookshop part of a network in 50 countries Locally sourced meat and pies at Walter Smith the butcher Drop in the Ocean independent health food store
December 2016
A recent announcement in the media appears to say that the long awaited £150 million City Centre South development might well have a named developer very soon. When the scheme was first announced several years ago the Society broadly supported the plans, although we expressed concern that small traders wouldn’t have suitable premises within the scheme. With the possibility of City Centre now going ahead we have to ask the question: “Are the small traders in the area to be ousted in favour of multi-national stores?” Seventeen years ago small traders in the Pool Meadow area were pushed out to build the Phoenix Initiative. Relocation isn’t easy for traders who have invested heavily in their own business. That is often forgotten about in the grand order of running a city centre. Coventry Society urges the Council to keep that in mind. Sadly we have already seen the demise of the City Arcade. Maintenance, especially decoration, is very poor and some traders that have been in the city centre for years have left probably because of the uncertainty of tenure. We know all too well that rents in the centre are very high and with other overheads it’s hard to see how they could fit into a new grandiose redevelopment. However, the small speciality business is the cornerstone of a shopping experience. You only have to visit a town like Royal Leamington Spa to see how successful its Parade and streets off are, with their attractive window displays and personal service. Given the will, surely our Council can work with our small traders to ensure they have a future in our city centre.
The City Arcade -once an attractive shopping experience
What a fascinating book, Peter. There have been many publications relating to the First World War but COVENTRY Remembering 1914-18 is the best read yet. It’s personal and engaging and your comment in the chapter on the Good War is pertinent: ‘The furious pace and scale of Coventry’s war work never failed to astonish outsiders’. Readers will be equally astonished by the length and breadth of the five years of conflict described in these pages. Preparations at home: recruiting at the Masonic Hall; the new magneto factory replicating the German machine; a caring face: Christmas parcels for the troops; a friendly billet: burgeoning friendships. More aplenty. Profusely illustrated with pictures from the History Centre and others who loaned rare images from their personal collections. Peter has a special offering at the December meeting! Don’t miss it.
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