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A concrete vision of progress
David Peach sees Newcastle’s monumental Manors car park as a symbol of 1960s optimism
The Manors car park in Newcastle upon Tyne is a striking example of brutalist architecture. It was the first multi-storey car park built in the city and formed part of the 1963 Central East Motorway Plan.
This structure makes a strong statement about visionary architecture and bold plans. Newcastle’s motorway plan was imagined by the town planner Sir Wilfred Burns, who headed a newly created department in the city that sought to increase economic prosperity by catering for the growing needs of car users.
The car park’s unusual curved design creates a sense of motion. Its shape was dictated by the rail line on one side and the new motorway that swept in front and beneath.
To the right is a sweeping elevated walkway that soars over the motorway into the city centre. The walkway is now a thoroughfare for students at the new Northumbria University buildings to the east of the city, uniting the priorities of the past with the needs of a modern city.
The car park still forms a key part of the city’s infrastructure at a time when we are reimagining our relationship with both cars and cities.
It is interesting to note in the picture that the office building is barely lit even though it is about 6pm in the evening. It suggests our cities will still have some adapting to do post-COVID.
The brutalist style was developed in the UK in the 1950s and showcases the “bare bones” of the structure and the raw materials, typically a pre-dominance of poured concrete. The style fell out of favour in the 1970s and now divides opinion. But as a style that marked the confidence of a nation, brutalism still has a big story to tell.
David Peach is MD of Workflow Dynamics and business development director of The Parking Shop. He is also a creative photographer with an interest in urban landscapes. www.davidpeachphotography.com Instagram @davidpeachphotography
70 years without a licence
A man stopped by police officers in Nottingham revealed that he had been driving without a licence or insurance for more than 70 years.
Nottinghamshire police officers said they just happened to pull over the man driving a three-door Mini One in a Tesco Extra car park in the market town of Bulwell.
The man, who was born in 1938, admitted he had not had a driving licence or insurance since he was 12 years old, and had avoided being stopped by police ever since.
The force posted an account on Facebook: “We can’t quite believe what happened next, as the driver, who was born in 1938 (!!), coughed that he had been driving with no licence and no insurance, since he was 12 (yes TWELVE) years old… and somehow had managed to never be stopped by the police. (We’ll let you do the maths!!).
“Thankfully he had never had an accident, caused anyone an injury, and never made anyone lose out financially, by hitting them whilst uninsured!
“Due to the increased number of ANPR camera’s in Nottingham, even on the small trips, you are likely to hit a camera, so make sure your documents are in order... because it will catch up with you… one day…”
Driving without a licence attracts a punishment of between three and six penalty points, depending on the nature of the offence. It can also warrant an unlimited fine if the driver has no insurance.
