Gramaisc
Forum O. G.
The Sandonia is basically just a potential development site now....
a really adventurous developer could possibly apartmentise it, but that doesn't seem very likely to me - demolition and new-build looks a better bet, I suspect.
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Old Express and Star building to be demolished
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a really adventurous developer could possibly apartmentise it, but that doesn't seem very likely to me - demolition and new-build looks a better bet, I suspect.
Withnail
Well-Known Forumite
From the late 1600's , through the 1700's, and indeed later still into the early 1800's, it was quite common to 'read up' upon the 'latest style' in architecture in what would come to be called 'magazine's.
These people didn't just flick through the pages of these 'magazines' thinking *maybe tomorrow* they actually used them - much in the same way that most of us won't use that recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi we saw in the Guardian that one time that looked really tasty but had, like, about 200 ingredients but we knew in our heart of hearts that someone, somewhere, would bite that bullet. They would source those ingredients and follow those steps.They would follow Ottolenghi's recipe to the letter. They would wonder after all that effort why what they had made was such a bag of shit that didn't look anything like what was in the magazine
Such is the 'history' of a building such as this.
In the absence of Nick Knowles - who wouldn't be invented for some number of years - people would use these 'style guides', which were often quite complicated - sort of in the same way that today you might buy 3,000 magazines to build a Ford Mustang replica which would end up costing a great deal more than you would be prepared to pay for such a thing up front - to build their homes and/or businesses.in the 'current style'.
More often than not, the result of these 'custom' builds would result in what experts usually describe as 'a bag of old wank'. We have all had 'enough' of experts.
Tbf to the ^builders, they bequeath to us buildings that are quite evidently structurally sound. This is, in most cases, all they have going for them.
These people didn't just flick through the pages of these 'magazines' thinking *maybe tomorrow* they actually used them - much in the same way that most of us won't use that recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi we saw in the Guardian that one time that looked really tasty but had, like, about 200 ingredients but we knew in our heart of hearts that someone, somewhere, would bite that bullet. They would source those ingredients and follow those steps.They would follow Ottolenghi's recipe to the letter. They would wonder after all that effort why what they had made was such a bag of shit that didn't look anything like what was in the magazine
Such is the 'history' of a building such as this.
In the absence of Nick Knowles - who wouldn't be invented for some number of years - people would use these 'style guides', which were often quite complicated - sort of in the same way that today you might buy 3,000 magazines to build a Ford Mustang replica which would end up costing a great deal more than you would be prepared to pay for such a thing up front - to build their homes and/or businesses.in the 'current style'.
More often than not, the result of these 'custom' builds would result in what experts usually describe as 'a bag of old wank'. We have all had 'enough' of experts.
Tbf to the ^builders, they bequeath to us buildings that are quite evidently structurally sound. This is, in most cases, all they have going for them.
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Goldilox
How do I edit this?
They are of course just buildings, but surely you must accept not all buildings are created equal?
Otherwise there'd be no reason not to tear down the Taj Mahal and create a tin-shed out of town retail experience.
Gramaisc
Forum O. G.
HopesDad
Don't feed the troll
If the Taj Mahal was in Stafford it would have been turned into a weatherspoon's by now.
proactive
Enjoying a drop of red.
To compare the Express and Star building to the Taj Mahal is perhaps pushing it a tad.
HopesDad
Don't feed the troll
It was once part of a row of similar buildings. This is the only one left. Nothing particularly significant or special about it other than the fact that it is 'old' Stafford, and there is very little of that left.
In the original plans that went out for consultation and were ultimately approved it was intended for it to be retained and form part of the new build, which is how most other towns would respect their heritage. But in the sneaky amendment which is being pushed through on the sly it is to be flattened. Ironically it will be replaced with a new building which is very similar but, no doubt, built to inferior standards.
BobClay
Well-Known Forumite
I remember long ago (when I was young and foolish and inflamed wi't brown ale) next door used to be Burgess's which caught fire one night and the loud bangs of gas cylinders exploding caused me to run down from the Rec to the back of the civic car park to watch the show. One loud bang in particular caused me to accelerate sharply back toward the Rec at a pace Usain Bolt would have been proud of. 
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Gramaisc
Forum O. G.
That side of the road was once in keeping with the other side, where largely original buildings still exist, apart from the 'new' chip shop next to the Picture ouse, where the old shop became spectacularly "delicate" and was rapidly demolished.
The fire at Burgess's didn't help the area much, there was about fifteen years of dereliction as a result. Nor did the destruction of the Brine Baths.
The fire at Burgess's didn't help the area much, there was about fifteen years of dereliction as a result. Nor did the destruction of the Brine Baths.
Have a good alibi and stick to it.....I remember long ago (when I was young and foolish and inflamed wi't brown ale) next door used to be Burgesses which caught fire one night and the loud bangs of gas cylinders exploding caused me to run down from the Rec to the back of the civic car park to watch the show. One loud bang in particular caused me to accelerate sharply back toward the Rec at a pace Usain Bolt would have been proud of.
kyoto49
Well-Known Forumite
That side of the road was once in keeping with the other side, where largely original buildings still exist, apart from the 'new' chip shop next to the Picture ouse, where the old shop became spectacularly "delicate" and was rapidly demolished.
The fire at Burgess's didn't help the area much, there was about fifteen years of dereliction as a result. Nor did the destruction of the Brine Baths.
Have a good alibi and stick to it.....
What a beautiful road that was back in the day
What this council over the years have allowed to happen to our town is shameful.
kyoto49
Well-Known Forumite
One building at a time with none of them being amazingly important architecturally, like the E&S one but it's the insidious piece by piece destruction of our history. Just look at that picture gramaisc has put up, we had a beautiful town. It's been replaced by the most abhorrently ugly modern monstrocities with absolutely no architectural merit.
Glam
Mad Cat Woman
That side of the road was once in keeping with the other side, where largely original buildings still exist, apart from the 'new' chip shop next to the Picture ouse, where the old shop became spectacularly "delicate" and was rapidly demolished.
The fire at Burgess's didn't help the area much, there was about fifteen years of dereliction as a result. Nor did the destruction of the Brine Baths.
Have a good alibi and stick to it.....
Is there a picture availabe, that shows the town from the same spot? Just to show what how it's now become?
kyoto49
Well-Known Forumite
Are you intent on depressing yourself this close to christmas!!!
Gramaisc
Forum O. G.
I just saw the end of the "old town" - a lot went in the '70s for the Queensway - that was hardly one building at a time, It was more like a Luftwaffe raid.
The High House was on the way out, too - we must never forget that.
Some things had to go - the area where Sainsbury's is now is not something that many people would have missed at the time....
And Burgess's was not a tourist attraction for long after the fire, though the car park was handy.
The High House was on the way out, too - we must never forget that.
Some things had to go - the area where Sainsbury's is now is not something that many people would have missed at the time....
And Burgess's was not a tourist attraction for long after the fire, though the car park was handy.
