A Nottingham city centre street with a closed pub and nightclub is becoming 'unrecognisable', according to locals and conservationists. Huntingdon Street in Nottingham runs across the city centre and is a major city centre thoroughfare familiar to many residents.
But in recent years a deluge of student accommodation construction, paired with a series of business and venue closures, has resulted in a huge amount of change. The street's Aldi closed last year, with plans recently submitted for the closed-down Foresters Inn to be replaced by a six-storey tower, and a 38-storey student skyscraper in the works for the former Victoria Works site - adding to the project underway at the demolished Halfords.
Hilary Silvester, executive chair of Nottingham Civic Society, said the street was a remnant of a neglected part of the city's history, but was likely to be "unrecognisable" soon. "It absolutely might be unrecognisable in the future. The street is a bit hodge-podge, it developed during the 20s and 30s, but it has some bits that reflect interwar Nottingham and almost a modern look," Ms Silvester said.
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"Some of the buildings there are very good examples, I remember Elain Harwood, a leading light of the 20th century society and author, said she really liked that part of Nottingham with the character it had. But that is gradually being eroded as they knock places down and build larger buildings, which we would prefer being built behind the street scene.
"It was the expansion and extension of Nottingham from its Victorian and Edwardian centre. In the mid part of the 20th century it expanded eastward, with its parade of shops and two bus depots. It has been eroded in some places by demolitions and of course building very tall things, we would rather they were built behind the inter-war buildings.
"It's neglected, people talk about the older parts of Nottingham like the Lace Market, but it's easy to ignore or underrate your immediate past - which is what Huntingdon Street is a remnant of. It would be shame if we lost that part of Nottingham's history, which was at the time when the city got the nickname 'Queen of the Midlands' when its three great industries of Boots, Player's and Raleigh bikes emerged and developed."
Locals agreed the street had changed extensively over the past decade, with some watching fond memories disappear along with the buildings. Robert Jackson, 58, a decorator from Sherwood, said: "I remember this street from when I was young. The Halfords building that is being knocked down used to a pool club, so I'm glad they're keeping the art deco part of it at the front.
"I have fond memories of the [The Foresters Inn] pub because I used to go and listen to a band I knew who played in there. I can't remember the name, but the boarded up building used to be a pretty rubbish nightclub [Former Lost Weekend/The Voodoo Lounge/ The House/Breeze].
"A lot has changed here. I spent a summer in the Victoria Works building when I was younger, but to have that replaced by a 38-storey building sounds ridiculous.
"This already looks nothing like when I was young - it looks completely different even before more of these new buildings go up. Once the pub has gone it will be unrecognisable, the thing that really needs to go is the old nightclub."
Sue Barker, 62, from Woodborough, said: "I think people will struggle to recognise it in the future. There's a lot of change on the outskirts of the city centre like here.
"I think the city is changing too fast and losing its character. I find it really sad, I think Nottingham has been losing its heart."
Margaret Winfield, 87, from Carlton, added: "It depends on what they are planning to put up for me. I don't think we will know if it is a good thing until everything planned is finished.
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