Medieval buildings and narrow streets and alleys. Parliament Street, for instance, is supposed to be the narrowest street in the world
With the help of the Luftwaffe and the Baedeker Raids a lot of the city was flattened, to be rebuilt in the 1950s.
It became then a curious mixture of ancient and modern, with a broad High Street, surrounded by small enclaves of the old.
One of the landmarks is the Debenhams Building on Sidwell Street (the tallest building most Devonians have ever seen, apparently). This was certainly the case when I lived there 10 years ago.
And yet, you go there today, all is change. Much of the 50s stuff is coming down. The city has "quarters" and "squares"
New building is everywhere,
even new underground toilets (please wash your hand before using the adjacent foodbar)with Starbucks and Costas and other corporate trash. Even Debenhams are moving to new premises.
I wonder if it will still be the t he Blandest High Street in the country? Or if it will still look good in 50 year's time?
4 comments:
In 50 years time Mac Donalds will be a distant nightmare and every one will have to ride around on horses as cars will be illigal.
Big brother 58 will just have started a new series.
I really like big open space in town centres, my fave old one is the plaza mayor in madrid http://faculty-staff.ou.edu/L/A-Robert.R.Lauer-1/PlazaMayor2.jpg
They encourage people to sit around and talk.
You just have to wait and see! So stick around for another 50 years or so :)
I like Exeter. I think it has a nice mixture of new and old. And bland? No way! I don't think it's bland...
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