Empty space behind the market

Hi everyone, I am currently conducting a research project on Coventry. I am an architecture student and I have been allocated a site which is the empty plot behind the market and next to the car park on Corporation Street. I was wondering if anyone has or knows any information about what may have been there before and possibly any information on its surroundings. I believe it may have been an electric press? I have attached a picture to help clarify its location. I would appreciate all your help. Gary

I could be wrong but it looks like the location of Garfield Road off Queen Victoria Road - Coventry Fire Insurance Map 6 Picture of flooding in the area. You can search for pictures of Queen Victoria Road on the same site - Garfield Road Further back in time this looks like fields but there was a track way that might have served as the basis of Croft Road and/or Garfield Road. There are maps here that you could use to try and work out what was where - old maps For something more recent - Corporation Street Enjoy Edited by member, 9th Jan 2014 1:39 pm

Hi Gary The building you refer to was Victoria Buildings, 3 or 4 storeys high, there was a snooker club in it called the Victoria Billiards Club, owned by a lady called Amy Gutteridge, which was opened in the early 60s. It had 16 or 17 tables including one in the bar - it was run by her son, I think his name was Bernard. There were also various offices and small companies on other floors too. It was accessed off Corporation Street between two shops, one of which I can recall sold part finished pine furniture. I think there was also an entrance from the rear of the market. I can remember that there was always a strange smell of vegetables in the stairwell leading to the snooker club. I was a member of the snooker club in the 70s and spent many a happy hour in there in my misspent youth years. I hope this is of some use to you, no doubt other members of HCF can fill in the gaps of its history Edited by member, 9th Jan 2014 1:59 pm

The fish-market was underneath wasn't it? I could never get my head around that.

Were there some Rover offices in that area at one point?

Where was the bowling alley along there or did that become Argos ?

This is what we can expect to see in the space shortly

Thanks loads of information to explore. Yea thats the building I saw it in the 1963 aerial photograph on the website. Was the ground floor actually a market space then, when it was a snooker club? Was there ever an electric press around that area? Im looking at doing something with the river by opening it up again. Thanks for all your help

Coming from the fish market John Cheatle's clothes shop was on the right hand side. THE place to visit in the mid-70s for 6/8 button Oxford baggies with patch pockets, 3 star jumpers, flourescent socks etc. You could never run out of colours to clash in that place !

wow! mcsporran has that building got planning permission?

The plans were approved in 2007 so it may have changed since. Edited by member, 9th Jan 2014 4:58 pm

That would explain the strange smell in the stairwell when visiting the snooker club thanks Dutchman you`ve just solved a long standing mystery

Basement, I think? It was accessed by a ramp from inside the main market.

10 Victoria Buildings was granted a change of use from radio and tv repair workshop to private billiard club on 19/12/1963. The frontage to Corporation Street was definitely shops, the rear appears to be attached to the market on your drawing. I vaguely recall a tv rentals shop around that area, Telefusion I think, which may tie in with the billiard club's former use

Hi Anne, I think the bowling alley was above Iceland, the access being in Rover Road opposite the market. I recall it was a small entrance next to the side entrance of Bejams as it was in those days