BBC - Swindon Architecture (1979)

Architect Mike Jenner cast a critical eye over "the Darlington of the south west", Swindon.
(I do not own any of this, all credit goes to BBC Archive.)
0:00 - 2:50 Swindon Town Centre
2:50 - 3:28 Talking about the Canopy
3:29 - 4:29 Baptist Tabernacle
4:30 - 5:16 Train Mural at Henry Street Carpark

[@christopher6921]

Look how shiny and new that building looks, still the tallest building in Swindon but dirty grotty and unkept now

[@jupieterr]

They do occasionally clean the windows, but I doubt they clean the facade that much..

[@OLIFAB]

Yeah it looks awful now

[@benwherlock9869]

I will never forget that train mural.

[@edgynick9808]

“Gonna be a tourist hotspot in 100 years time” ain’t even been 50 and the town centre is in ruins

[@desertislandcloud]

A film that predates the internet era, it almost feels as distant as watching a film about the Victorian era.

[@strattonlad1228]

People seemed more happy and relaxed in Swindon back then.

[@matthewjago8674]

Swindon's got it issues but for the most part it's a great place to live. You've got loads of green open spaces, some really nice residential developments. Big but not too big, sure the town centre could do with sprucing up but last time I went you had pretty much every shop you would need plus a brilliant retail outlet. It's my dream to move to Swindon asap.

[@noonthumbs2644]

Sad to see my town now and how it's changed. The shopping centre has been ripped apart. Love this little bit of nostalgia. I remember when they built the Murray John; yes, I am that old!

[@MrFrog_]

I agree, really sad to see what a cesspit it has become now. I am sad and angry at the same time, shame on Swindon Borough Council, idea less and clueless.

[@orbitarchive346]

You're quite lucky! As a local teen, I would have loved to see Swindon in this era. Shame it ended up how it did. :(

[@jupieterr]

@@orbitarchive346 I'm in the same situation, looking at all the pictures from the 70s: Old Market, Baptist Tabernacle, Central Club.. etc.. makes me realise the 70s was the end of old swindon.

[@shirleyellis9708]

Born there.👍 miss it.😪

[@CARLIN4737]

Brilliant. Almost surreal.

[@darrenelbrow5144]

At 2.06 I used to 🛼 in that covered arcade. And then worked in the H Samuel jeweller

[@tommylucas56]

OMG USE TO LIVE THERE

[@09021983]

And in 2023 M&S has finally given up in Swindon

[@melissanewton7462]

That lovely canopy now replaced with a crap cover that certainly doesn't protect you from the rain ! Shame about Marks and Spencer now too.

[@RobDarkhalf]

it looks like a huge council estate now. Such a shame, although I will add, a lot of towns have gone downhill the past 20 years.

[@elliotraitopchannel]

Wow. I was born here!

[@jupieterr]

Me too!

[@shirleyellis9708]

Me too.

[@jackk2694]

me too

[@skinlesswalnut6259]

@@jackk2694 me three

[@chrisrowland1514]

marks and spencer is still there

[@kimmaddison8686]

marks and spencers gone debenhams all gone

[@paulb4uk]

Place is ruined now a shadow of its former self .

[@ms-ex8em]

hello does any 1 have a video of the blue and white railway station (the old newspaper building) on platform 3 i think it was from 1979? thanks....

[@MichaelGeorge161]

The Brunel looked much nicer just being one-story

[@dbg32]

Hi, did you pull this from the BBC Wiltshire page back in the day?

[@jupieterr]

Got this from facebook actually, I'm still trying to find a bunch of the BBC Archive videos.. such as ones of the tabernacle and such.

[@dbg32]

@@jupieterr It was me who sourced them from the archives and put them up on the BBC site when I worked there. Most of the links do not work anymore sadly. I did reupload several on the Swindon Images of yesteryear FB page though.

[@cartoonhead9222]

How the mighty have fallen... Marks and Spencers is practically the only shop left in the centre, presumably because they refused to sell the freehold so they don't have to pay the crippling rents.

[@djdustie]

Gone now.

[@catherinesharpin3954]

Jupieterr are you able to send me a copy of this clip at all? It is my Grandma & Grandad that walk past the screen at 2:10. I would very much love to clip it and have someone try and take a high quality still/photo to give to them as my Grandad is no longer here.

[@dalejenkins1558]

It hasnt changed that much if you ask me

[@GapeGang]

Are you legally blind? Or just ignorant?

[@kimmaddison8686]

well its now april 21 2024 this town has gone so down hill john murray is going to e knocked down all shops derelect empty hardly no shops very run down sad days

[@jupieterr]

Murray John Tower is only being rennovated, not demolished.

[@b4tm4nrubin33]

Every shop in that centre has now closed. Swindon is a 💩hole now

[@skinlesswalnut6259]

The old Brunel was horrible, I remember getting chased through there by some kids when I was about 8 lol