Focus On: Dunstable 1966

Michael Partington visits Dunstable, a town that flourished for centuries on the country's roads and transport, but was punished for its rejection of the railway and has only recently come back into its own in a new era of roads and road transport. The town now plays a key role in Britain's manufacture of lorries and vans, with Commer, Vauxhall and related vehicle components factories employing the bulk of the working population.
*DISCLAIMER*:
I do not own anything in the video,
including the audio and picture.
The credits go to the respective owners.
This video is purely fan-made, and will not
be used for profit or illegal sharing.

[@elizabethelston5341]

I am 21 & have lived in Dunstable all my life. From this video,if someone were to ask me which Dunstable I'd like to live in, I'd most likely say the 1966 version. It seems so much fresher & more like a great town. Now all we have are rubbish takeaways of all kinds , silly buses that never run properly and hardly any good shops. Now I see why my dad hates the town so much !!

[@kubabryczynski6653]

The Motorway Age and the Motorway Injustices.

[@kubabryczynski6653]

That's red light like HTF?

[@nicklegg61]

I grew up houghton regis in the sixtys,and it was a really nice little village then.

[@eternalengland]

I grew up in Houghton Regis in the late 90s/early 2000s. I moved away four years back and every time I return to visit my dad I can’t help but notice how far it’s gone downhill.

[@arthurdeth7646]

Left there in 1973 was a vibrant town. Went back 4 years ago for a visit. Gutted to see what it has now become. Estate agents, charity shops and takeaways. I would point the finger probably at the council for the high business rates. Only 1 question to ask the council. what economic progress have you achieved for the town with your policies? I see they now have lovely offices. I cannot see the town gettting back to what it was now with internet shopping. Video killed the radio star now the internet killed community shopping.

[@jamesrogers643]

The town plummeted once the council sold off the town hall to Asda, now it is impossible to compete with their prices. Then the council discovered they were losing money in business rates and decided to increase them to counter it, meaning even more shops closed due to poor business and high rates.

[@hotbevvy59]

I lived in Dunstable before my family emigrated to NZ in May 1967...

[@Goodchappy]

Dunstable became Dumpstable about 15 years after this film was made. Get rid of the bus lanes and the busway would be a good starting point.

[@AndysGreatestHaunts]

I was born in 65, and grew up in Dunstable so have many years of memories as it was before it began to fall to 'progress'

[@sirrichardrichard5655]

TAXI ! Take me to 1966 Please ...

[@stevehalling816]

Dunstable, A town ruined, the trade has gone the shops have gone, the Queensway hall has gone but hey ho we've got the busway, Dunstable seems to be a town to doesn't give a crap àbout the people who live in it anymore. More and more wasted money on traffic schemes that don't work. In 50 years Dunstable will be a ghost town that is just a major junction of the A5 and M1. But hey ho at least we've got Asda!!!!😬

[@milliehastings9904]

Mostly its destroyed the shop centre is ok

[@popey19601]

@@milliehastings9904 Really??????? I was born in the town when it was a town. Now it is a shadow of the market town I grew up in. Desperately trying to get my ageing parents to sell and realise the ridiculously stupid price of their house and live somewhere decent.

[@kubabryczynski6653]

A sleepy little town near you to wide awake to Luton.

[@peterkeeble8777]

The civic centre is now an Asda

[@colinearnshaw9604]

My home town of 82yrs ago.

[@reenys1930]

Does anyone remember the old dance hall near poynters road, round where the halfway house/premier inn is? What was it called?

[@iainhawkes1207]

Shereen Mae pink elephant

[@pastie3131]

Hi both, the Pink Elephant was in the building that Cesears Palace used to occupy. The other night club around there was the Beachcomber, but I’m probably showing my age now!

[@kubabryczynski6653]

Dunstable was born in 1960s centuries.

[@woodybenjam]

LOL the traffic in 1966 is just as bad as today.

[@amarsbarr]

that was weird watching that, nothing about the schools...

[@soundnicetome]

And travel around the country today...most of the so called towns have become unrecognisable...and I have come to a conclusion,that I still would prefer the life,back in the sixties...you can keep multiculturalism/political correctness,and materialistic society we have today...just saying??

[@aidzumo2760]

My thoughts exactly. Dunstable is living proof.

[@signoguns8501]

Multi-culturalism can be ok sometimes. Just depends on who you're bringing in. The Caribbeans always assimilated well. Grew up with a lot of them in the 70s/80s and they were as English as anyone. Seems a bit different nowadays, there is little to no assimilation going on at all. Lots of very divided and angry people. Not a good mix.

[@bluegrass5752]

I grew up in Haughton Regis, Churchfield Road, and I went to Tithe Farm school, Anyone one who saw me would remember all these years later, because I was the only BLACK kid in the school. JOHN DOYLE were the fuck are ya?