ITV SCHOOLS - CITIES: Milton Keynes (1981)

We're off to Milton Keynes to see what's going on in the town for school leavers. A great piece of nostalgia! Made in 1981 by ATV. Thanks to Scott Petrie for finding this recording on video tape. Uploaded purely for educational and nostalgic purposes only.

[@ferndalemanmk6]

Moved to MK in 1974, this programme brings back memories! CRMK is still going today, on the Internet, we broadcast now now from Newport Pagnell.

[@BruceDanton-br9bw]

Nice to see there the old ATV Zoom 2 ident of course-surely the best one that ITV ever had so too?!

[@BruceDanton-br9bw]

Thank you for the highlight there of course too!

[@aquilarossa5191]

Great stuff. I was 11 in 1981 living on Bradville estate and my school was Stanton Middle. Originally from London? Nope. Originally from New Zealand. We moved back there when I was 15. I did not think there was nothing to do. Lots more to do than when we were living in south London. MK had plenty for kids to do, plus they spared no expense on the schools in those days, e.g., the leisure center at Stantonbury Campus, etc. There was also all the English countryside to explore beyond MK. I would BMX around the place for miles. Seems those folk were complaining about lack of night life. No different to any other town of its size really. Most places are dead at night. People laughed about MK and still do, but the little new town did okay for itself in a way. I see all the millions trees they planted back then have grown up. One of the greenest towns in Europe now and a proper garden city. Just as well, because it looks quite bleak in this film.

[@fishoutofwater57]

This is so relatable. I came to MK at the end of ‘79 & the not knowing anyone except for work colleagues stiles a chord. Going to play squash / badminton at Stantonbury and going to CMK for a McDs were about the extent of my social life. It got better but coming from Grimsby I really did feel like a fish out of water 😅

[@genxbritannia]

The irony to have the song back together again - while talking about his father passing away.

[@zetametallic]

If I'm right, 'Back together again' was recorded the day before the singer died and was last track ever recorded. It's a brilliant record but the backstory is so sad. More Roxy Music too; every episode of 'Cities' has it like a subtle promotion for the album. Thinking of tracking the vinyl down now!

[@genxbritannia]

@@zetametallic ah yes that’s right! I was watching Ashley Says So about Donnie. Very sad! Yes it’s good to hear those tracks and i hope you find it

[@AntarcticaTelevision]

Britain's Motortown - in a overlap area of the ITV Anglia/Central/London regions.

[@airpixelsuk]

Even when new, Netherfield looks like a dump. I rarely have to visit that place.

[@ryanoconnor4256]

Omg... look at Fishermead!!!! Now to then??? Or even Conniburrow!!!

[@melaniesmith41]

The ATV indent is fantastic, the way it's been put together is clever. ❤

[@jasonjrussell]

wow that brings back memories of mk moved in 1979 and i was only 9 now 52 and still living here

[@mistofoles]

Apparently Cliff Richard filmed the promo vid for "WIRED FOR SOUND" at a roller rink in MK centre in 1980 !

[@BruceDanton-br9bw]

Yes he did there indeed of course too. That was a hit for him in October 1981 I think-as I remember seeing it no doubt on Top of the Pops on BBC1 then at the time; or if not on tv somewhere else so too?

[@stevendimmock4791]

No. It was in the shopping centre.

[@danpreston564]

It was down the sides of John Lewis, just in the standard shopping centre.

[@Hackney_Boy-DoesntReadReplies]

The people complaining about needing a car are right, MK is an American suburb built around a shopping centre. It was built on a scale of car driving, not on a scale for people walking. It should have had trams and been built more densely.

[@danpreston564]

But it is the model of what you’d nowadays call the 15 minute city. Everything you need is close by you. You can go further afield, and that needs a car, but you don’t need to, at least not in the more established parts of the city. In the brand new areas that may not yet be true.

[@Lynsey1975]

I lived in MK from 1981 to 1997 ,great footage especially of the shopping centre.anyone know where that coffee shop was and where are all these people now?

[@francesball188]

The time of negative views, little people living in little boxes with a window to look out. What did they expect, new trees are not 20 years old, the shrubs were not in, the trees hadnt grown, insde the houses were different. I moved from west London after my dister and my mum already moved. I had to telephone and check number of new roundabouts before we left m1. My brother in law drove around checking the changes. We came in 81, we lived with my sister, then my mum whilst we awaited housing (6 months). We had never a chance for council housing in West London and my kids would have to be bussed out to a school. The car pollution, the unrest in the area. No thanks MK was the best option for all of us.