Kidderminster Town Centre 24 December 1980 in Ford Escort

Kidderminster Town Centre 24 December 1980 in Ford Escort 1600 Sport !
Starts at the junction of Sutton Road & Stourport Road.... then a drive around most of the town centre.
Music from www.freeSFX.co.uk

[@geezerbliz]

I am a Yank who lived in Kiddie for a year back in 96. It's crazy to me that this footage is way closer in time to my time there than today is.

[@PaulDonovan]

Lol.... are you back in the States now ? regards Paul

[@hassankhan384]

When driving was a thing, and fun, today driving is a nightmare and also cars are just not fun anymore as they used to be, and now me at 2020 I'm even more scared about the future of cars becaue I dont want the electric cars to be on roads and also the amount of tech Is just ridiculous.

[@PaulDonovan]

I do agree with you..... too much tech. This is still fun to drive... kzbin.info/www/bejne/rX-9Yn2ZZrR7mdU regards Paul

[@WiIIyDonker]

Not a single bad looking car in this. Not like these modern things.

[@adamash361]

There's a good many reasons they don't make them like that anymore 🤣

[@mwolski9921]

This is the Kidderminster I remember. We moved darn sarf in 1981 but we always came back to visit family many times a year. Lots of shops, a rammed town centre, lots of memories. Now it's.a real ghost town with empty premises everywhere but I guess that's similar to lots of UK towns now.

[@PaulDonovan]

Yes... it's sad to see... but as you say a common sight in towns across the country. Regards Paul

[@14fantasticmrsfox]

Thank you for putting this up sadly 33 years later and the town's dead.

[@stevemayandleilaroehead870]

Brilliant, look at the crowds! The good old days:)

[@PaulDonovan]

😀👍

[@EidolonFilmsUk]

This was great to see, brings back many good memories of what the town used to be (alive). Nice to see some of the old sights again, such as the Co-Op department store. I shot a film mostly in the town centre in 1997/8, and the town has already changed vastly in the time since then. I popped it up as a video response so you can have a look :)

[@BillyHThe2nd]

Can't believe this video. Absolutely fantastic. Makes me feel kinda strange, can't really explain. I remember town like this as if it was yesterday. Too many changes none for the better

[@PaulDonovan]

Hi... thanks for your comments..... regards Paul

[@mokotramp]

Yeah, really takes me back too! Some fond memories going into town as a kid!

[@ginod2279]

Fk sake, when there were actually shops open

[@PaulDonovan]

Yep !!

[@squadmeta]

From 2:30 onwards will be alien to the younger generation!!! You're going the wrong way lol

[@PaulDonovan]

I can't believe how fast I was driving !!

[@SoniMarSponge]

Looking at this as someone who first came into Kiddy around 2002 or 2003 as a kid, I have to ask: WTF HAPPENED?!

[@PaulDonovan]

LOL.... thanks for your comment. Regards Paul

[@PaulDonovan]

Steven.... just trying out my new video camera.... really glad I did it now.... cheers Paul

[@mokotramp]

Some great memories there! Certinly don't see town that busy anymore! Sad, as it was a great busting little town! Thanks for posting! ✌️

[@PaulDonovan]

Glad you enjoyed it.... regards Paul

[@oh-totoro]

It was Christmas Eve, so that might explain how busy it was, but that said, Kidderminster is pretty much a ghost town now.

[@lenmarfox2947]

Did you jnow they've demolished Crown House and Coventry Street and Blackwell Street have been made a 1 way system?

[@PaulDonovan]

Yes... we were there recently. Nothing ever stays the same !! Regards Paul

[@jensonank2409]

Woolworth, Littlewoods and Tesco in a line on Worcester St., Would walk 'round the shops with mother on saturdays and at 4:30 be treated to a cake and cup of tea in Woolies' cafe. Great memories..

[@PaulDonovan]

agreed !! Regards Paul

[@williamtacey1783]

Woolworths store is closing down since 2009 for 100 years never come back again.

[@PaulDonovan]

Indeed... very sad. They still have Woolworths in Australia !! Regards Paul

[@PaulDonovan]

I understand exactly where you are coming from Vixie.. A good friend of ours.... lives just down the road ... worked at Sealine.... lost his job.... !

[@MangaMaiden91]

Shame there arn't that many shops in Kidderminster anymore...

[@14fantasticmrsfox]

The worst thing that happened was the local council didn't commission Kidderminster Carpets to make them one for their new offices, instead using a company in I think Denmark I think, If you go to the type in "Council HQ Danish carpet origin sparks anger" on the Kidderminster shuttle website you'll find it. So it just shows the council is thick as well as deaf.

[@PaulDonovan]

I think the issue was that the camera was a very first generation and its quality was not brilliant.... although in its day it did seem amazing. cheers Paul

[@Mr2945Mercian]

So sad to see how alive Kiddy was compared to now!

[@PaulDonovan]

Agreed !

[@PaulDonovan]

Thats just crazy.... same again here.... the local council has priced all the descent out...

[@levelcrossing150]

A fantastic video of around Kidderminster during the early 80's. Love seeing all the old cars parked on the roads, not an ugly one in sight. Was your Escort Sport in Signal Yellow?..... it sounds great. I bought a red Mk2 RS from there during late 1991.

[@PaulDonovan]

Thank you..... it was a company car, 1600s, in yellow !! My favourite was the one prior to this ... slightly better spec than the Yellow one .. I absolutely loved it .. so much fun to drive. I worked at Mustow Green Garage for 17 years ... we were BMW dealers for most of that time and I, in later years, had BMW company cars.... but can still say that Orange Ford Escort MK2 1600 Sport was without doubt my favourite. here it is with my mate driving it up Clee Hills... kzbin.info/www/bejne/mInKhmBseLd4bas regards Paul ps.. Why "LevelCrossing" ??

[@levelcrossing150]

@@PaulDonovan Thanks for getting in touch Paul. I'm slightly puzzled as to why the earlier model was a better spec as they hardly changed during their production run, was it engine size? Usually the last are the best! I worked for a garage too selling British Leyland during the late 70's, but at that time I had a Daytona Yellow 73L Mk1 Sport which I loved and used it instead of the company Allegro for private use. I did sell it eventually but missed the car very much and bought another Sport 74M in Diamond White which needed some restoring. I bought a 78S Signal Yellow RS2 from City Speed Gloucester after that in 1979 which got stolen in 1987, so the red one replaced that eventually which I still have. Strangely enough I find the earlier one the better car, maybe because I loved the Signal Yellow and that it was just a younger car when I bought it! I don't know of Mustow Green Garage as I'm not local (Wales) but I do know that my red RS used to go frequently to Kidderminster Motors for warranty/service work. I've got "Level Crossing" explained on my profile, it's where the trains meet the cars, as I am interested in both. I used to visit the Severn Valley Railway every year at one time. Many thanks for the link to your other video too, I take it was in Signal Orange, and the black Vinyl roof looks great with that colour......both of my RS's had V/roofs fitted. I love all your old car footage, something I wish I had got with my cars. They were great cars and it looks like you were having fun with yours. Even the bog standard ones looked good in their time, no wonder us owners loved them, and so easy to fix too! Regards...Tim

[@C4SS3R0L3]

Even in the 80's, people STILL walked in front of cars...

[@arfski]

Brilliant video, reminds me so much of being a kid sat on the edge of the back seat looking through the middle! Love that stately Triumph 2000 MK1 at 1:50 and as I've driven a MK2 I can understand why the slow turning, that non power assisted steering was heavy as hell!

[@PaulDonovan]

Hi... Thanks for your comment....! I'm so glad I filmed this and kept it for all those years . Thanks for your comment. I like all the very basic colours of the cars. Cheers Paul

[@PaulDonovan]

Hi Vixie Fox (Great Name !) same here in Bromsgrove !!! thanks for your comment Paul

[@SacredandBound]

I remember Kidderminster like this. Its sad how run-down and empty it is now. Lack of jobs and Merry Hill have just killed it.

[@ChrisNorris]

Strangely compelling viewing and with that music it's like an action shot from The Professionals! :o)

[@PaulDonovan]

Thanks for your comment.... much appreciated. Paul

[@PaulDonovan]

it was a free track from freeSFX.co.uk regards Paul

[@thesoundlikechameleons2082]

Poor driving. 30 mph is the way forward.

[@PaulDonovan]

Thanks for your comment.... much appreciated. Paul

[@PaulDonovan]

It was a hefty bit of kit... cheers Paul

[@ineverglid]

Wow, what a piece of nostalgia here, thanks for posting it. I remember this 'version' of Kidderminster very well. There weren't too many video cameras around then so well done for this little piece of social history!

[@14fantasticmrsfox]

exactly to be honest I can't even go hear anymore because of all the closed shops it really breaks my heart to see soo much gone. Besides its a town that has gone out of control, everything has gone, Sealine, Kidderminster Carpets, Shops everything has gone. It's not safe anymore either I have to say.

[@PaulDonovan]

Thanks for that.... cheers Paul

[@kayhen02]

Brilliant! Kidderminster when it WAS a town centre. But what made you want to video it in the first place, may I ask?

[@kiminster]

Nice little movie. Betamax should have had a much better definition though, has a lot fo quality been lost in the KZbin upload?

[@lisajones2975]

I'm here in 2020 following a thread on Kidderminster Matters.... omg this is awesome Paul. What is the main soundtrack you're using, it's simply brilliant!!!

[@PaulDonovan]

Thanks.... the music came from a website that provides royalty free music www.freeSFX.co.uk it is great but I have no idea who made ir or what it is called. Regards Paul

[@SuperCanuck777]

yes, 1980 in kiddy,, i was drinking at the freemasons arms, the green man , etc. how on earth did you film this back then?!

[@PaulDonovan]

Yes... we also drank in the Freemasons Arms back then. Filmed it with a camera !! lol

[@mmeredith27]

What a brilliant video, fascinating!!

[@bustamango863]

I would have been 7 years old living on comberton when you were doing this..

[@PaulDonovan]

Busta Mango lol...😎👍

[@bustamango863]

this is awesome..

[@PaulDonovan]

Busta Mango thanks... Paul

[@steelydann1]

Hi Paul, Great video . . Kiddy was a better town back in that day . . I have lots of film footage of gilt edge carpet factory being demolished and lots of film from inside too but don't know how to get it on here from camcorder tape . . Can anyone advise? . .. Cheers . .. Martin.

[@PaulDonovan]

Martin..... did you get your Gilt Edge video sorted ?? Regards Paul

[@101shoggy]

I remember kiddy looking like this wow. What's the song in the video?

[@PaulDonovan]

Indeed... there were some crazy drivers back then !!

[@thesoundlikechameleons2082]

And you were one! 🤣

[@davidmcdermid9434]

Nice to see Kiddy back then my 1st home town until my family moved back to Glasgow in '82

[@PaulDonovan]

Hi.. thanks for your comment. Regards Paul

[@neil118]

Great video! Reminds me of my mk2 Escorts when I was 17 in the early 90s.Id love another one but they are crazy money now

[@PaulDonovan]

+neil118 you might find this interesting..... this was my company car for a year or so...... really loved it ! kzbin.info/www/bejne/mInKhmBseLd4bas

[@lenmarfox2947]

Certainly not how I remember it but then I was a 90s kid

[@PaulDonovan]

👍😎

[@Lemonator140]

Not much different from today, minus the older vehicles

[@PaulDonovan]

😎👍

[@Embryonicboy]

Ahhh woolies! I really like those Ranault 5 now!

[@nicktandy]

Very cool, Life on Mars in Kiddy.

[@SeanOBrien27]

Great video Paul... thanks for loading on You Tube!

[@PaulDonovan]

Sean.... thanks for your comment.... much appreciated. Paul

[@AaranAardvark]

And no sign of Christmas, no lights or anything noticeably 'christmassy' in the shops, shows what a combination of austerity and civic vandalism can do to a town. Great film thanks for posting it!

[@giofrasa]

what camera do you used

[@PaulDonovan]

Hi.... this was a very early Sony Betamax camera.... very large with separate Cassette recorder.

[@robpeter1]

WOW what a fantastic piece of history.It really shows how much this country has gone down the toilet. The town is dead now.

[@mikaelabowen5781]

How fascinating to see the town as it was then. I was there today.

[@PaulDonovan]

😎👍

[@Paranormal.ex24]

Amazing how busy ths streets are

[@PaulDonovan]

Here is some video I shot out of the rear window a couple of years later... kzbin.info/www/bejne/fafSnYOpbKlqmqc regards Paul

[@bombbadin]

Thanks Paul

[@Parknest]

Any chance of recreating the same route in the present day? It would be interesting to see what changes have taken place since then.

[@PaulDonovan]

Hey... Its a good idea.... I'll do it in the next couple of weeks.... I'll have to cycle through the now pedestrian bit... Lol...

[@giofrasa]

beautifull

[@PaulDonovan]

Thank You 😎👍

[@bombbadin]

Great video.....what's the music track?

[@chrispugh2565]

The opening track was so good after midnight by climax blues band

[@gdanks1]

that is brilliant, no glades and great to see the picture house

[@strawberryscented]

even in the 80's cars still didn't stop to let people cross

[@Fun-hz8ep]

Lovely car good old days

[@PaulDonovan]

Cheers... agreed 😎 regards Paul

[@Adhachi]

wots the song? sounds like pearljam but way too early

[@scottymk2303]

Great video Paul 👍🏻 love seeing all the cars from back in the day. P.s I drive a mk2 escort now 😁👍🏻

[@PaulDonovan]

Thanks for your comment. Cheers Paul

[@vanquished100]

Wow memories! Littlewoods and Woolworths we love you....

[@TheCrazyguitarguy123]

Sorry Paul! I meant this video. Is that alright for the video?

[@PaulDonovan]

Hi David.... Yes sure... No problem. Paul

[@MashPatooties]

Really cool! look how busy worcester street was...

[@keiranknowles]

Great work! Unique footage there boss, nice drivin !

[@haycockjeff]

No glades!

[@ellie200792]

So cool

[@PaulDonovan]

[@14fantasticmrsfox]

Yet nothing is happening in kidder, I hate it and I avoid it at all costs. No-where is safe in the town.

[@PaulDonovan]

Hi Vixie !!

[@PaulDonovan]

Martin.... What tape format is it.? I would be very happy to transfer it to computer if u want... No charge.? Sounds interesting. Cheers Paul

[@14fantasticmrsfox]

(Thank you) and sadly a shop owner who I got on with very well has just closed his shop it was by the Swan Centre Multi-storey Car Park, he told me the rate has gone up and he couldn't afford it anymore so he's had to move to Stourbridge.