“Just a point to note - the Mayor's Parlour was destroyed in 1940 days before a 'listed building' notice was to be granted!! It was torn down in a hurry because it didn't fit in with 'plans' for the area. I don't think Derby Council's attitude to Derby's heritage has changed much from that day to this and I think this effort to try to make something of the heritage is too little too late!!”

“The current location of the Eagle Market was the site of the Cockpitt Hill Market and a wonderful row of houses, shops and a pub (The Navigation) which were accessed via steps leading up from the cobbled market area. This was an 800 year old market site and images showing what it used to look like are shown on plaques, photos and posters as part of the promotion of the area's valuable but lost heritage.
The row of shops and pubs along the morledge date from the 1700ss to the 1970s, The Courthouse aptly named after the new courts, formerly the White Horse, the Noah's Ark which is named after a Noah Bullock, who lived with his family in a boat on the river Derwent, at a time the river was much wider. Noah was a forger and "Coin Clipper", charged and sentenced but bought his freedom back.
The other buildings include "Tower Buildings", a reference to the Shot Tower which once stood where the Council House car park now stands.

One thing I notice about the old photos of Derby (1930s to 1960s shown in a book I own) is the wonderful variety of buildings and how busy the town was, every photo shows hundreds of people walking and shopping.

Market Days saw 20,000 shoppers at the Morledge Market in one day. (this was Europe's largest outdoor market according to the 1970 Derby Guide Book).

The skyline was fascinating with towers, spires, pinacles and wonderfully decorated rooftops, albeit in need of a clean-up, all lost to be replaced with grey steel walls and tin sheds.”

“About time it was realised that people love shops and shop frontage with a bit if character, rather than the soulless grey buildings springing up every where.”

“I think that rm-Spondon has identified a real blot on the city landscape. The row (opposite the Court) needs renovating or rebuilding. Most of it is very shabby - both at street level and above.”

“Excellent news!

Does that mean that someone is thinking about the aesthetics of our city centre? if so, can we be reassured that lots of beautiful, tall buildings are going to be built around the grey box of Westfield?

Incidentally, whilst it was a brave step to build a nuclear power station in the middle of our city, when does Westfield 'C' come on stream and how many megawatts will it provide?”

“I suppose its better than nothing but I could almost weep when I see old photos of some of the buildings that have gone in the name of progress. The Mayor's Parlour, some old dwelllings and pubs on Full Street and of course St.Alkmunds Church.
I bet some tourists must think they've arrived in Coventry when they see our town centre!”

“John Miles for Captain, Your Comments are always disturbing for People...You should say some thing positive..for once, or Back to the football please...!!Joyce”

“This city has so much going for it in the way of both modern "for those who prefer that sort of thing" and the heritage aspect for those foriegn visitors that come here to enjoy, I agree that at last the council are doing something good in bringing back through restoration what can only be descibed as a damn good money spinner for the city most people would enjoy a walk down memory lane and for the younger ones a chance to see in real life what there city used to look like, five stars from me thats for sure But hey no short cuts DCC please !”

“Cities like Leicester and Nottingham have been receiving and spending Goverment grants to restore their city heritage for several years no!, It is good to see that Derby City Council has finally woken up to the fact that heritage plays a big part in a city's economy, something that we "whingers" have been saying for the past 30 years!.

I am not surprised by some of the negative reactions here regarding assumtptions that this is wasting "public money", the alternative is to let other city's benefit whilst Derby disappears under a pile of grey metal boxes and loss of heritage, trade and tourism (which is worth £5 billion per year to the region).
Looking at Westfield and the so-called "Bus Station" Riverlights and the Eagle Market which are out of scale with the rest of the city and appear as grey overbearing and ugly grey metal facades.
Derby has a magnificent history, the bus station handled 1000 buses a day up until the late 1970s, it increased to 1400 (Derby Corporation/City Council published figures) a day for a while, how many buses will the new, much smaller terminal handle?
The 1960s saw a lot of "new" ideas and a love of cheap plastic, chrome plating, bright coloured paints, a revival of which is evident within our newest developments, old was considered "bad" and New was "good". Duckworth Square and the Main Centre were expected to outlive even the Strand! Now those tired poorly designed and cheap developments have gone and it is the likes of the Strand which are making a comeback in spite of those who are stuck in the 1960s with their love of bland grey and tasteless 60s architecture.
We cannot restore the ancient parts of the city like the "Shambles" or the Mayor's Parlour but we can still save what we have left, however little it may be.
On the Hippodrome, this would be eligible for grants from national statutory funding bodies and as it is a listed building, the city council have the power to make the owner rebuild the theatre. English Heritage, which is the most powerful organisation for protecting and forcing the restoration of listed buildings, is backing the organisation behind the restoration bid. This theatre will regenerate the whole area around a newly restored Green Lane.”

“Jo, just to correct you, the council didn't spend £340m on the Westfield development. the council are however, investing £1m into what I consider a very worthwhile project. I am bemused by the constant moaning by people, regardless of the content of the story. Cue Major Chord and his band of miserable old men!”