Letter: New Morrisons Has A Ready-made Space For Art

Published on: 14 Jun, 2013
Updated on: 14 Jun, 2013

From Bernard Parke

Hon Alderman

The former Argos shop site, now we hear to become a Morrisons, is part of a typical 1950’s parade of shops which were originally regarded as being only a temporary phase in the Town’s development.

It replaced a row of Victorian buildings which included the original Guildford House. The parade was designed by John Brownrigg of Scott Brownrigg and Turner who also designed the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre.

The need then was to widen the Upper High Street (known in in past times as ‘Spital Street’ as it once the site of an early town hospital)

Perhaps now it is an example of mid-1900s architecture and will probably be with us indefinitely.

John Brownrigg left a plinth on the Royal Grammar School side of the building hoping that at some stage someone would sponsor a piece of art work to be placed on it.

Perhaps now that with the hope that this area might be brought back to retail life his wish might be fulfilled?

Indeed, if this happened, it would make a fitting memorial to a remarkable Guildford architect.