And The Walls Came Tumbling Down… Preparation of Town Centre Sites Begins

Published on: 21 Aug, 2014
Updated on: 21 Aug, 2014

Buildings that many Guildfordians have grown up with over the last century are fast disappearing in the development area to the north of North Street.

The former Live and let Live pub is pulled down. Somewhat of an ironic name?

As the demolition teams moved in, the editor of The Guildford Dragon News, Martin Giles, took the last ever drink in the ironically named Live and Let Live pub before it was completely demolished. It was the same pub in which he had enjoyed his first illicit pint as a teenager, back in the 1970s.

Dragon editor Martin Giles enjoys a last drink (brought in specially) at the former Live and Let Live pub.

The site on which the pub (that dates to about the 1860s) stood is being prepared for the construction of a new Waitrose supermarket.

The former Bellerby Theatre and once the Church Acre iron foundry buildings are ready for the bulldozers.

The former Bellerby Theatre, which was once the Church Acre iron foundry buildings, are ready for the bulldozers.

But other buildings are coming down nearby too. The Bellerby Theatre which used to be Church Acre iron foundry is also earmarked for demolition. Towns like Guildford once had their own firms who turned their hand to making all kinds of metal products, from items for local farmers to those found in and around the town. A further foundry was Filmer & Mason’s, that is now the site of the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre.

Smash and grab what you can! As architectural historian Charles Brooking was salvaging items for his collection, bricks from the Live and Let Live and tiles from the Bellerby Theatre were being stacked to be sold on and used again.

Charles Brooking, who is an architectural historian and collector and founder of the Brooking Architectural Museum, has been visiting the sites to try and salvage as many artefacts as possible from these historic buildings. He said: “Waitrose and the developers Bowmer & Kirkland have gone out of their way to be helpful to myself and the Brooking National Collection.

“They have allowed me access to the site. It has been marvellous to actually retrieve these items, such as windows, from the foundry industry and of course the pub, the Live and Let Live. So I would like to commend them for that, because it has enabled me to preserve some very important pieces.”

No more kissing and cuddling in the back row of what was once a cinema in Woodbridge Road – remembered as either the Astor or Studio 1 and 2.

In Woodbridge Road the site of the former cinema which many readers will have memories of, and which later became Bojangles nightclub, will soon be disappearing, as will the building next door, formerly, in turn, a Waitrose store, a Green Shield Stamp store and What Not Antiques.

These buildings in Woodbridge Road are also due for demolition.

The terraced houses opposite the Commercial Road bus station and the last vestiges of the Baptist chapel that stood next to them are all disappearing too. Some of those buildings were used as offices by the Friary Meux brewery that was, until 1968, on the site occupied by today’s Friary centre complex.

A screen around the former Live and Let Live pub, see older picture below.

Here are a few glimpses of the area in question from years gone by. Pictures from the David Rose Collection.

The Live and Let Live in about the 1950s. The Co-op bakery can be seen to the right.

Looking down on Woodbridge Road with a view of the Astor Cinema. The date is about 1963.

Looking down on Woodbridge Road with a view of the Astor cinema to the right. The date is about 1963.

The Church Acre foundry and a photo form the time of Guildford's celebrations of the coronation of George V in 1911. Gunpowder is being set alight from the top of anvils, an old tradition at the time.

The Church Acre foundry and a photo from the time of Guildford’s celebrations for the coronation of George V in 1911. Gunpowder is being set alight from the top of anvils, an old tradition at the time.

A rare snap shot view that looks along Commercial Road towards North Street.

No doubt many readers will have memories associated with many of these disappearing buildings. Why not write in to share them? Please use the ‘Leave a Reply’ feature below.

Responses to And The Walls Came Tumbling Down… Preparation of Town Centre Sites Begins

Jules Cranwell Reply

August 21, 2014 at 10:39 am

I cannot believe another supermarket in the town is worth all this destruction of our heritage.

Also, by what mandate have the bulldozers been allowed to move in, while the daft (sic) Local Plan is still in consultation?
Sue Fox Reply

August 21, 2014 at 2:02 pm

This morning saw the opening of a ‘Little Waitrose’ on Worplesdon Road they’re in direct competition to the row of small shops opposite even to the provision of cat litter, who buys that when they stop for petrol?

Also given the size of the truck delivering goods I would say good luck to the people living near the new Waitrose.
Don Krump Reply

August 22, 2014 at 7:34 pm

Have some compassion. At the moment the people of Guildford have to trek all the way over to Godalming if they want to overpay for their groceries.
Susan Parker Reply

August 23, 2014 at 10:40 am

I think internet shopping delivers for free – so why do we need more large stores?
Brian Holt Reply

August 25, 2014 at 9:46 pm

We now have both Sainsbury’s and Waitrose in Stoughton. They are both more expensive than the full-sized supermarkets.

Nothing is done to help the remaining small shops survive. All the council planners do is allow more and more Estate Agents and Betting Shops in Stoughton. There are many elderly people living here that need local shops still.
Chaz Folkes Reply

August 26, 2014 at 2:10 pm

It’s a little sad to see quite so much of the remaining older buildings on the North Street side of town going.

I only hope that any future development is something worthy of replacing them. The town’s record on this is mixed; the Civic Hall has made way for the smart GLive, the block of flats that went in the place of the old Odeon cinema [and the Prudential Building] look very tatty now after less than fifteen years.