Monday, December 09, 2013

Greyfriars Bus Station, Northampton, will close in March

So said the Northampton Chronicle & Echo last month, though their is now a row over who will pay for the subsequent demolition. I suggest a public subscription - it would do well:
Greyfriars opened in April 1976 at a cost of £7.2 million. 
By May 1976 the bus station was already labelled a ‘white elephant’. 
In August 1976, the station was described as ‘the worst mistake in Northampton’s history’. 
In 1997, Barclaycard moved out of offices above the station. 
In 2005, Grand Designs presenter, Kevin McCloud called the station ‘the mouth of hell’. 
In 2007, the car park above the station closed because chemicals were leaking on to cars. Sewage was also leaking through the roof. 
In 2009 a woman died after being hit by a bus in the station. A man died in similar circumstances in 2004.
I took some photos there today to give you a flavour of the place.



Meanwhile Northampton's new North Gate bus station is taking shape, above ground, in Sheep Street.


4 comments:

Frank Little said...

Not as bad as the unlamented bus station under Birmingham's Bull Ring.

Jonathan Calder said...

Hard one to call. I used to catch the bus to Ludlow from that Birmingham bus station.

crewegwyn said...

No, no, no.

The Bull Ruing bus station was a treasure.

(Lung cancer aside)

Jonathan Calder said...

And the pools of viscous green liquid.