Cheap Street shops demolished to make way for the Kennet Centre

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Cheap Street shops demolished to make way for the Kennet Centre

The shops in Cheap Street that were demolished to make way for the Kennet Centre

Here is an interesting photograph. It is taken probably 1969/70 ish from the telephone exchange under construction in Bear Lane.

In the foreground to the left you can see the postal yard. The Newbury sorting office is further to the left and you can just see the edge of the Post Office itself.

In the foreground to the right you can see the construction work taking place on a new building for Barclays Bank. During the reconstruction work Barclays operated from premises adjacent to the Arcade in the Market Place.

There were many changes in this part of Newbury due to the construction of what was then known as the ring road. Bear Lane itself was created after the demolition of the Black Bear public house which stood next to Barclays Bank. Bear Lane links the police station roundabout into Cheap Street, which at this junction was a one way street. (We even had the luxury of 2 exits from the Market Place).

Beyond the shops in Cheap Street, you can see the area that was later to be enclosed and developed into the Kennet Centre. The Catherine Wheel and the two shops to the left remain to this day. However the rest were demolished.

Follow this link to view more old photographs of Newbury