Nice to go back and see how life was so much more civilised people interacting looking happy and relaxed, high streets lively with plenty of shops, no one with there face in there Mobile. I wish life would return to this way again away from today's toxic awful world
A relative of ours moved up there from SW London sometime in the '80's. The trouble was, she couldn't drive, and she was stuck in the middle of this soulless housing development, slowly going off her head.
Got married in '81 when living in Luton and looked at buying in MK in 1980. The sales pitch kiosks were all in the central shopping area with lovely artist impressions of the housing. We then drove to the site of one we were interested in but the boggy mess in no way matched the pictures and we decided against. Used to go there a lot and it was great, with lots of green open spaces and empty roads, but they soon filled the spaces with houses and the roads could get busy, specially with the endless roadworks and long diversions.
I lived in MK from 1981 to 1997 ,great footage especially of the shopping centre.anyone know where that coffee shop was and where are all these people now?
Yes he did there indeed of course too. That was a hit for him in October 1981 I think-as I remember seeing it no doubt on Top of the Pops on BBC1 then at the time; or if not on tv somewhere else so too?
Great stuff. I was 11 in 1981 living on Bradville estate and my school was Stanton Middle. Originally from London? Nope. Originally from New Zealand. We moved back there when I was 15. I did not think there was nothing to do. Lots more to do than when we were living in south London. MK had plenty for kids to do, plus they spared no expense on the schools in those days, e.g., the leisure center at Stantonbury Campus, etc. There was also all the English countryside to explore beyond MK. I would BMX around the place for miles. Seems those folk were complaining about lack of night life. No different to any other town of its size really. Most places are dead at night. People laughed about MK and still do, but the little new town did okay for itself in a way. I see all the millions trees they planted back then have grown up. One of the greenest towns in Europe now and a proper garden city. Just as well, because it looks quite bleak in this film.
This is so relatable. I came to MK at the end of ‘79 & the not knowing anyone except for work colleagues stiles a chord. Going to play squash / badminton at Stantonbury and going to CMK for a McDs were about the extent of my social life. It got better but coming from Grimsby I really did feel like a fish out of water 😅
If I'm right, 'Back together again' was recorded the day before the singer died and was last track ever recorded. It's a brilliant record but the backstory is so sad. More Roxy Music too; every episode of 'Cities' has it like a subtle promotion for the album. Thinking of tracking the vinyl down now!
The people complaining about needing a car are right, MK is an American suburb built around a shopping centre. It was built on a scale of car driving, not on a scale for people walking. It should have had trams and been built more densely.
But it is the model of what you’d nowadays call the 15 minute city. Everything you need is close by you. You can go further afield, and that needs a car, but you don’t need to, at least not in the more established parts of the city. In the brand new areas that may not yet be true.
It was planned at a time when the car was king and nothing else mattered. If planned today it may have been done differently. I do think the low density makes for a more pleasant environment than many others. Low density and open spaces were key features of the original plan.
At the time the Development Corporation said Netherfield was meant to represent the Regency terraces of Bath Spa. I prefer the real Regency terraces of Bath Spa myself. It and Bean Hill were built at the time of a national brick shortage so had to be built from alternative materials. Lego maybe.
Wouldn't say I agree, given the comparison to now. Obviously it was never an ideal living environment, but it looks so much cleaner and tranquil compared to now.
The time of negative views, little people living in little boxes with a window to look out. What did they expect, new trees are not 20 years old, the shrubs were not in, the trees hadnt grown, insde the houses were different. I moved from west London after my dister and my mum already moved. I had to telephone and check number of new roundabouts before we left m1. My brother in law drove around checking the changes. We came in 81, we lived with my sister, then my mum whilst we awaited housing (6 months). We had never a chance for council housing in West London and my kids would have to be bussed out to a school. The car pollution, the unrest in the area. No thanks MK was the best option for all of us.
@@michaelclayton960 you know exactly what I mean but that's the paradox I'm afraid but then I don't do tick and tock or face book or any of the outer follow my leader bits just you tube because then I wouldn't be able to watch the nostalgia😄
The guy at 12:20 talking about there being nothing to do for the under 17/18 yr old, he's surely not that age?? He looks 30, must have had a tough paper round.
