My Brighton and Hove | Areas | Regency | Churchill Square

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Churchill Square

The first version

Image and text from the 1994 My Brighton museum exhibit

A scheme for creating a new shopping centre alongside Western Road was first conceived in the 1930s. The current scheme [this text was written in 1994] was given ministerial approval in 1963 and the first shop (Blackburns Menswear) opened in 1967.

The Churchill Square development covers over 15 acres. It extends from Western Road down to the sea-front. It cost £9 million to build, and consists of a shopping precinct, a residential block, a group of offices and three car-parks.

Some of the land needed for the square's development was already vacant having been cleared in 1938 and 1957-8. However, one early nineteenth century street of cobble-fronted buildings, Grenville Place, was demolished.

This page was added on 22/03/2006.

Comments:

The Multi-level development of the Square opened in 1971. By the early 80's the leaseholders (as the council owned it) were becoming concerned with the decline in trading in the shops on the lower levels. In 1987 the Argus made the famous damning verdict on the square in its opinion column. By the start of the 1990s several key names had moved out of the lower levels. In 1991 Standard Life bought out partner Taylor Woodrow and announced plans to revitalise and modernise the square. The Spirit of Brighton sculpture was demolished and replaced with a bandstand in 1992, and new signs put up. This year saw the last supermarket, Tescos, leave the square. Another Standard Life idea was a market on the lower levels, this only lasted a few weeks however as complaints from the office blocks were too high. In late 1993 the final shop on the lower level closed. By this time the square was in a dilipadated state. In 1995 the council sold up to Standard Life for 17million and plans were announced for a new look covered shopping centre. Demolition began in January 1996 and construction work started in August of that year, with the new centre opening in September 1998

By Sam Cullen (14/07/2004)

I would like to know what was there before the 1930's. What was on the site of Churchill Square at the turn of the century? I am intrigued.

By Kelly Armstrong (04/04/2005)

Grenville Place was demolished early '65. I lived at 44. We held out for meagre compensation from Brighton Council and were the last house standing in the road as we refused to move before our new home was ready. It transpired that Churchill Square was a terrible development and it seems that B&H Council are attempting similar wholesale development at King Alfred etc.

By L. Freedman (18/11/2006)

My great great grandparents lived at 7 Blucher Place, Brighton from 1861 until 1891. My great grandfather Owen Pope also lived there. Blucher Place was demolished to make way for Churchill Square. Does anyone have any photos of Blucher Place? The street sounds intriguing.

By Jackie Wickham (29/10/2007)

Why is it actually called Churchill Square?

By Lancleot (09/11/2007)

I lived in no. 1 Blucher Place just before the war broke out with my grandmother Mrs Gunn, her son Tom Gunn and my mother and father Doris and Ted Martin. Before that
we lived in Cannon Place. I would like to meet up with anyone who lived in Blucher place, Gordon Martin 01903 763495.

By Gordon Martin (03/03/2008)

The new one is better, but needs more variety of shops.

By Beth (09/10/2008)