Hole In The Road Thread with Pics

[mike-s 13]

I worked at Walshs in the early 70s, there was an escalator from the hole in the road to the store. I worked on the radio & tv dept and one of my jobs was to arrange the window in 'the hole' and get the tv's running which always looked good in the dim light. I would spend ages just watching the world go by. It's a shame most people only remember it as a tip, in those days it was always busy with people chatting and meeting, if you arranged to meet a girl it was generally always at 'the fish tank'.

[spudgun 10]

I worked at Walshs in the early 70s, there was an escalator from the hole in the road to the store. I worked on the radio & tv dept and one of my jobs was to arrange the window in 'the hole' and get the tv's running which always looked good in the dim light. I would spend ages just watching the world go by. It's a shame most people only remember it as a tip, in those days it was always busy with people chatting and meeting, if you arranged to meet a girl it was generally always at 'the fish tank'.

 

Got to agree. I only have fond memories of the hole in the road. No worries of getting knocked down by busses. It was worth having to dodge the tramps and beggars

[devlin 10]

Aaawww, I do so miss THITR, I wish we still had it so I could meet my mates at the fishtank !!!!!

 

yes I see the face at the bottom of the escalators too !

[spudgun 10]

Aaawww, I do so miss THITR, I wish we still had it so I could meet my mates at the fishtank !!!!!

 

yes I see the face at the bottom of the escalators too !

 

That face is so creepy. I always used to enter at the side of the co-op on snig hill and bought the NME at the tiny newsagents there

[Blue Moon 10]

I wonder if THITR would have been looked at more sympathetically by the Council if Meadowhall had never happened, and upgraded it rather than filled it in.

I personally think Meadowhall has been an absolute disaster for Sheffield and the city centre in particular, it has sucked out so much of the vibrancy of the city centre.

I remember going to town on a Sat in the late 70's early 80's and there would be so many people around it was unbelievable, a far cry to how it is today.

Have only been to Meadowhall once and hated it.Could have been anywhere.

I much prefer to shop in the city centre even now,as there are still some good shops.

 

How right you are. Meadowhall, to me, isn't Sheffield. It's just a clone shopping centre that could be anywhere. The place ripped the heart from Sheffield City Centre and has been struggling ever since... The hustle and bustle of the City Centre was great, but people still had time for each other. Shops were department stores and individual shops - not like the same old same old down most High Streets these days.

[Dannyzz 10]

I remember the Hole In The Road only too well. It was the 1980s when I first went through it, and it was beginning to deteriorate by that point. But it was, architecturally, very significant. It was so unusual. I think the fact that it was filled in in 1995 or so is quite ironic. It will be ever tied up in our memories with those good days of the 1970s and 1980s. It made a major difference to the city centre, and although I don't hanker after the poor homeless guys down there, or the dirt or the whiffs - it is sadly missed. And imagine not being able to have a fag around there.

[golfseven 10]

I Can remember buying a tea for Cyril the tramp, who used to park himself at the side of the tea machine on cold evenings "Do you want a tea Cyril? yes tea two sugars" long gone now I suppose?

[daverad 10]

i saw it being built and saw it being filled in how time marches on

[tony_santos 10]

There were defo some lavs, in the early/mid 80's whilst caught short i broke my rule about using public toilets and found, bizarrely a sex pistols L.P. in there!

 

Also i can imagine the toilets got a lot of action as it was a cottaging hot spot back in the day! I worked at the Lazer Quest in the late 80's early 90's and when we were depositing money at the bank over the rd in the night box the place was teeming with fellas!

[Plain Talker 11]

There were defo some lavs, in the early/mid 80's whilst caught short i broke my rule about using public toilets and found, bizarrely a sex pistols L.P. in there!

 

Also i can imagine the toilets got a lot of action as it was a cottaging hot spot back in the day! I worked at the Lazer Quest in the late 80's early 90's and when we were depositing money at the bank over the rd in the night box the place was teeming with fellas!

 

there were at least two sets of loos, that I remember. One up near Rackhams' entrance (near the bus information stand?) and another, down in the bit that ran under Angel Street between Cockaynes and the Co-Op. (You had an exit up by C&A, and another by the Co-Op chemist)

[rholt 10]

this brings back so many memories for me.i used to spend hours with my mum lookin at that fish tank.bloody hell im actually feelin a bit emotianal thinkin about the city center as a nipper.

 

as a fire officer, I was involved in checking forthcoming plans of new building projects. This one was a new large traffic island with the centre area dug out to basement level, opened to the sky,and having access to shops around the island, all having window displays and doorways at this basement level, including a large fishtank display. It was quite a forward looking idea but, for various reasons filled in.

[melthebell 863]

There were defo some lavs, in the early/mid 80's whilst caught short i broke my rule about using public toilets and found, bizarrely a sex pistols L.P. in there!

 

IT WAS MINE!!!!

 

heh