Now with less

This picture, taken from the bus on my way home, shows a little piece of 20th century history. The building on the right is the remains of the National Picture Theatre on Beverley Road. It was destroyed in an air raid on the night of the 17^th March 1941 during a showing of The Great Dictator. One hundred and fifty people sheltering in the foyer escaped with their lives. Since that day the ruins have just been left and now it is the last blitz damaged civilian building in the country.

So what to do with the site? Well there were plans to turn it into restaurants and flats but the great bankster driven recession has put paid to that. There's now a plan to turn it into a ‘tribute to the home front’ whatever that means. As far as I know they are still seeking funding for this so it may be another seventy years before anything happens.

Now I've only ever passed the front of this ruin and was unaware of what lies behind until I came across this little web page while researching this post. All I can say is what a mess!

As for the building on the left that was a pub called the Swan. I only ever went in there once many, many years ago. I recall it was full of big tall Kerry men drinking a strange black liquid and singing Country & Western songs. I did not stay long.