The 7 things we miss most about Coventry city centre

What do you miss most about Coventry city centre from years gone by?

It's a question we put to our readers recently - and the memories came flooding in.

From long-lost shops and party venues to green space and cleaner streets, you had a lot to say about Coventry city centre's past.

We've rounded up seven of the things that you told us you missed the most.

But what have we missed - and what would you love to see make a return to Coventry city centre?

1. The Locarno

Music lovers of the sixties and seventies hold fond memories of Coventry's Locarno Ballroom on Smithford Way.

It was the place to be to dance the nights away and perhaps even meet a special someone.

Cov Kid Pete Waterman was a regular DJ there.

Look: 10 photos of the old Locarno ballroom in Coventry

Exterior view showing the top of the Locarno Ballroom tower in central Coventry.
January 1961.

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Lots of you reminisced about dressing up at the weekend and heading on down to the Rock House, as it was also known.

Dotty Robinson said the crowd would be "dressed up to the nines" and "no lady or gentleman was ever lonely".

Vicky Smith said she met her partner at the ballroom and we bet she isn't the only one.

Patricia Essex also holds fond memories of the venue and said "we all danced in those days, almost every day of the week".

2. Woolworths cafe

The city's Woolworths had a very popular cafe back in its hey day.

The cafe on the first floor was a great spot to grab some breakfast or a bite of lunch while out and about in the city centre.

The new Woolworth mezzanine cafeteria. It has a seating capacity for 460. Market Way shopping precinct, Coventry City Centre. 14th May 1954

Terry Johnston said he remembers the egg, chips and beans in particular.

3. Green Broadgate

Back in the day, Broadgate used to be a lot greener - as this picture from the 1970s shows.

Broadgate in the 1970s. Picture courtesy of Historic Coventry (www.historiccoventry.co.uk)

It's an era that tends to hold the fondest memories for many Coventrians, even if pedestrians didn’t have it to themselves back then.

The green grass and beautiful flowers were a stunning sight in the city centre, but they're long gone now.

Ruth Taylor said the greenery in broadgate was "so much better than concrete", while Stephen Stodge Fardon described Broadgate now as an "eyesore".

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4. Toilets

Shoppers at the Upper Precinct in Coventry city centre used to have the luxury of public toilets, albeit in a slightly bizarre location.

In the heart of the precinct, near to where the iconic green escalator stands, were two sets of stairs - which spiralled down, underground - and down there were the public toilets.

Upper Precinct, Coventry, about October 1955

Work began this year to fill them in - but it turns out a lot of people would love to have them back.

5. Variety of shops

There are plenty of shops that Coventry has lost over the years that our readers would love to have back.

Many of you felt nostalgic for the huge variety of stores that used to greet shoppers in the city centre.

Nostalgia: Where we did our Christmas shopping in Coventry

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Shelagh Charlton said she missed "good clothes shops" as she finds herself having to go further afield to get something nice to wear these days.

Lynne Farren misses "small independent shopping" and Dave Child says there are "too many empty premises" in the city centre today.

6. Barnbys

Barnby's in the Precinct was another favourite among Coventry shoppers.

The toy shop was a sight to behold for children and adults alike.

Barnbys toy shop, Coventry. 11th February 1980.

There were puppets of all shapes and sizes hanging from the ceiling, a model train looping around the shop and all the latest must-haves displayed in the front window.

Patricia Colkin called it an "amazing shop".

7. Owen Owen

Broadgate's flagship store, where Primark stands now, was once Owen Owen - a much-loved department shop.

The store was renowned as a very typical old-fashioned British department store - not a million miles away from the Grace Brothers store depicted in the classic BBC sitcom Are You Being Served.

27 old photos of Coventry's much-loved Owen Owen store in Broadgate