The National Provincial Bank

Walking forward towards that bank now, we can see that something is missing.... Indeed, we're back in 1928, the year before construction of the National Provincial took place. The Coventry Arms seen here above had only a very short time remaining, and a view taken from a similar standpoint was recorded three years later showing a brand new structure which nicely curved around following the line of Hertford Street.

Of course, such decent architecture isn't allowed to be shown anymore! At least that's the impression one gets when we see how the view of a sleek building can be criminally hidden away by modern clutter. The Roman style pillars facing Broadgate are still on show, but the Greek style pillars are now wasted and out of sight. Did Broadgate House have to be extended to join the bank? I'm sure a view down Hertford Street would have been preferable to this incoherent mess.

Continued on Page 7 - "The Way We Were"