Standing empty - end of an era for Norwich’s Marsh office block
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- Опубліковано 6 вер 2024
- In this video I take a closer look at Victoria House, Norwich, which has been home to insurance workers for about 50 years.
The 1970s concrete office block has been occupied by Bland Payne, Sedgwick and Marsh (Marsh McLennan) over the years but has recently been vacated.
I talk about the Brutalist architecture, the history of the building and its site - as well as discussing other city centre buildings.
The site has links with the railway industry and even The Beatles. Many thanks to the blogger The Mile Cross Man (themilecrossman.com) for photographs and information included in this video.
Commentary by Ian M Bullock. Filmed using my Apple iPhone 13 Mini. Best viewed in High Definition.
Recorded on December 1st, 2022.
My late father Vic Bailey was training Manager there from the Bland Payne days until retiring in December 2000. He loved working there, and seeing the building coming down is sad as i will always link the building to my dad. Its an interesting video through. Thanks very much
This building was also featured in one of the tales of the unexpected stories
Yes it is an episode titled, Proof of guilt, with Roy Marsden.
I have taken some photos of the building being demolished, they are ripping it down quite fast now. Takes Of the Unexpected has filmed an episode there, but the interior scenes were in the studio, but exteriors were filmed outside the Marsh Building. You can even see the N&N Hospital main ward block appear fleetingly in the same episode.
Just watched your informative video..
I worked there for 44 years in various departments. Many wonderful memories.
Another excellent and in-depth analysis. As you say, it's the people that matter. The loss of 1000 office jobs in the city centre. Memories of HMSO/CCTA at Anglia Square in the mid 1990s.
Yes they have killed Norwich.....80s..90s was a great city...now it is a mess ..have you seem St. Stephens rounderbout? does anyone give a shit?
I spent a couple of years working in Victoria House until Marsh took over and they got rid of the financial team we worked in. They sold us to the Woolwich who of course was bought by Barclays and we were moved to St Crispin's House. Nowadays I work for a large social housing group and we're based in Reed House which is next door to Marsh in Willow House. I joined Norwich Union as a School leaver and worked in St Stpehens 1 which is the nearest tower in the video of St Stephens
Excellent vid - enjoyed it v much ... but ... u say ...
'Thorpe station is in a hopeless position - nowhere near the city centre' ??? WOT? It's less than a quarter of a mile - about as far as Victoria station was from the centre.
Love your choice of words in this one Ian . I use to see this building daily on my trips to college getting off at the bus station, which in my first year 1998 was the old bus station with the steep slope and brick shelters either side , busses parked heron bone style each side . The bus drivers parking was tested to the hilt . A very interesting and well produced video. I certainly knew nothing of the building . Well done , alot of work , thanks for sharing.
Thanks Ian, for another very informative and interesting video about Norwich. I usually make use of the Travelodge on Queens Road on my regular trips to your fine city, and have often gazed out at the Marsh office from the hotel. I don't dislike the building, it has a functional honesty about it, though I don't think it has any particular architectural merit. The abundance of surrounding green space certainly makes it more palatable. I look forward to seeing what becomes of it on my future visits.
Interesting video but I feel that had this rather forbidding and blocky building had a more appealing design it would probably survive. Maybe not as ugly as Sovereign House, but it is still detracts from Norwich's historic city centre and a hope a more attractive structure or use for the site can be found.
The building was officially opened 8 July 1975 as Bland Payne House by which time it was already housing about 500 staff. They had been moving in during the first few months of the year from a couple of other locations in the city. As someone else has commented this was only Phase One. Phase Two was supposed to be a continuation towards what's now Brazen Gate. If I remember rightly those plans allowed for a multi-storey car park to replace the lost surface parking.
as a student in crown place.. it would be nice if they refurbished it and turned it into something else rather than demolishing it entirely
It’s sad to see this lying empty. I worked there in the 80s at Sedgwick International, which was a brilliant business.
The drop in footfall (resulting from the relocation) will be yet another blow for retailers in the heart of the city.
St Stephens, once a prestige shopping area, is now a rather shabby copy of Magdalen St.
Convert it into flats before it deteriorates like Sovereign House. Offices and high street shops are obsolete because it's easier to work from home and buy stuff online
I would imagine with a full refub marsh office block would make a fantastic hotel
March 2024 - the site has been surrounded by safety hoardings and now looks set for demolition. It has signs saying it is a Demolition Area. There is talk of it being demolished and replaced with a mixture of new flats and townhouses.
Willow House was built specifically for Norwich Union / Aviva. Then they contracted and sold off most of their city office sites.
The benefits of globalisation. Your job being done by someone happy to work for a bowl of rice!
You missed the fact that it was never finished! As with all buildings from this period on;y phase 1 was actually completed. Phase two would have gone where the car park is (you'll see that's a raw end with no windows. My guess is it would have been a symmetrical design to match the end which was built, but I've never seen the plans.
Isn’t this building confirmed for demolition now?
Cant believe you didnt know about the train station. There was a third station where Halford is situated
And a fourth at Trowse - ! 😊
But as Victoria Stzton closed over fifty years ago, hardly surprising that he didn't know.
@@simongee8928 He lives 5 minutes away on Grove walk.
@@simongee8928 Whittingham station off yarmouth road
@@jackblue4078 Whitlingham was simply a halt, not actually a station.
Why not convert to apartments for the people who need it!!waste of resources.
There is 20% VAT on conversions. Cheaper to demolish and redevelop.
Half of Norwich needs to be bulldozed at this point. But of course the local residents resist every proposal.
Anglia Square, Prince of Wales…flatten it all.
Amongst the monstrosities on Prince of Wales Road, there are some lovely buildings that are worth preserving.
ua-cam.com/video/SLVXlF3M6BY/v-deo.html
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