MG Rover

[Louby Lou]

Originally Posted by MattS

OMG. That has to account for most of the major employers. A lot of the small supply companies will also suffer.

Oh yes... live in Allesley.. born and raised here and the number of people in the area that are employed by Jag is remarkable.

My father's business motor workshop/ classic restoration etc had always been here next door to the Jag. Dad sold up in 2000 because he couldn't compete with the "big boys"; unfortunately small independent traders across Coventry have been suffering for years. The Jag and Ryton are the biggest supporters of employment in their areas; probably every other house along Browns Lane houses a Jag employee. It will hit hard for all concerned. Some have left already and some are just sitting biding their time waiting to be told when. It is a shame. The motor industry is Coventry's "Pride and Joy".

Originally Posted by MattS

I was raised in Coventry. Lived down the road from Massey Ferguson and Triumph motorcycles for fourteen years.

Massey Ferguson... another that has gone. AGCO are still up there but the rest of the building is empty I think. There never seems to be any activity up there. Its only 5 mins from my house and they have already started again building new housing developments up there. Mmmm all these new expensive houses and people can't afford to buy them.

Originally Posted by Matts

The bust of the 80s is what forced me daarrn saaarrrth. Still miss the place and mostly the people.

My family moved abroad because of the situation in the City. I am aiming to get out of the City as soon as I can; however I will miss the place, no matter how much I say I won't. It certainly has something, I can't quite put my finger on what but there is something there.

[Gavin Smith]

Originally Posted by Louby Lou

Massey Ferguson... another that has gone. AGCO are still up there but the rest of the building is empty I think. There never seems to be any activity up there. Its only 5 mins from my house and they have already started again building new housing developments up there. Mmmm all these

From memory Agco has gone as well - year before last.

[Louby Lou]

Originally Posted by Gavin Smith

From memory Agco has gone as well - year before last.

Arh.. wasn't quite too sure as I thought the Tower Building was still in use.. but then again the whole site just looks desserted

[Gavin Smith]

Originally Posted by Louby Lou

It certainly has something, I can't quite put my finger on what but there is something there.

Some of the worst architecture in the UK - nay the world?

I've spend a fair amount of time in Warsaw recently (also totally flattened during WWII) the difference is huge. The city was rebuild with all the charecter and style of the original buildings.

In Coventry it seems someone got a bulk deal on concrete.

I live four miles down the road and avoid Coventry like the plague.

I don't see how it can recover from the loss of the majority of it's major employers as it wasn't exactly prospering with them.

Gavin

[Louby Lou]

Originally Posted by Gavin Smith

Some of the worst architecture in the UK - nay the world?

I've spend a fair amount of time in Warsaw recently (also totally flattened during WWII) the difference is huge. The city was rebuild with all the charecter and style of the original buildings.

In Coventry it seems someone got a bulk deal on concrete.

I live four miles down the road and avoid Coventry like the plague.

I don't see how it can recover from the loss of the majority of it's major employers as it wasn't exactly prospering with them.

Gavin

The City itself is horrible... but for where I am/ have been there is something..

It may not be the buildings etc but its probably more the people. Having been part of a business within a small community like Allesley village there are a lot of memories that I greatly treasure, especially after recent years with things that have happened.

I avoid the City Centre as much as possible. However, I work within the old City Walls.. in a 14th Century Catheusian Priory House. The majority of people within the City do not even know we exist. It is the oldest working building in the City. Has the most intact original wall murals in the country dating to 1397 within in and is steeped in history. The rest of the City may be ugly but the are hidden gems that lurk in the back ground.

[Gavin Smith]

Originally Posted by Louby Lou

The City itself is horrible... but for where I am/ have been there is something.

Agreed - I quite like Earlsdon for example. Some of the former surrounding villages are OK.

Unfortunately the perception of Coventry for most is the city centre which needs flattening (mind you they are starting that ).

Gavin

[Louby Lou]

Originally Posted by Gavin Smith

Unfortunately the perception of Coventry for most is the city centre which needs flattening (mind you they are starting that ).

Gavin

True..

Now, if only they hadn't slapped a preservation order on the "Round Cafe" in the Lower Precinct it would look at least 5 times better than it does now

[db8us]

So what companies are left ? Lotus ? TVR ?
I somehow now feel guilty having ripped the Rover-Enging out of my Lotus and replaced it with a Honda-one :-)

Michael
http://www.ekpp.de/personal/micha/else.htm

[Gavin Smith]

Originally Posted by db8us

So what companies are left ? Lotus ? TVR ?

TVR isn't UK owned any more although I think Lotus may be.

Hardly mainstream motor manufacturers though.

Gavin

[aclivity]

Originally Posted by Gavin Smith

TVR isn't UK owned any more although I think Lotus may be.

Hardly mainstream motor manufacturers though.

Gavin

IIRC Lotus is owned by Proton of malaysia? Or did I dream that?

[edit] nope, just checked, I didn't dream it.

There are some UK owned car builders - Bristol, and Farboud, and Noble. None of which are mainstream / volume builders. I think the collapse of MG Rover is a crying shame, but I am a hippocrite as I didn't buy a Rover (I bought 2 206's as they were built in the UK, then Pug goes and decides to stop building them here!). In my defence, I was considering a ZT-T as my next car but with the parlous state of warranties, I don't think I can.

Interestingly (?) The UK is net exporter of cars. Apaprently in 2004 we exported more cars than imported by a factor of 20%. These cars were built for Peugeot, Nissan etc. for European market.