Coventry...don't wait for somebody to send you there

   

It was intended as a romantic gesture, a night away from home with my better half as part of our anniversary celebrations. The place we were visiting met all the criteria I had set, not too far away from where we lived, somewhere we hadn't been to before, had things to keep us occupied within walking distance of our hotel and a choice of restaurants and bars close by to relax in on the evening.

"Coventry???", "Coventry!!!", "Coventry" (cue sniggers and laughter)...these were just some of the responses I had when mentioning to friends where I was taking my wife. The shock and in some cases hilarity shown by others put doubt in my mind whether this trip was such a good idea, after all Coventry is well known for being the proverbial place to send someone who isn't liked and even the local football team has decided to play their "Home" matches some 40 miles away in Northampton. However it was with all positive intents we set off determined to have a good time and see what Coventry city centre had to offer the visitor.

Set in the middle of a stilted ring road, the centre of Coventry houses a large pedestrianised shopping area, which admitably is not the most prettiest of retail experiences. The area is a mixture of precincts, malls and street shops meaning there are buildings of different ages, designs and architectural fashions which struggle to blend into one. However, this aside the centre does house a large number of established stores meaning plenty of choice and the opportunity of spending plenty of time browsing round the wide variety of shops. 

The large open square of Broadgate houses the statue of Lady Godiva, infamous in legend for riding naked through the streets of Coventry to protest at excessive taxes her husband, the Earl of Mercia imposed on the oppressed occupants of the city. The impressive statue shows her in her naked state astride her horse, her modesty being protected by her flowing locks of hair. Her naked exhibitism certainly caused a stir at the time but allegedly did cause her Husband to alter his tax policy and in turn make her a heroine in the eyes of the city forever more.

Towering over the skyline are the two spires of the Holy Trinity church and the Medieval cathedral, now just ruins following it's destruction during the Luftwaffe attacks of November 1940 that decimated the city. Only the tower, spire and the outer walls together with a bronze effigy survived the bombings but the building remains a popular tourist site, a poignant place to sit and reflect of the suffering caused by wars, in the roofless surroundings. Around the inner "Hallowed" grounds are numerous signs of peace and forgiveness for the atrocities caused such as the symbolic cross at the head of the alter, a copy of one made from original charred roof timbers, with the poignant message "Father Forgive" inscribed on the wall behind it. The new modern Cathedral built in the 60's is attached to the original, combining the two in a message of reconciliation between the horrors of the past with the hope of the future.

 



















 

Further across the city centre is Spon Street, advertised as an attraction, the street houses a number of Medieval properties transported from various points of the city and renovated to produce a historical district. However, whatever good intentions were there are the time of setting this project up now seems to be a wasted opportunity for Coventry's tourist trade. Information boards giving details of the streets history over the ages are faded and in turn the buildings now house shops containing the likes of a hairdresser, audio equipment specialists and perhaps most disappointingly a kebab, take away shop. It would be interesting to see what the original Medieval inhabitants of the area would make of a "Ye old Tanning Salon", probably thinking some kind of witchcraft was being practised within.

Sunday morning in the Centre was a hive of activity witnessing the the Sunday ritual of the masses visiting their modern day cathedral....Ikea. A reflection of the secular behaviour of Modern Britain as cars queued to enter the stores car park whilst the church close by seemed barren of parishioners .Very different to the large scale out of towns outlets, this was Ikea's first city centre store in the UK with the store being spread over seven floors but just as popular as its counterparts.

Around the area it is evident that Coventry's "Concrete Jungle" reputation is still there in places, the ugly, threatening Subways under the ring road being a prime example. However, improvements to the shopping areas, the Skydome entertainment complex, together with the more cultured attractions such as the Cathedral, Belgrave theatre and the modern Herbert Art gallery & Museum make it a worth while place to visit ....through your own choice, no need to be sent there by others.