The Media Archive for Central England is the public screen archive for the East and West Midlands. An independent charity and company based at the University of Lincoln, MACE acquires, catalogues, preserves and makes widely available moving image materials that inform our understanding of the diverse cultures and histories of communities between the Lincolnshire coast and the Welsh border.
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Oldbury
Oldbury: "an adventure playground for vandals rather than a town centre". A tour of the Black Country town that is down but definitely not out.
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Overview
The canal has been filled in and the hoped for 'green walk' has become a rubbish tip, the cinema has closed and the shops are being boarded up. What hope is there for the future of Oldbury town centre? Peter Plant pays a visit for ATV Today to find out what's gone wrong. Hope may be at hand though, with the new Sandwell council and a plan to bring life back into this forgotten town.
Despite the pessimism seen here Sandwell Council did build their new offices in Oldbury and the town centre was revitalised around a civic square development on Freeth Street. It wasn't until 2005 that these changes were implemented meaning that local people waited a full 30 years to benefit.
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