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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.

        News 1974 6 mins

        From the collection of:

        Logo for Media Archive for Central England

        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.