Early Eric Lyons and Partners design model – late 60s

Shopping centre is top centre with proposed community hall (Later to become current Village Hall) at end of main street overlooking The Minnis (Village Green).

Bottom right, further in to The Minnis is the proposed swimming pool.

Early and somewhat fanciful artists impression of what the main street would look like – Mid 60s

The drawing relates to an early design for the Centre with a rectilinear layout of buildings and streets. This arrangement was abandoned in 1965 in favour of the more organic street pattern that was eventually built.

Photo of model from above - Late 60s

The Row runs top to bottom with The Link leading into it from the central car park on the left of the model.

Photo of model from the central car park looking towards The Link with The Row running right to left - Late 60s

Clearly visible is the pointed corner of the main stair at the end of The Link connecting The Row with the first floor shopping street, Upper St. North.
Upper St. South, the first floor street with flats, maisonettes and studios runs right to left behind the studio units facing on to the centre car park.

Photo under main stair from The Row to Upper St. North - late 60s

Top left is the beginning of the first floor concourse outside the Ashes Restaurant.

Straight ahead is the “Farm Shop” which was at that time the local greengrocers.

View of top of main stair from The Row to Upper St. North - late 60s

Shows the start of the first floor concourse area outside the Ashes Restaurant and Ron Brown’s Scandinavian furniture shop.

View from half landing on main stair from The Row to Upper St. North – Late 60s

Beyond the child is The Link with footbridge over connecting the two parts of Upper St. South.

View down the first floor shopping street, Upper St. North - Late 60s

View is towards the oriel window, which overlooked North Square and the bus stop.

View from the first floor concourse area of Upper St. North – late 60s

On the left is one of the windows to the centre’s main restaurant, The Ashes, with carefully laid out tables.

View from central car park – Late 60s

View is towards the entrance to The Link with the studios above accessed from the first floor walkway above the colonnade.

View from The Link entrance – Late 60s

Stair on left leads to the first floor access way to the Studios.

View under glazed canopy at entrance to The Link from the central car park - Late 60s

Flower shop on the left.
Large and luxurious pram typical of the period. At that time New Ash Green had an exceptionally high proportion of very young children and was known locally as Youth City.

View from The Link entrance along The Link towards the Row - Late 60s

Bridge link connecting the two parts of Upper St. North visible in distance - Flower shop on left.

View from North Square end of The Row - Late 60s

Village Pharmacy on the right with maisonette above creates a taller unit which architecturally terminates/starts the end of The Row.

View across North Square to the end of The Row - Late 60s

Oriel window to end of first floor shopping Street, Upper St. North, visible beyond.

View across side of North Square to end of the Row - Late 60s

Village Pharmacy beyond. Oriel window to end of Upper St. North top left.

View from under main stair looking up The Row towards the Village Pharmacy - Late 60s

View along Upper St. North towards the oriel window overlooking North Square - Early 70s

The symmetrical arrangement of the roof light is caused by reflection in the shop windows.

View up The Row from under the arcade - Early 70s

Top centre beyond is the entrance from the Row to The Link. Crowd scene is one of the many Village Days.

View across The Row looking towards the main stair from The Row to Upper St. North

The large window is the main window to the first floor restaurant, The Ashes and its open terrace is visible top right.
The tower above the restaurant was originally designed as a viewing tower being the highest point in the area and giving views over the village and surrounding countryside.

View from The Link looking towards the main stair, viewing tower above - Early 70s

Photo taken during one of the Centre’s art exhibitions.
The pointed end to the main stair is a late change to the architect’s original proposals, which previously had the stair wall set perpendicular to the end of the link. Possibly to avoid the appearance of a dead-end and show routes to left and right the architects put the stair on the diagonal.

View in Upper St. North during one of the Centre’s art exhibitions - Early 70s

View down The Link under the first floor pedestrian bridge connecting the two parts of Upper St. South – Early 70s

Visible in the distance is the main stair connecting The Row with Upper St. North and the viewing tower above.