Can anyone tell me when ITN moved from Wells Street to Gray's Inn Road? 
(The year's enough)

TIA

David B, if you're reading this I suspect you know the reason I'm 
asking!   :-)
-- 
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK

Ian Jelf wrote:
> Can anyone tell me when ITN moved from Wells Street to Gray's Inn Road? 
> (The year's enough)

August 1990-ish,  ISTR it co-incided with the Kuwait invasion ?

In message , Mark Carver 
<mark.carver@invalid.invalid> writes
>Ian Jelf wrote:
>> Can anyone tell me when ITN moved from Wells Street to Gray's Inn 
>>Road? (The year's enough)
>
>August 1990-ish,  ISTR it co-incided with the Kuwait invasion ?

That's close enough.   :-)   Many thanks, Mark.

(What happened to the old premises, by the way?   I always mean to go 
along and have a look but never seem to get around to it.)
-- 
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK

Registered Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk

"Ian Jelf"  wrote in message 
news:oDpe6ZwIPWSIFwOc@bluebadge.demon.co.uk...
> Can anyone tell me when ITN moved from Wells Street to Gray's Inn Road? 
> (The year's enough)
>
> TIA
>
> David B, if you're reading this I suspect you know the reason I'm asking! 
> :-)

Hi Ian,

I am, and I do ;-).

According to Independent Television in Britain Volume 5, GIR was ready for 
occupation in Autumn 1990, so Mark is correct. It was a troublesome purchase 
for ITN though. The very Labour Camden Council tried to get revenge on 
Rupert Murdoch for crushing the print unions by making it difficult for him 
to sell the building and by blocking any attempt for ITN to obtain planning 
permission. It was also a bad time, as it coincided with the property 
collapse and almost left ITN insolvent.

See you on Sunday.
David.

Ian Jelf wrote:
> In message , Mark Carver 
> <mark.carver@invalid.invalid> writes
> 
>> Ian Jelf wrote:
>>
>>> Can anyone tell me when ITN moved from Wells Street to Gray's Inn 
>>> Road? (The year's enough)
>>
>>
>> August 1990-ish,  ISTR it co-incided with the Kuwait invasion ?
> 
> 
> That's close enough.   :-)   Many thanks, Mark.
> 
> (What happened to the old premises, by the way?   I always mean to go 
> along and have a look but never seem to get around to it.)

Block of Flats!!

ITN in Wells Street did have the advantage of a good canteen. We used to 
go there from BBC Switching Centre in the evening (especially at weekends.
After a while the security guards knew us and we went straight in!!

Mike

m wrote:

>>
>> (What happened to the old premises, by the way?   I always mean to go 
>> along and have a look but never seem to get around to it.)
> 
> 
> Block of Flats!!

Was it demolished or converted?

Stuart wrote:
> m wrote:
> 
>>>
>>> (What happened to the old premises, by the way?   I always mean to go 
>>> along and have a look but never seem to get around to it.)
>>
>>
>>
>> Block of Flats!!
> 
> 
> Was it demolished or converted?

Demolished completely. 1960s 'office block' turned into 1990s 'trendy' 
brick edifice.

Mike

dB wrote:

> 
> "Ian Jelf"  wrote in message
> news:oDpe6ZwIPWSIFwOc@bluebadge.demon.co.uk...
> > Can anyone tell me when ITN moved from Wells Street to Gray's Inn
> > Road?  (The year's enough)
> > 
> > TIA
> > 
> > David B, if you're reading this I suspect you know the reason I'm
> > asking!  :-)
> 
> Hi Ian,
> 
> I am, and I do ;-).
> 
> According to Independent Television in Britain Volume 5, GIR was
> ready for occupation in Autumn 1990, so Mark is correct. It was a
> troublesome purchase for ITN though. The very Labour Camden Council
> tried to get revenge on Rupert Murdoch for crushing the print unions
> by making it difficult for him to sell the building and by blocking
> any attempt for ITN to obtain planning permission. It was also a bad
> time, as it coincided with the property collapse and almost left ITN
> insolvent.
> 
> See you on Sunday.
> David.

ITN had to sell the building and lease back part of it.

-- 
Ashley

m wrote:

> 
> 
> Ian Jelf wrote:
> >In message , Mark Carver
> <mark.carver@invalid.invalid> writes
> > 
> > > Ian Jelf wrote:
> > > 
> > > > Can anyone tell me when ITN moved from Wells Street to Gray's
> > > > Inn  Road? (The year's enough)
> > > 
> > > 
> > > August 1990-ish,  ISTR it co-incided with the Kuwait invasion ?
> > 
> > 
> > That's close enough.   :-)   Many thanks, Mark.
> > 
> > (What happened to the old premises, by the way?   I always mean to
> > go  along and have a look but never seem to get around to it.)
> 
> Block of Flats!!
> 
> ITN in Wells Street did have the advantage of a good canteen. We used
> to go there from BBC Switching Centre in the evening (especially at
> weekends.  After a while the security guards knew us and we went
> straight in!!
> 
> Mike

Agree about the canteen. The club was rather small though. LWT's
canteen and bar were even better. That's why I liked being on the links
receive shift on the roof of Kent House.

-- 
Ashley

Ashley Booth wrote:
> m wrote:
> 
>>
>> Ian Jelf wrote:
>>> In message , Mark Carver
>> <mark.carver@invalid.invalid> writes
>>>> Ian Jelf wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Can anyone tell me when ITN moved from Wells Street to Gray's
>>>>> Inn  Road? (The year's enough)
>>>>
>>>> August 1990-ish,  ISTR it co-incided with the Kuwait invasion ?
>>>
>>> That's close enough.   :-)   Many thanks, Mark.
>>>
>>> (What happened to the old premises, by the way?   I always mean to
>>> go  along and have a look but never seem to get around to it.)
>> Block of Flats!!
>>
>> ITN in Wells Street did have the advantage of a good canteen. We used
>> to go there from BBC Switching Centre in the evening (especially at
>> weekends.  After a while the security guards knew us and we went
>> straight in!!
>>
>> Mike
> 
> Agree about the canteen. The club was rather small though. LWT's
> canteen and bar were even better. That's why I liked being on the links
> receive shift on the roof of Kent House.
> 

Agree with your comments about the old LWT's bar and look what a mess 
ITV have made of it, all white and very noisy because of all the sharp 
surfaces!

GeoffW

GeoffW wrote:

>>
>> Agree about the canteen. The club was rather small though. LWT's
>> canteen and bar were even better. That's why I liked being on the links
>> receive shift on the roof of Kent House.
>>
> 
> Agree with your comments about the old LWT's bar and look what a mess 
> ITV have made of it, all white and very noisy because of all the sharp 
> surfaces!
> 
> GeoffW

Probably like TC club bar. All 'modernised' i.e. take out all the comfy 
chairs and put in trendy seating. Then close half of it for a 'keep 
fit'area.
Drives everyone to the local pub and spells the end of the BBC Club.

Mike

On Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:54:13 +0100, m wrote:

> Probably like TC club bar. All 'modernised' i.e. take out all the comfy 
> chairs and put in trendy seating. Then close half of it for a 'keep 
> fit'area.

I think the TVC club isn't bad these days.  The more people in the gym the
better as you can get served quicker.  Old Peculiar on the
handle yesterday, ymmmmmmm.  The lunches are over a fiver these days, but
there is always a good choice and you'd have to go to the WC Canteen to
get as good.

Of course you can't beat the old-style drinking den under Bush followed by
a trip over the road to the 'India Club' for solids.  I wonder how much
longer it will be there?

> Drives everyone to the local pub and spells the end of the BBC Club.

The 'Bushranger' just off the green on Goldhawk Road has been taken over
by Youngs and renamed 'The Stinging Nettle'. I'm looking forward to
trying it out on a first visit.

Most of the die-hards go in "The Green".  I had Youngs Special in there
last night, but others I were with were very brave and risking the Adnams.
The extract fan had stopped working in the gents, so a gas mask is a must.

G.

-- 
gareth at lightfox dot plus dot com

"dB"  wrote in message 
news:zdSdnVRLCvk74NTVnZ2dnUVZ8uqdnZ2d@posted.plusnet...
> According to Independent Television in Britain Volume 5, GIR was ready for 
> occupation in Autumn 1990, so Mark is correct. It was a troublesome 
> purchase for ITN though. The very Labour Camden Council tried to get 
> revenge on Rupert Murdoch for crushing the print unions by making it 
> difficult for him to sell the building and by blocking any attempt for ITN 
> to obtain planning permission. It was also a bad time, as it coincided 
> with the property collapse and almost left ITN insolvent.

For years there were two or three of those huge floors standing empty. I 
worked there when Reuters moved into them, and it was really weird. Just a 
great big empty carpeted football field. We put RF outlets in all the 
floorboxes, which were on a grid system. It was a megga job.

Bill

Gareth wrote:
> On Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:54:13 +0100, m wrote:
> 
> I think the TVC club isn't bad these days.  The more people in the gym the
> better as you can get served quicker.  Old Peculiar on the
> handle yesterday, ymmmmmmm.  The lunches are over a fiver these days, but
> there is always a good choice and you'd have to go to the WC Canteen to
> get as good.

It's gone down hill. Over a year ago, they scrapped the full food menu - 
including jacket potatoes, chili con carne, doorstep sandwiches, and 
every single vegetarian dish bar one - and replaced it with an "evening 
menu" consisting only four or five dishes.

Upon inquiry at the time, I was told it was only until they refreshed 
their menu for the summer. A year and a bit on, there's still no 
sandwiches, no jacket potatoes, no vegetarian choice. No good, in short.

I see from bleating letters and articles in Pravda that the Club is on 
the verge of folding, with Borehamwood doomed and Woodlands closing in 3 
months. I certainly won't be going out of my way to save it, considering 
it's a tenner a month to drink beer that's more expensive than at a 
quality local pub -- and it's often not well kept, with the Youngs 
cloudy more often than clear, and the fizzes tasting of line-cleaner.

Still... it's only a couple of years until BH, returning to haunt 
Studios YG, HG, and CS.

>> Drives everyone to the local pub and spells the end of the BBC Club.
> 
> Most of the die-hards go in "The Green".  I had Youngs Special in there
> last night, but others I were with were very brave and risking the Adnams.
> The extract fan had stopped working in the gents, so a gas mask is a must.

Horrid place. The Defector's Weld is far nicer, and does a cracking 
Sunday roast, although it's often necessary to remonstrate with the bar 
staff as to what constitutes a full pint...

m wrote:
> Drives everyone to the local pub and spells the end of the BBC Club.

Good.

£10 a month saved, and that's before accounting for the cheaper beer at 
a local pub...

faderstart@live.co.uk wrote:

> 
> Still... it's only a couple of years until BH, returning to haunt 
> Studios YG, HG, and CS.
> 


YG, HG, CS ??????

What about PPL (last seen before demolition as a cleaners 'rest room' 
but still with all the padded walls and nice panelled entrance hall!!

But by then the Western house club will no doubt also have gone the same 
way (down). Back to the 'Crown and Septic' 'Yorkshire Grey' or even 'The 
George'

Mike

m wrote:
> 
> faderstart@live.co.uk wrote:
> 
>> Still... it's only a couple of years until BH, returning to haunt 
>> Studios YG, HG, and CS.
> 
> YG, HG, CS ??????

Yorkshire Grey, Horse and Groom, Crown and Sceptre.

> But by then the Western house club will no doubt also have gone the same 
> way (down). Back to the 'Crown and Septic' 'Yorkshire Grey' or even 'The 
> George'

I have been to the WH club once. Its only redeeming feature is the pool 
table.


The Hat and Stick has been done up all posh and serves funny coloured 
foreign beers. I quite like it in there...

On Wed, 18 Jun 2008 22:57:49 +0100, faderstart@live.co.uk wrote:

> It's gone down hill. Over a year ago, they scrapped the full food menu - 
> ... replaced it with an "evening menu" consisting only four or five dishes.

In the evenings, I think it's curly fries or bust.  Lunchtime there is
still a salad bar, and I think the sandwiches (or are they paninis
and wraps nowadays?) are over where they do the coffee, at least at
lunchtime.

The whole club was very nearly shut down recently. Some "focus groups"
from places where they didn't have a club were told to come up with ways
of providing wellbeing activities accessible to all staff, not just those
willing to fork out a tenner a month.  When they reported back with the
desired results and the stage was being set, I think some memories of the
sell-off of Motspur Park to a firm that then went bust came to mind.  At
Wood Norton, they were less lucky.  When WN hall was sold off and then
later went bust, it wasn't the First XI that had nowhere to go, it was the
Brew XI that had nowhere to go.

> The Defector's Weld is far nicer,

It is nicer, but seems quite expensive compared to next door, and I've
never been served without a ten minute wait :(

Wasn't The Hat and Stick where ATA used to go?

G.

-- 
gareth at lightfox dot plus dot com

In article , Gareth 
 writes
>At Wood Norton, they were less lucky.  When WN hall was sold off and 
>then later went bust, it wasn't the First XI that had nowhere to go, it 
>was the Brew XI that had nowhere to go.

So has the house by the station been sold off?
-- 
SimonM
                            ----- TubeWiz.com -----
           Video making/uploading that's easy to use & fun to share
                  Try it today! (now with DFace blurring)

In message , Gareth
 writes
>On Wed, 18 Jun 2008 22:57:49 +0100, faderstart@live.co.uk wrote:
>
>> It's gone down hill. Over a year ago, they scrapped the full food menu -
>> ... replaced it with an "evening menu" consisting only four or five dishes.
>
>In the evenings, I think it's curly fries or bust.  Lunchtime there is
>still a salad bar, and I think the sandwiches (or are they paninis
>and wraps nowadays?) are over where they do the coffee, at least at
>lunchtime.
>
>The whole club was very nearly shut down recently. Some "focus groups"
>from places where they didn't have a club were told to come up with ways
>of providing wellbeing activities accessible to all staff, not just those
>willing to fork out a tenner a month.  When they reported back with the
>desired results and the stage was being set, I think some memories of the
>sell-off of Motspur Park to a firm that then went bust came to mind.  At
>Wood Norton, they were less lucky.  When WN hall was sold off and then
>later went bust, it wasn't the First XI that had nowhere to go, it was the
>Brew XI that had nowhere to go.

First XV surely ...... :)
-- 
As we journey through life, discarding baggage along the way, we should keep an
iron grip, to the very end, on the capacity for silliness. It preserves the
soul from desiccation.
                                Humphrey Lyttleton  1921-2008

SpamTrapSeeSig wrote:
> In article , Gareth 
>  writes
> 
>> At Wood Norton, they were less lucky.  When WN hall was sold off and 
>> then later went bust, it wasn't the First XI that had nowhere to go, 
>> it was the Brew XI that had nowhere to go.
> 
> 
> So has the house by the station been sold off?

Dont know, but we were on a course once (many years ago!!) when Reg took 
over the Railway (having been 'removed' from St (or whatever the club 
was called properly - I forget).
We all went down to greet him and he was most pleased!

But surely nothing can compare with the Thursday club nights in the old 
club with the nurses 'bussed in 'from Worcester to cheer up the lonely 
BBC trainees (not many women on courses then)

And the joyous trip back to WN in the old green bus.

Mike (TA22 - back in pre-history days)

Gareth wrote:

> 
> Wasn't The Hat and Stick where ATA used to go?
> 
> G.
> 
Originally Comms used to follow the crowd to the Chandos Street club bar 
(which was very good).
Special outings were to the Crown and Sceptre in Foly Street.
And sneaking back behind Colin's back after the 'late lunch'

Mike

On Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:02:20 +0000, SpamTrapSeeSig wrote:

> So has the house by the station been sold off?

I believe it is still there, and that some familiar faces can still be
found within, but it has been forced into a name change.  Think of the
name of the saint it was called after, and Google is your friend!

G.

-- 
gareth at lightfox dot plus dot com