1978-1981

PHASE FOUR

TOWN CENTRE EVOLUTION

The gallery below presents images from the late 1970s and early part of the 1980s, showing existing parts of the building and the new Phase Four. By now some of the existing Town Centre buildings were looking weather-beaten and shabby, with broken tiles and peeling paint. The inside of the malls were now decorated in a brown and orange theme, with large CDC logos everywhere.

All images taken from Cumbernauld Development Corporation collection, held by North Lanarkshire Council Archives.

A shot of the Phase One building with a Christmas tree sticking out of the side (!)

Shot of Phase One of the Town Centre, with the library windows seen in the centre

Outside the Kestral following its move to Phase Four

Another shot of the Kestrel in Phase Four

Aerial shot of the Carbrain end of the Town Centre, featuring the college and ramps

Carbrain side of Phase One looking down towards Presto

Another shot of the Carbrain side of Phase 1

The old job centre. Note the chipped and broken tiles.

Phase One mall with the relocated R.S. McColls

The original R.S. McColl shop in Phase 1

Phase Four mall; Abbey National, Boots, Malcolm Campbell

Upstairs in Phase Four; Granada, Video Shop

Christmas decorations in the Town Centre

Phase Four mall; Mother and Child; Saxone

Phase Four mall; Mother and Child; Bayne & Duckett

The "fish tank" bridge linking Woolco and Phase Four

Looking towards the Town Centre from the Wilderness Brae; Phase Four can be seen on the far right

Aerial shot of the bridge linking Woolco and Phase Four, with the petrol station and car parking

The ground has been cleared for Phase Four construction in this photo

The Golden Eagle hotel in its later days; note the scaffolding following parts of the facing falling off

Presto supermarket; the brick work and ramps are looking shabby by now

Construction of the Goldbergs/Wrygges store in Phase One

1978 Blog

12/1/78-4/5/78 - CDC PROMISE ACTION ON LIFTS

12/1/78 - MYSTERY AS STORE QUITS NEW TOWN

19/1/78 - HOTEL SHOCK

26/1/78 - ADVICE BUREAU MOVES TO TOWN CENTRE

16/3/78 - TALKS TO EXTEND POST OFFICE - ON THE MOVE?

11/5/78 - BINGO-CINEMA COMPLEX SET TO OPEN

18/5/78 - THE PALACE OF FUN

18/5/78 - £5 MILLION SPREE

25/5/78 - NEW SUPERMARKET FOR TOWN CENTRE

22/6/78 - ON THE MOVE

13/7/78 - BRANCHING OUT!

3/8/78 - MORE TALKS ON £6 MILLION SHOP EXTENSION

10/8/78 - SUPERMARKET MAY CLOSE IF SHOP EXTENSION GOES AHEAD

17/8/78 - SITE WORK TO START ON £6 MILLION SHOP PROJECT

31/8/78 - PHASE IV GO-AHEAD

21/9/78 - DOT QUITS

23/11/78 - FEARS OF RAIL STATION CLOSURE

1/2/79 - PHASE IV - TO BE OR NOT TO BE?

8/2/79-13/9/79 - NEW LIFTS FOR OLD

8/2/79 - PHASE IV LETTER

15/3/79 - PARKING CURTAILED

10/5/79 - THE UPS AND DOWNS?

19/7/79 - THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME

16/8/79 - A DAMP NUISANCE

16/8/79 - TOWN CENTRE PHASE IV HOLD-UP?

23/8/79 - ALL'S WELL AT PHASE IV

30/8/79 - FALCON TO RE-OPEN

13/9/79 - CDC ERECT 'TRADE BARRIER'

13/9/79 - NEW LOOK FOR TOWN CENTRE RAMP

27/12/79 - £1/2 MILLION BRIDGE

IN THE NEWS 1980

1980 Blog

24/4/80 - TIME MARCHES ON - AGAIN!

5/5/80 - PHASE IV WALKWAY BRIDGE ERECTED

22/5/80 - LIFTS TO RE-OPEN

5/6/80 - CDC CLUB OPENS

19/6/80 - STREET NAMES

19/6/80 - WHEN IS A PENTHOUSE NOT A PENTHOUSE?

3/7/80 - ROLL 'EM

10/7/80 - IT'S INTOLERABLE

17/7/80 - TALKS PLANNED IN NOISE ROW

24/7/80 - COUNCILLOR INTERVENES IN NOISE ROW

14/8/80 - CUT OUT THE NOISE SAY COUNCIL

28/8/80 - LINK COMMUNITY EDUCATION CENTRE

11/9/80 - HIGH STREET STORES COME TO NEW TOWN

18/9/80 - COLLAPSE OF WALL AT GOLDEN EAGLE

18/9/80 - WHAT'S IN A NAME?

25/9/80 - NEW CDC HQ APPROVED

2/10/80 - CDC TO SPEND £10,000 ON SCULPTURES

23/10/80 - CHANGE OF DIRECTION FOR DRIVERS

13/11/80 - GET OUT - SAY CDC

20/11/80 - THE NAME ON THE FRAME IS ISLA ST. CLAIR

20/11/80 - BUS STATION COULD BE A REALITY

27/11/80 - EERIE MYSTERY AT EAGLE HOTEL

27/11/80 - NEW TOWN ON THE SILVER SCREEN

11/12/80 - INDOOR BOWLING STADIUM OPENS

18/12/80 - ABETONE GUTTED

18/12/80 - SANTA CLAUS 1980 STYLE - BY HELICOPTER!

25/12/80 - DO-IT-YOURSELF DECORATIONS FOR TOWN CENTRE

25/12/80 - A BIGGER AND BETTER CHOICE THAN EVER!

MAPS & PLANS

A plan of the Town Centre from the early 1980s, including Phase Four. The SHOPWAY plan offers a London Underground style rendition of the centre which takes a bit of understanding! It’s not taken from the opening period of the centre, but it’s pre-1986 as John Menzies is still there.

Click on it for a larger version.

Plan taken from Cumbernauld Development Corporation collection, held by North Lanarkshire Council Archives.

RETAIL

MADNESS

Big changes and lots of shops opening in this period as Phase Four opened for business towards the end of 1980, including a William Low supermarket, John Menzies and more. Sellyns moved from Phase One to the new mall, along with Edwards Sir Shop. Click on the larger articles to read them in more detail.

All adverts and articles in this section taken from the Cumbernauld News, archived at Britishnewspaperarchive.com