Sunday, 19 October 2025

Ever-Changing Loughborough

I’m pleased to say that my latest book has now been published. Having an article published in a journal or magazine, particularly if they are online, tends to be a fairly quick turnaround time. I’ve sent articles about Loughborough to various journals, and they have appeared in the publication within a month! Book publishing, however, has always been quite a long, protracted process, although I admit I was very pleasantly surprised when my publisher was able to publish my earlier Loughborough titles only a few months after I’d provided the text. That all changed during and following the pandemic, which rather brings me to the point of this post … since I wrote ‘Loughborough At Work’ rather a lot has changed in our lovely town!



Although I wrote about lacemaking and hosiery in Loughborough, I didn’t write specifically about the Shepshed Lace Manufactury, on Great Central Road. The building had last been used as Merlin Archery, I think, but planning permission has recently been approved to demolish the building and create housing on the site. The recent fire that happened towards the rear of the properties probably hastened the demolition, which has now begun in earnest, and is moving quickly. On Monday this week, when I walked past the buildings I could see the work going on at the rear, but the ghost sign on the side of the building facing the track of the GCR was still standing … by Friday evening even this had gone.

Monday pics







Friday pics








A couple of other things that might have changed since I wrote the book, are the idea that working from home is happening a lot since the pandemic. New reports now say that many firms are stipulating that workers must go back on site. Also, when I was writing the book I used to walk along Trinity Street, past the former school hall, and noted that it was home to Affixxius Films, and it was just possible to see people through the windows, working inside. Now when I walk past, it seems deserted in there: is the company still based in Loughborough, or have they moved away? Perhaps I should get in touch with them and find out once and for all?!

Trinity Church in the foreground, redbrick church hall to the right

The final change is that the splendiferous cover shot for the book will never again be subject of a photoshoot. Gone! That glorious ghost sign, canal-side, is no more that a pile of bricks in a reclamation yard somewhere. The rest of the site has changed dramatically as well, although it appears the middle portion is staying.















 

Keeping up with changes happening across Loughborough is an impossible task, but I keep trying!

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Posted by lynneaboutloughborough

With apologies for typos which are all mine!

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