Kings Square, Gloucester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kings Square |
|
|---|---|
| Market square | |
.jpg) Photo of Kings Square, Gloucester |
|
| Features: | Shops, Pubs, Market, Seating |
| Construction: | 1927-1929 |
| Opening date: | 1929 |
| Surface: | Concrete |
| Owner: | Gloucester City Council |
| Location: | Gloucester, England |
| Address: | Kings Square Gloucester |
Kings Square is a lively public space in Gloucester, England. It connects to several important areas. These include the Kings Walk Shopping Centre, Market Parade, The Oxbode, and St Aldate Street. It's a great spot for shopping, eating, and enjoying local markets.
History of Kings Square
Kings Square was built a long time ago, between 1927 and 1929. To make space for it, many old shops and houses were taken down. This also changed parts of St Aldate Street, New Lane, and Kings Street. At the same time, a new road called The Oxbode was also created.
Originally, Kings Square was home to Gloucester's main bus station. It also had a car park. This setup lasted until the 1960s. In the early 1960s, a large department store called Bon Marché expanded into the square. Later, showrooms for electricity appliances were built on the other side.
Between 1969 and 1974, central Gloucester got a big makeover. Kings Square was redesigned. New shops were added, and fun Water fountains with stepping stones and paddling areas were built in the middle. The square officially opened to the public in 1972. Around this time, Kings Street was covered up to become the indoor Kings Walk Shopping Centre.
In 2006, the square was made flat and covered with concrete. This happened because the water fountains were old and broken. A building called The Golden Egg, which used to be a restaurant, was taken down in 2014. Other small improvements were made too, like new paint and benches. Today, Kings Square is mostly used for different types of markets.
Kings Square is part of a bigger plan called the Kings Quarter redevelopment project. The goal is for Kings Square to stay a public open space. About £5 million was spent to make the square new again. The new design is inspired by the Severn Bore, which is a famous wave. It features wave-shaped granite seats, new water fountains, and colorful lights. The work started in August 2021, and the square reopened on April 30, 2022.
Gloucester Post Office
The main post office for Gloucester opened in Kings Square in 1934. It was the first post office in the city built just for that purpose. The building was designed by Henry E. Seccombe. It has three floors and is made mostly of brick and stone. The front of the building is covered with special Portland stone. There are two large English oak doors at the entrance. This new post office replaced older ones in George Street and on the corner of Westgate Street.
The Regal Cinema and Pub
.jpg)
Construction for The Regal started in 1939 on the north side of Kings Square. However, due to World War II, the building work stopped. It didn't start again until 1955. The Regal Cinema finally opened on March 19, 1956. It had one large room used for movies, live plays, and music concerts.
Over the years, its name changed a few times. In 1974, it closed down to be made into a cinema with three screens. It reopened later that year with 1,468 seats. The cinema eventually closed for good on December 12, 1990.
Many famous performers appeared at The Regal. Local acting groups often performed there. Music stars like Cliff Richard, Cilla Black, Adam Faith, and Roy Orbison visited in the late 1950s. Even The Beatles performed there in March 1963! The comedy duo Morecambe and Wise also appeared in 1971, with 6,000 people watching their shows.
After the cinema closed, the building was taken over by J D Wetherspoons. They turned it into a pub, which opened on April 3, 1996. It is still called The Regal today.
