Sheffield retro: Rarely seen photos of Sheffield's Hole in the Road and forgotten Furnival Square underpass
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00:00 The 1960s were a decade of bold fashion statements, from mini skirts to bell-bottom trousers and paisley prints.
00:08 They also gave us another unforgettable style icon, in the form of Sheffield's famous Hole in the Road underpass and roundabout,
00:15 at the junction of High Street, Arundel Gate and Angel Street.
00:19 What the concrete landmark lacked in colour, it made up for in futuristic flair,
00:23 with its modern look complemented by touches like the cool strip lighting, making it look like a UFO had crash-landed in the city centre,
00:30 the escalators leading to and from the High Street above, and the basement shop fronts displaying the latest wares.
00:37 But it was most famous for the fish tank built into the wall, which more than anything else,
00:42 turned a subterranean haunt from a feature designed to help folk get around the city, to one which brought people together.
00:49 The fish tank became the meeting point for many a first date or night out on the town,
00:54 and the Hole in the Road was a popular spot for buskers and for families to gather at Christmas to see it decked out with lights and a huge tree.
01:01 These rarely seen photos, taken by Sheffield City Council's engineers and surveyors during the 60s and 70s,
01:08 have resurfaced after they were uploaded to Picture Sheffield's online archives.
01:13 They show people gathered around the fish tank, pedestrians using the escalators, and some of the shops from the time,
01:20 including the Thornton Sweet Shop below ground, and Walsh's department store, C&A and others above.
01:27 The Hole in the Road opened in 1967, rising, or should that be sinking, from the rubble of the Blitz,
01:33 as old streets which had been damaged by bombs during the Second World War were cleared to make way for the new Arundel Gate dual carriageway.
01:41 It survived for less than 30 years before being filled in during 1994 to make way for the new Castle Square Super Tram stop.
01:49 Its demolition followed years of decline, during which it became plagued by graffiti, vandalism and crime,
01:55 meaning its passing was perhaps not mourned as much as it might have been at the time.
02:00 But it's left an indelible mark on generations of Sheffielders who remember it fondly.
02:05 The Hole in the Road is today one of the city's most missed landmarks, eulogised in song, verse and artworks.
02:12 The same cannot be said for another less remarkable underpass at nearby Furnivall Square,
02:17 which was left in its metaphorical shadow in the same way as Park Hill today gets all applauded,
02:22 while the nearby Hyde Park flats, or what remains of them, are often forgotten.
02:27 This retro photo gallery also features images of that less eye-catching piece of urban engineering which,
02:33 with the road cutting through it, failed to find a place in the public's affections in the way the inimitable Hole in the Road did.
02:40 All the photos are shared courtesy of Picture Sheffield.
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