Places Features

In 1967, the site of today’s Milton Keynes was 10,000ha of rural north Buckinghamshire.

With its 11 villages, three small townships set within open fields and a combined population of just 30,000, it was to become the setting for an unprecedented architectural experiment: a new city to help house the country’s burgeoning population.

Under the leadership of a new development corporation, the most important job in post-war planning was won by Llewelyn Davies whose masterplan would set out the vision for the new city.

Middleton Hall

As building got going under the guidance of its chief architect, Derek Walker, the MKDC became a mecca for young idealistic architects. Not all were successful and others have failed to stand the test of time, but the ambition was unprecedented.

In contrast to the loose arrangement of villages, Milton Keynes Central was designed along a rigid grid. With wide boulevards and cross streets with ample parking and 6,500 London plane trees, the centre would be the business centre with the jewel in its crown - the shopping centre.

Centre:MK, as the main shopping centre is now known, is celebrating an incredible 30 years as one of the country's major shopping venues.

Cliff was 'Wired for Sound' in MK!

BBC Three Counties have been recalling some of the centres more memorable moments - the official opening by Margaret Thatcher; the Dickins and Jones fire in 1988; McDonalds; THAT roller-skating Cliff Richard video and have spoken to some of the people who were there at the very beginning…

Jim Matthews was the Managing Director of John Lewis when it first opened and recollects accompanying Margaret Thatcher on her official tour of the building.

"It was 1979 and she was very new to the job, but she was a very demanding lady and certainly gave us a glimpse of her true colours and what we would get to know of her later on" said Jim.

"I remember walking around with Mr Thatcher and her husband for about an hour and a half. We had great fun with Dennis darting off in all directions - I think we lost him about three times!

Listen to the full interview with Jim Matthews here:

Local historian and author of '3 Curly Wurlys and 106 Roundabouts' Lee Scriven, was also there at the official opening and told us of his memories of the construction of the centre…

Centre:MK

"I was working for British Telecom in those days and just couldn't believe they got it together in time. I was working there two days before the official opening, and it was absolute chaos! There was scaffolding, bricks, debris everywhere. I remember turning around to my friend and saying that there was just no way this place was going to open in time."

Lee also revealed the main reason for his excitement at the opening of the new shopping centre…

"It may sound strange now., but there was so much excitement around the city about the opening of McDonalds! Remember, this was the first McDonalds to open in the country outside of London and we all bombed up there early in the evening to get one!" laughed Lee.

Listen to the full interview with Lee Scriven here:

Rob Alcock was the first firefighter on the scene on the night of the Dickins and Jones fire. The original House of Fraser store was completely destroyed and subsequently rebuilt on its current site. 

Rob spoke to us about one of the most harrowing nights in the centre's history: "One thing that sticks in my mind was that because the store was such a big employer of local people - can you imagine at 7.30am in the morning, watching over one hundred people turn up for work to discover their place of employment burnt to the ground with little or no prospect of being re-employed - I found that really distressing."

Listen to the full interview with Rob Alcock here: