BBC Video - Margaret Drabble’s "I Love This Dirty Town", 1969

Originally shared: Sunday 30 October 2016

"I Love This Dirty Town" ( www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00rzvqv/i-love-this-dirty-town )

Though filled with large amounts of sixties London nostalgia, this film is strangely relevant to many of the conversations taking place regarding Sheffield's current redevelopment plans.

"First transmitted in 1969, this personal plea from Margaret Drabble is a lament for the death of the city, which questions whether 'civic redevelopment' is tearing the heart out of our cities. Are tower blocks, giant supermarkets and an ever expanding suburbia the way forward? Margaret Drabble thinks not and argues that a successful city combines areas where residents and office workers share a space and a multiplicity of shops serve their needs. She also challenges the myth that streets are traffic arteries and unsavoury places to be in, especially for children, arguing that it's traffic that's the problem, not kids."

▲ Unfortunately, with being on BBC iplayer you will need to view on the BBC website (click on the image above to go there.