Slightly bizarre to see Jonathan Glancey giving a shout out to Preston bus station. I’m there tomorrow so will return with pictures and thoughts.
He’s certainly right on one point though – its biggest problem is that, despite being designed for public transport, the environment around it is completely given over to cars, with pedestrians [and presumably most people take to the bus on foot!] being herded down horrible underpasses to get to the town centre. It is a stunning building though, and Preston is spectacularly short of interesting architecture, particularly at a time when we’re being told that “in Manchester even the skyline is a canvas for self-expression.” Though I don’t think my spectacularly grey picture of the greyest bit of the Hilton Hotel taken against a grey sky on a grey day (featured up top) is QUITE what they have in mind.
[Quite like that film by the way. It's got a couple of groans from cinema audiences I've been in, but I think it hits the mark. Just a shame the wonderful Big Pink record shop in Manchester shut down shortly after featuring.]
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I think this is pretty effective. The only other promotional film of this type that I’ve seen recently was that one made to get people to visit the Lake District by having a massive squirrel (I think) perform a rap version of Wordsworth’s Daffodils.
This one definitely wins.
Comment by Charles Lambert October 4, 2007 @ 2:25 pmHaven’t seen the Daffodils one, but read about it. Seems bizarre and completely misjudged.
There’s a new more scouse-ified version of the north west ad doing the rounds now, with more emphasis on Liverpool, to promote the Turner Prize show at the Tate, and the European Capital of Culture run-up.
Only problem is, the only place I’ve ever seen them is in the Cornerhouse cinema in Manchester, so they’re trying to sell the idea of the creativity of the north west to people who are already going to an independent cinema. In the north west. Which seems a bit pointless. Haven’t seen any national advertising for the Liverpool 2008 stuff yet.
[Apologies - just spotted a full page ad for Liverpool 2008 stuff in the Guardian Guide. Again, hardly mainstream]
Comment by smokebelch October 4, 2007 @ 3:43 pmBig Pink’s shut down? Nooo! I feel personally responsible – I went in a few months ago with a couple of CDs in mind, couldn’t find them, & rather than ask Nick to order them I went home and ordered them on CD pissing Wow. Who claimed to have them – actually claimed to have *sent* them at one stage – but clearly didn’t.
Hard times for actual shops selling actual stuff – I went looking for Stanford’s map shop the other day, & that’s gone too.
Comment by Phil October 5, 2007 @ 7:14 amYup. I felt really guilty for swooping on their closing down sale and buying loads of cheap stuff, after having spent so much time in the past browsing, and so little actually buying “actual stuff” from them.
I’ve posted, literally, a sad sign to prove it.
Comment by smokebelch October 5, 2007 @ 7:31 am