RE The Tricorn

Dennis Willis mourns the passing of the Tricorn in his letter on October 5.

Whilst it certainly looked different, having many failings, it is not a ‘great example of modern architecture’.

It was never fit for purpose and its commercial failure results in a vacant site that continues to blight the central area.

Architect, Owen Luder, deserved no gold medals for its design and execution. Three years after its completion his client went bust. The city council would have been impressed by the images and caught up in this potential ‘brave new world’ contribution to the regeneration of their war-torn city. The idea of mixed uses, shops, pubs, wholesale warehousing, flats, nightclub and multi-storey car parking was groundbreaking.

The opportunity was unfortunately lost.

The flats were structurally condemned, never occupied, damp and incapable of economic remedy. Access to the nightclub to and from the heart of the poorly lit complex was a security nightmare. Tight vehicle ramps giving access to the wholesale warehousing were soon outdated by the increased wheelbase of commercial vehicles. The multi-storey parking was not popular.

It was served by two lifts too small to accommodate two young families with prams.

The external staircases had standing water filling the landings. Storerooms and basement pubs had running water from inadequate seals on the structure above. Weathering caused extensive staining of the concrete.

The shop units failed to attract prime retail tenants.

Some were never let.

By the early 1970s some were occupied by a builder, dry cleaners, doubleglazing sales and a burger restaurant.

The two pubs were shut. Footfall was extremely low – not helped by job losses in the dockyard. Income did not cover the outgoings or fund the remedial works.

When only 10 years old the council came up with a ‘rescue package’.

They wanted to better integrate it with the main centre.

This needed compulsory planning powers and an agreement to purchase the Tricorn conditional upon the go-ahead for the entire scheme.

The owner sought to remove this requirement. Following Secretary of State approval, the successful Cascades development went ahead without a Tricorn phase.

Market conditions for large enclosed centres changed and vacant premises had rating relief removed. On a standalone basis, the structure proved too difficult to adapt and too expensive to maintain.

Ron Tate Lodge Road, Havant

Architect, Owen Luder, deserved no gold medals for its design and execution. RON TATE