- Straits Estate
Straits Estate is a
housing estate located nearSedgley , West Midlands,England , to the north-west ofGornal Ward, and was built for homeowners during the late 1950s and early 1960s. The streets within the estate are all named after famous poets and wordsmiths, (Kipling, Chaucer, Browning, Longfellow, Tennyson, Burns, Byron, etc).Near the top of the main "Straits Road" there are a row of shops, many of which have since changed. Here is a list of the former shops:
* "Pet Shop", (now flats)
* "Electricians", (now flats),
* "Hair Dressers" (still remains),
* "Knitting/Sewing" shop (was a Teddy Bear shop, but changed again),
* "Stars News" (still remains),
* "Butchers" (now a tanning parlour),
* "Green Grochers" (now a fishing tackle shop),
* 'Megs' "Corner Store" (still remains).The estate was constructed around a large 18th century residence called The Straits House. It had once been occupied by a succession of affluent local people, but by the time the surrounding estate was completed, it had been converted into a public house.
This pub was the centre of most activities in the estate, with fairs, and fates on the car park and grounds, and the pub itself being busy every day, be it in the Bar, or restaurant area.
The popularity of the Pub has been in decline and plans for redevelopment of the Straits House have been submitted to the local Council several times, but each time so far has been turned down. That building is now believed to be listed, meaning it can not be demolished, but they can add to it, and redevelop. [http://www2.dudley.gov.uk/swiftlg/apas/run/WPHAPPDETAIL.DisplayUrl?theApnID=P06/0372]
The bus service to the Straits was once a good one, with three different buses an hour, heading towards Dudley, Wolverhampton, and Wombourne, but this service has been 'streamlined' so that only a single bus service comes up twice an hour (alternating between going up the main road and going through the estate).
References
* [http://www.sedgleylocalhistory.org.uk/cot/StHouse.html "Straits House"] web site of The Sedgley Local History Society
* [http://www.blackcountrybugle.co.uk/detail.asp?cat=General%20News&articleID=6635932 "Life at the Lodge - working for Mr Bent of Straits House"] article in the Black Country Bugle
* [http://www.yampy.co.uk/gornal/news/main/article.php?article=yamp554.txt Straits House update] on Yampy Gornal News & Goings On,19 Feb 2005 update report on demolition or rebuilt
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