Very imaginative and entertaining film. I am a newcomer to Basildon having moved here in 2019. It's in a period of very (too) slow transition. For example, the row of shops where the pie & mash shop was has been derelict for months. This slow transformation is blighting the town and the Council needs to pull their fingers out before it becomes terminal. In my view, the Council's biggest failings are not securing key tenants such as M&S, John Lewis etc and also doing sod all to expand and create a flourishing market in the town centre. Get those and others will follow to bring energy and growth. Big competition from Lakeside with free parking is just up the A13 yet all the parking in Basildon town centre, with the exception of ASDA, has been handed over to bandits. I am not optimistic for the future, particularly if Labour take control of the Council as their general record across the country of council tax rises, criticism of, rather than support for business and wasting money on virtue signalling/woke nonsense (eg Sadiq Khan's renaming of overground lines costing north of £6m) is not encouraging; not that the Tories are much better.
What a lovely film. We moved to Basildon (Laindon) in 1970 I was Just 8 , We used to go to Saturday morning Pictures at the (Original) Towngate - as it was Cheaper. I remember going to the ABC too watch Grease, Saturday night Fever, the Exorcist, Towering Inferno etc . Got my first Bike ( a Chopper ) from Halfords. Most of my records came from Basildon Market - spent ages flicking though the records...Worked in Tesco's Pitsea ( when it first opened ) Really lovely memories . 3 members of my family are now in Pitsea Crematorium . I moved away just 10 years ago. I have really fond memories of Basildon, but I don't miss it.
I was there about the same time. Went to Chalvedon, worked for a bit in Godfreys record dept. Saw all the same movies you did in the cinemas there, Towngate theatre and ABC. Left years ago, now in NZ but have many fond memories growing up there....still kinda feels like home 😊
Very interesting film. Outside of the UK, Basildon is best known for its electronic bands like the iconic Depeche Mode and Yazoo. That’s also why I visited the city some years ago. Seemed to be an okay place overall. Weird the city doesn’t do more to promote that musical heritage, as it has so much touristic potential. Anyway, nice to get a glimpse into people‘s lives thanks to this documentary.
I really enjoyed this. I’ve lived in Basildon for about 20 years now. Even 30+ years ago I’d always come to Basildon from Barking, to do my Christmas shopping. It used to be so great. Sadly Lakeside nearly killed the town, and then Amazon has made it nearly a ghost town; shopping wise at least. There’s a massive homeless problem now, and I’m not blaming the ones on the street; there just aren’t enough local authority homes any more with everyone who can buying their homes. It’s a shame Basildon council didn’t use all that money to build more; which would have given employment to hundreds. Instead the council sell off land used by children in parks, to private companies, who then build housing that is unaffordable to local residents. And again the money raised just vanishes. But it’s the same in every town in the UK sadly. I’d have liked to see the cinema and BHF to be used in a way that it would actually be used. The kids won’t find any interest in that. But as that lady said, an indoor skatepark would have been a huge hit, would take the kids off the streets, and boosted their mental and physical health. They built a cinema a few miles from Bas Vegas - where parking is free, so who’s going to drive to town, then have to pay for parking as well as the movie/restaurant etc?
I lived in Basildon for the first 30 years of my life and look back on it with immense love. It's where I grew up, became "me", got married and had my first child. I left in 1997 and I know it's changed a lot since then, but I come back fairly often to visit friends and still feel I couldn't have lived in a better place for that part of my life. I'll be back in July 2024 for a wedding and am really looking forward to going "home". ❤️
Rohins is the First place we go when we land back in the U.K. from Florida . It breaks my heart to see what the town has become , we moved from Hackney in 1969 to somercotes then to wickford , immigrated 8 yrs ago .
I moved to Basildon about 1985, came from London. Got a council place when i got married but when we split up the council didnt want to know. . I remarried in 2001 , we were privately renting beforehand and we are still in the same house today 24 years later. The council didnt want to know & still dont but certain people who have been here five minutes get houses.. I worked on the market for a while, it was alright until my "mate" got me sacked... i had a shop in liberty hall in the mid 90's selling records, that was great until it wasnt & I couldn't pay the rent so i closed & moved out. Shame that, it was good, i never made fortunes but it was alright.
I was four when they started building basildon...takeing lovely green fields and fresh air ...little laindon village shops... and turned it into a shit hole.
Basildon was always a destination spot for us living further East (Hadleigh, Leigh-on-Sea, Chalkwell, Westcliff, Southend, etc). Great memories of getting lost in the shopping center and the circular entrance/exit to the car park. Nowadays it’s just a shadow of its former self (like Southend etc). What the f*#% happened? It’s all unraveling isn’t it?
Lived in basildon nearly all my life (born in 84), it's got worse and worse over time, to many houses taking away the green space, to many people moving there from everywhere really but mostly london, crime rates gone up (especially sexual assault). The people are rude, everyone wants to fight. Loads of drug users. There's nothing good about it anymore and your deluded if you think there is. Building basildon up will just create more chaos. I'm so glad I moved away from basildon, not only basildon but out of England. My kids are safer and doing so much better in their new school, their future is bright. Can't say that for the future generations of basildon. Good riddance 👋
It was once a great place to go and shop, since Lakeside opened, it’s declined a lot. The market was brilliant It had nightclubs that were always a source of trouble (and a good night out 😂) The area is tired and I wouldn’t walk around it alone at night, but that applies to most of Essex. It’s not the fault of the area but it’s the fault of the people. Yes it’s a generalisation but it only takes a few to spoil it for everyone. The same applies to Grays, Ockendon, Southend, Tilbury (the jewel of Essex 😂)
lived in Benfleet from 74 (Born in London) grew up in and around Basildon, worked in Oliver's Coffee Shop (1st day of work July 13th 1985 the day of Live Aid) the main shopping center used to be a tree lined boulevard with a fountain and on sunny days people could sit on the side of the fountain shaded by the trees... all the shops were brands no Poundland etc... but it all began to fall apart in the 00's when the economy tanked in 08 and online retail became a thing the whole thing began to collapse in on itself... now footfall is awful, people don't have cash to spend and the town center looks like it should have been torn down years ago....
What did they do with the vape shop and the music shop....... they bulldozed it all and made a 25 million quid cinema complex that has never opened 😂😂😂😂
Basildon was always a destination spot for us living further East (Hadleigh, Leigh-on-Sea, Chalkwell, Westcliff, Southend, etc). Great memories of getting lost in the shopping center and the circular entrance/exit to the car park. Nowadays it’s just a shadow of its former self (like Southend etc). What the f*#% happened? It’s all unraveling isn’t it?
Incredible! Love from a nobody in Richmond, Virginia USA. This film is the type that will mean more to people as it ages, of that I am certain.
Loved growing up in Basildon wouldn't change it at all 60s-70s
Was the time
Lived in Basildon from 1973(when I was born) to 1992, have many great memories, still visit family and friends regularly
Good to see Robins is still going in essex i remember the one in east ham as a kid
Very imaginative and entertaining film. I am a newcomer to Basildon having moved here in 2019. It's in a period of very (too) slow transition. For example, the row of shops where the pie & mash shop was has been derelict for months. This slow transformation is blighting the town and the Council needs to pull their fingers out before it becomes terminal. In my view, the Council's biggest failings are not securing key tenants such as M&S, John Lewis etc and also doing sod all to expand and create a flourishing market in the town centre. Get those and others will follow to bring energy and growth. Big competition from Lakeside with free parking is just up the A13 yet all the parking in Basildon town centre, with the exception of ASDA, has been handed over to bandits. I am not optimistic for the future, particularly if Labour take control of the Council as their general record across the country of council tax rises, criticism of, rather than support for business and wasting money on virtue signalling/woke nonsense (eg Sadiq Khan's renaming of overground lines costing north of £6m) is not encouraging; not that the Tories are much better.
A great film capturing great moments and memories for our community.
lived and worked in basildon from 1978 until 2002 happy days
Absolutely love this! great content and editing! Love from De-Armani
Excellent video
What a lovely film. We moved to Basildon (Laindon) in 1970 I was Just 8 , We used to go to Saturday morning Pictures at the (Original) Towngate - as it was Cheaper. I remember going to the ABC too watch Grease, Saturday night Fever, the Exorcist, Towering Inferno etc . Got my first Bike ( a Chopper ) from Halfords. Most of my records came from Basildon Market - spent ages flicking though the records...Worked in Tesco's Pitsea ( when it first opened ) Really lovely memories . 3 members of my family are now in Pitsea Crematorium . I moved away just 10 years ago. I have really fond memories of Basildon, but I don't miss it.
I was there about the same time. Went to Chalvedon, worked for a bit in Godfreys record dept. Saw all the same movies you did in the cinemas there, Towngate theatre and ABC. Left years ago, now in NZ but have many fond memories growing up there....still kinda feels like home 😊
Very interesting film. Outside of the UK, Basildon is best known for its electronic bands like the iconic Depeche Mode and Yazoo. That’s also why I visited the city some years ago. Seemed to be an okay place overall. Weird the city doesn’t do more to promote that musical heritage, as it has so much touristic potential. Anyway, nice to get a glimpse into people‘s lives thanks to this documentary.
I really enjoyed this. I’ve lived in Basildon for about 20 years now. Even 30+ years ago I’d always come to Basildon from Barking, to do my Christmas shopping. It used to be so great. Sadly Lakeside nearly killed the town, and then Amazon has made it nearly a ghost town; shopping wise at least.
There’s a massive homeless problem now, and I’m not blaming the ones on the street; there just aren’t enough local authority homes any more with everyone who can buying their homes. It’s a shame Basildon council didn’t use all that money to build more; which would have given employment to hundreds. Instead the council sell off land used by children in parks, to private companies, who then build housing that is unaffordable to local residents. And again the money raised just vanishes.
But it’s the same in every town in the UK sadly.
I’d have liked to see the cinema and BHF to be used in a way that it would actually be used. The kids won’t find any interest in that. But as that lady said, an indoor skatepark would have been a huge hit, would take the kids off the streets, and boosted their mental and physical health.
They built a cinema a few miles from Bas Vegas - where parking is free, so who’s going to drive to town, then have to pay for parking as well as the movie/restaurant etc?
Brilliant. Well done to all involved 🎉
Amazing ❤❤❤
I lived in Basildon for the first 30 years of my life and look back on it with immense love. It's where I grew up, became "me", got married and had my first child. I left in 1997 and I know it's changed a lot since then, but I come back fairly often to visit friends and still feel I couldn't have lived in a better place for that part of my life. I'll be back in July 2024 for a wedding and am really looking forward to going "home". ❤️
Lovely stuff. I saw the first film shown at tha cinema, It was 'On the buses' in 1971 It was always a busy place, but then V.H.S happened.
Rohins is the First place we go when we land back in the U.K. from Florida .
It breaks my heart to see what the town has become , we moved from Hackney in 1969 to somercotes then to wickford , immigrated 8 yrs ago .
I moved to Basildon about 1985, came from London. Got a council place when i got married but when we split up the council didnt want to know. .
I remarried in 2001 , we were privately renting beforehand and we are still in the same house today 24 years later. The council didnt want to know & still dont but certain people who have been here five minutes get houses..
I worked on the market for a while, it was alright until my "mate" got me sacked... i had a shop in liberty hall in the mid 90's selling records, that was great until it wasnt & I couldn't pay the rent so i closed & moved out. Shame that, it was good, i never made fortunes but it was alright.
I was four when they started building basildon...takeing lovely green fields and fresh air ...little laindon village shops... and turned it into a shit hole.
Любовь всей моей жизни жил в Бэзилдоне. Это - Dave Gahan. ❤
Basildon was always a destination spot for us living further East (Hadleigh, Leigh-on-Sea, Chalkwell, Westcliff, Southend, etc). Great memories of getting lost in the shopping center and the circular entrance/exit to the car park.
Nowadays it’s just a shadow of its former self (like Southend etc). What the f*#% happened?
It’s all unraveling isn’t it?
Remember when the pie and mash shop opened. 30 years went so fast 😬
Yea now look at it
Lived in basildon nearly all my life (born in 84), it's got worse and worse over time, to many houses taking away the green space, to many people moving there from everywhere really but mostly london, crime rates gone up (especially sexual assault). The people are rude, everyone wants to fight. Loads of drug users. There's nothing good about it anymore and your deluded if you think there is.
Building basildon up will just create more chaos.
I'm so glad I moved away from basildon, not only basildon but out of England.
My kids are safer and doing so much better in their new school, their future is bright. Can't say that for the future generations of basildon. Good riddance 👋
It was once a great place to go and shop, since Lakeside opened, it’s declined a lot.
The market was brilliant
It had nightclubs that were always a source of trouble (and a good night out 😂)
The area is tired and I wouldn’t walk around it alone at night, but that applies to most of Essex.
It’s not the fault of the area but it’s the fault of the people. Yes it’s a generalisation but it only takes a few to spoil it for everyone.
The same applies to Grays, Ockendon, Southend, Tilbury (the jewel of Essex 😂)
lived in Benfleet from 74 (Born in London) grew up in and around Basildon, worked in Oliver's Coffee Shop (1st day of work July 13th 1985 the day of Live Aid) the main shopping center used to be a tree lined boulevard with a fountain and on sunny days people could sit on the side of the fountain shaded by the trees... all the shops were brands no Poundland etc... but it all began to fall apart in the 00's when the economy tanked in 08 and online retail became a thing the whole thing began to collapse in on itself... now footfall is awful, people don't have cash to spend and the town center looks like it should have been torn down years ago....
Did Basildon exist before 1945?
There was a small village called Basildon, but Laindon and Pitsea were bigger. Effectively, it was a green field site.
Robin's Pie and mash is now closed as are all the adjoining businesses. The council plans to demolish the entire block and re-develop the site.
What's with the young teenage girls straddling each other on the restaurant table? Bit weird, innit?!
If the serpents get their way very bad things. But you never criticise them
What serpents?
What did they do with the vape shop and the music shop....... they bulldozed it all and made a 25 million quid cinema complex that has never opened 😂😂😂😂
I am best rapper from basildon
Your deluded
I wouldn't move to Basildon if they paid me it's a shitehole.
Great video...Basildon is horrible.
Basildon was always a destination spot for us living further East (Hadleigh, Leigh-on-Sea, Chalkwell, Westcliff, Southend, etc). Great memories of getting lost in the shopping center and the circular entrance/exit to the car park.
Nowadays it’s just a shadow of its former self (like Southend etc). What the f*#% happened?
It’s all unraveling isn’t it?