The building of The College Arms in Peterborough in the 1990s
In 1994 I took this image of The College Arms during its construction in Peterborough city centre’s Broadway, writes city street photographer Chris Porsz.
It was opened in 1996 by JD Wetherspoon.
The pub takes its name from the original use of the older part of the building as The County Technical College.
It was built in 1903 and provided day time and evening classes.
On the right you can see the dome of the old library which opened in 1906, closed in 1990 and has been a nightclub and bars ever since.
Most memorably it was Cafe en Seine a couple of decades ago.
It now stands closed but a reopening as a bar and restaurant is in the offing .
Check out these galleries from the club in 2002 and 2003 and also when it became Baccara in 2008
If you are the man with the briefcase or if you recognise him then please do let me know.
We soon forget what was there and my new retro ‘then and now’ series will remind you and bring back many fond nostalgic memories of Peterborough for PT readers.
•You can buy Chris’s Reunion books from www.chrisporsz.com and help his Breast Cancer Research fundraising.
And you will find many more of his Reunion street photos – and his new “then and now” features at www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/retro .