"The Longshoot"

[Heathbury The First]

Hello all - long time no see...

Anyway - whilst driving round the country the other day I happened to pass "The Longshoot Hotel" - I know on the official site is says that Alan Coleman said it was in Oxford - but the Longshoot is most certainly in Nuneaton ( a stonesthrow from Brum City Centre). Anyway - here are pictrues of the Longshoot motel - which does indeed stand on a crossroads. Enjoy

HTF

[Mike of CAS]

I've found two 'Longshoots' on Friends Reunited, but I think it might be the same place. I'm still investigating.

I've been zooming in on a photo of Noele and Roger in a car parked outside of the motel in 1970. Will try and upload the zoomed in shot later it does show quite a lot of the motel in the reflection.

Shame the photo of Alan in the 60s recording at the back of the place doesn't show more. Ho-hum.

[Mike of CAS]

It somehow does look right, with the trees and such. But the Entrance in the photos far left, and the carpark is far right in accordance to the motel sign. From the surviving 1973 episode the back of the motel has a lot of open space before a road in the distance. So its proving a nightmare. I'm thinking its going to take a visit to the councils and archives to see if any old photos are around and the original layout plans.

If that fails I'll have to try and find a list of all the motels/hotels in the Midlands built in the 1950s and early 60s.

[Heathbury The First]

I took one or two more photos - if you can find a screen shot I can see if they match up

[Heathbury The First]

Forgot to mention that the rooms are in an L shape from what I remember, so you can actually enter from both ends - so to speak. The top picture shows the "reception" area but there is is also a carpark to the right of this as well.

[Mike of CAS]

It looks to be to be linked to an older building (keeping with the original idea actually) there looks to be more a Victorian building in the distance - reminds me of my old school TBH, then the more modern 60s bit nearest.

This was taken for the 1500th episode. There is supposed to be footage in 1980 and 1981 of the motel, but whether that was somewhere else by that point.

[Mike of CAS]

Some shots of it again in action. If the entrance in the 1960s photo left, is the same entrance in 1971, the windows have changed.

[Mike of CAS]

And what we know from what was used in the show. Widest shot of hte rooftops big image, inset the one that shows the chimney from the fire episode 1981.

[Heathbury The First]

Fairly sure the colour one and the "right hand side" pictures are the same - but they are the Cherrytrees arent they?

The B+W image on the left looks like a different location.

A further image from Google Street View that shows the old building the motel is attached to - and a car-park to the rear of the building -although this is clearly two floors high.



Any other images of the 70's location? Screen captures etc?

Just to add - to the left of the image I just posted is open fields

[Heathbury The First]

I suppose the easiest thing to do would be to phone up the motel and ask them

[Maria No. 1.]

When I read Nuneaton I thought immediately of Larry Grayson who was born/lived there.  Pity he wasn't still around, he might have known something.

[Mike of CAS]

The motel there did say they were Crossroads, and the place had been 'changed drastically' since then.

I think the B&W shots must be from the other side, the windows in the colour pictures go to the floor, where as they don't in the B&W ones.

Well I guess Jane Rossington would know surely?

[Heathbury The First]

The first shots I took show the "front doors" and side windows have been "boarded" - happens a lot with school buildings built in the 60s too - back then the windows were less likely to get smashed I guess - now they put coloured board in... for privacy too I guess.

The google maps picture shows windows that "kind of" go down to the bottom - anf of course it is possible that a second floor was added at some stage.

Seems unlikely that thered be another "longshoot motel" - especially when this one is so close to the studios. Anyway - you could always check with Alan Coleman I guess. Maybe he remembered wrongly.

Anyway - its been fun this... only rejoined to post these images. Interesting to be back, but as they say...  "time I was off".

One or two new images of the Lenton Lane site going up on C2001 in the next few days.

[Mike of CAS]

Yes certainly interesting, and very much appreciated.

[Mike of CAS]

Well there is a second floor on the reflection in the car in 1971, the chimney is in the right place if the photo was taken from the otherside, and there seems to be parking down the left in that last photo. I think I'll have to get into the local archives and see what it holds on the motel.