Print Page - Greenham Common Control tower, Berkshire

Interesting local landmark.
I was in Newbury, Berkshire this morning & on my way home, saw several signs saying "Greenham Common Control Tower".
I spent my teenage years in Newbury & remember Greenham as an operational American airbase. They held a public airshow every year until they stationed Cruise missiles there & the protestors arrived. I had my first driving lessons in thick snow around the perimeter road, driving a Triumph Toledo & learnt to ride a motorcycle on the abandoned service roads -thanks Stuart Harris -40 years of accident free biking.
So I was aware of the derelict control tower, but never bothered to look at it in detail -until today.
It's now a grade 2 listed building & a group of volunteers have spent a year renovating it. Entry's free, there's a very pleasant cafe on the ground floor, which has a dog friendly section & you can go upstairs to the octagonal operations room with a panoramic view of the common -binoculars are provided. From there you can see the old missile bunkers, which were used as the rebel base in the recent Star Wars films. The upstairs rooms are painted in the USAF colours of cream & chocolate brown, while the cafe's in Airforce blue.
The tower was one of two on the airbase. The other, now gone, was used during the Second World War. This one was built in 1951, so saw service during the Cold War years.
The new curators are keen to hear from clubs who'd like to use it as a venue & say they'd be happy to hold music gigs there too -could make a great backdrop for a 40s swing band for example, as well as a meeting point for bike & car clubs, especially as Little Nellie's American diner is just 5 miles down the road from here.
Open on Thursday & Friday mornings & weekends until 4pm.
https://www.greenhamtower.org.uk/
No, I don't get a commission! I just thought it was interesting.

Manky Monkey Motors

General Category => My favourite places to visit => Topic started by: Manky Monkey on November 09, 2018, 07:33:11 PM