Black and white photos from the Oxford Mail archive in 1969 show Templars Square shopping centre in the early years.
City festivities were prepared to mark the £6m transformation of the Cowley Centre in November 1969.
Street theatre performances and a Christmas lights ceremony were set to celebrate the centre’s revamp.
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The owners at the time, Imry Merchant Developers, were due to complete work on the building, introducing a new glass roof, tiling, air conditioning, escalator, plants and security.
The centre, which was to be renamed to Templars Square, was not due to open until Easter the following year.
Plans to revamp Templars Square were announced in 2017 but they have not yet gone ahead.
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The scheme by developer New River had been in the pipeline for a long time, and in January 2020 there was a suggestion plans could move forward.
Last year the project reappeared on Oxford City Council’s planning portal.
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The developer submitted documents to explain how the revamped shopping centre, including a new tower block containing a hotel, would meet the council’s new sustainability aims.
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