All change in street scene

Some roads, like Waller Street, vanished to make way for the Arndale Centre – recently renamed The Mall Luton – which became one of Europe’s largest indoor shopping centres when it was built in the early 1970s.

Nearby roads that did survive include Park Street, with this view captured by a Luton News photographer looking from Market Hill towards Park Square in December 1949.

Can readers identify any of the shops on either side of the road, including the store on the right with its Christmas window display.

Apart from its pedestrianisation since this photo was taken, one of the biggest changes in the street scene is the disappearance of the college building in the centre background – replaced by a modern university campus.

Luton Modern School was established on the Park Square site in 1908, Luton Technical Institute was founded in 1937 and it became Luton College of Technology in 1958.

After changing its name to Luton College of Higher Education in 1976, the University of Luton was established in 1993, becoming the University of Bedfordshire in 2006.

> More information has come to light about the photo of comedian Terry-Thomas entertaining at the Vauxhall canteen in 1948, which appeared on the Yesteryear page two weeks ago.

The suave funnyman was in Luton for a live lunchtime broadcast of the popular radio show Workers’ Playtime, which attracted huge audiences.

We also asked readers if they could identify the female celebrity signing autographs alongside Terry-Thomas.

It turned out to be his co-star on the show, film actress Pat Loring, although internet searches have failed to provide any information about her. Did you ever see a Pat Loring movie?