| Notes | D31 was originally built as the canteen for the Boots site. Proposals for the building were put forward shortly before World War Two, with planning permission being granted on the condition that it could be turned into a hospital within 24 hours.
It was designed by the architect Sir Henry Tanner FRIBA, who planned a steel framed building with brick walls and a flat asphalt roof, with a third mezzanine floor at each end of the building.
The building was purposely located away from the main factory so as to separate the functions of work and welfare. One of the principal objectives of the new canteen was to provide employees with a complete change in atmosphere during the lunchtime break.
The building was opened on Monday 10th October 1938, by Mr. E.H.Clark (Manager of the Whole Staff Department), who deputised for Lord Trent.
During the Second World War the building was painted in camouflage paint in an attempt to avoid being hit by enemy fighters.
Recreation rooms were included in the building, including a card room, music room, games room, writing room and library, sun lounges and rest rooms.
The D31 canteen became one of the largest in the country when it was first opened. It provided seating for 2,000 and measured 400ft x 160ft, with a terrace measuring 298ft x 35ft. On the first floor, the service canteen provided seating for 200, and had a balcony measuring 298ft x 20ft. In 1939 luncheons consisting of meat or fish and two vegetables were served at a cost of 6d to women and 7d to men; soup was 1d and sweets were 1 1/2d.
In addition to the canteen, which occupied most of the ground floor, D31 housed Cost Department, General Services Depart and the Boots College, which closed in 1969. From c1950 a sizeable part of the ground floor was walled off to house a data processing centre.
In 1939 Boots Day Continuation School moved from premises at Station Street, where it had operated since February 1920, to spacious new accomodation in D31. The school contained a gymnasium, changing rooms, store rooms, hall, four class rooms, science laboratory, art rooms, domestic science and needlework rooms. The Nottingham Education Committee provided the trained staff, books and stationary for the 800 boys and girls who attended for one half day a week. In the 'Teachers World' publication at the time it was said that 'no public school or university is more splendidly housed'.
After the war, facilities were improved which allowed the company to extend its Day Release opportunities to all employeess under the age of 18, and also to permit full day's attendance for both girls and boys. In 1946 the Day Continuation School was renamed Boots College. Boots college closed in 1969.
In 1990 the Boots museum opened on the mezzanine floor at the North end of the building.
Staff shop open between c1975 and 2006.
D31 building closed in 2006. |