Hi denise
Glad to be of help, I used to go to that youth club, it was run by a reall good guy I think was called Stan, some of us went over to his place he lived in a room in a cottage at Westhill College. He and his friends were student youth leaders. They took a van load of us to East London one weekend to a youth club in Wapping, they put a disco dance on for us, we had a great time.
Two of my best mates did the disco at Hidcote Hall, Roy Franklin and Ron Whitehouse they were called the Royon Sound, you may remember them.
Many many people had parties of all sorts at the Hall, many people would be glad of the place now. There are not many places around to have a party these days.
The viilage connection was probably a City planner who lived in that direction and wanted to put his mark on a new estate.
As for the shops surviving, I don't know if you Knew the Comberton Road Shops, well they disapeared as well. Not forgetting, when these shops were doing well' Asda. Sainsbury's, Tesco's etc never existed in the area. Poolway shops were and are about 15/20 minutes walk away. Believe me denise they are in a dire state. A birmingham mail reporter recently said the should be handed over to the Army for target practice. Some of us think that the already had been. SB