It was not so many years ago that Coventry was a powerhouse of innovation and industry – the beating heart of the UK’s manufacturing base.
A centre of excellence for clocks and watches, the bicycle and the motorcar and home to such revered brands as Daimler, Triumph and Jaguar; Coventry was operating on a global stage with a reputation to match.
However, the second half of the 20th century was not kind to Coventry. Instigated by the catastrophe of the Blitz and exacerbated by the decline in the motor industry, Coventry suffered a post-industrial decline to rival any, so evocatively captured in Ghost Town, the early 80s anthem by celebrated Coventrians, The Specials.
But Coventry was never going to be a city that would just roll over and die. Today it is experiencing a renaissance to rival anywhere in the UK and one of the institutions that is not just benefiting from its rejuvenation but is also one of its architects is Coventry University.