The film begins with a shot of the Old Market Square name plaque, followed by an old map and an aerial photograph of the square when it used to be the site for the city's market as the voiceover gives a brief introduction to its history. We then see a contemporary moving image of the streets surrounding the square, followed by a shot of the central processional way which follows the line of the old Norman wall. We then see scenes of early morning workers arriving by bus, news vendors, a postman and street cleaners. We next see shops being prepared for opening and a mobile catering van serving breakfasts to bus drivers. We then see an increasing volume of people coming into the square and women looking at shop window displays. We see more general shots of crowds moving around the square and the adjacent roads and the voiceover indicates it is now afternoon and we begin to see queues forming at the bus stops to board buses and trolley buses. The voiceover reminds us however, that the square is not just a bus terminus and we see shots of people relaxing and feeding the pigeons. The next sequence shows the Council House. The voiceover gives a brief history and we see shots of the façades, the interior of Exchange Arcade, the dome and the statues around its base (representing civic law, commerce, knowledge and prosperity). We see various groups and individuals, both political and religious speaking in the square intercut with shots of onlookers. We are then told that the square is also a meeting place for young people and we see shots of couples and groups and people meeting beside the Joseph Else designed lions. We then see scenes at dusk of illuminated signs and shop windows and more buses which we are told are now taking people home. We finally see the square at night and hear the clock's last chime of the day (11pm).
Made by Members of the Nottingham & District Film Society:
Andrew Crawford
Bob Hall-Carter
Fred Darking
Gordon Pratt
Geoff Spencer
Jo Minnitt
Roy Corden
Written & directed by Roy Corden
Commentary spoken by Frank Phillips
The film was made for screening at the Nottingham Festival of Britain celebrations and is credited to the Festival Film Unit.