Millbank
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Millbank is an area of central London in the City of Westminster. Millbank is located by the River Thames, east of Pimlico and south of Westminster.
The area derives its name from a mill house belonging to nearby Westminster Abbey. By the 19th century, the area was dominated by Millbank Prison used in the deportation of prisoners to the British colonies. Much of Millbank's present appearance dates from the 1930s, when the area was extensively rebuilt to repair damage caused by the 1928 Thames flood disaster, in which 14 local residents drowned following the collapse of a 25m section of the Thames Embankment.
Millbank is also the name of the main road (A3212) along the north bank of the River Thames, extending northwards from Vauxhall Bridge Road to Abingdon Street, just south of Parliament Square. Some Parliamentary offices are based in buildings along this road, notably No.7, which was built as the HQ of British American Tobacco. The Tate Britain art gallery stands near the Vauxhall Bridge Road end. The road was created as part of the Thames Embankment in the mid 19th century and lies above a large interceptor sewer.
The headquarters of the British chemicals giant ICI were located at Nobel House on Millbank, before it relocated to Manchester Square, also in London. The headquarters for MI5, Thames House, stands nearby.
Before the 1997 General Election, the Labour Party took over two floors of the Millbank Tower as its headquarters. The £1 million per annum rent forced the party to vacate the tower in 2001 for 16 Old Queen Street.
In British politics, the term 'Millbank Machine' or 'Millbank tendency' (a play on 'Militant tendency') was used to refer to those who were regarded by some as spin doctors.
Millbank Studios: an independent broadcast services company (owned by ITV), is based in the area, opposite the Houses of Parliament. BBC Parliament, a channel dedicated to Parliamentary and general political coverage, is run by Millbank Studios on behalf of the BBC.
Number 4, Millbank: it is here many major broadcasters base their coverage of Westminster including the BBC, Sky News and ITV companies. RTE also have their London bureau here.
Neighbouring College Green is used as the location for outside interviews with politicians.
[edit] Notable buildings
Hide Tower, a twenty story building of 162 flats built by the local council, completed in 1962. Architect: Stillman and Eastwick-Field, 1959 - 1961. It has thirty beautiful trees on the site as well as a private flower garden, mini golf and community hall for residents' meetings. Approximately a quarter of all the flats are privately rented; half are rented from Westminster City Council; the rest are owner occupied. The name derives from "hide", and old English land measure, (used in the Domesday Survey of 1086).
[edit] Nearest tube stations
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Bayswater · Belgravia · Covent Garden · Fitzrovia · Holborn · Hyde Park · Knightsbridge · Lisson Grove · Maida Vale (including Little Venice) · Mayfair · Marylebone · Millbank · Paddington · Pimlico · Queen's Park · St. James's · St. John's Wood · Soho (including Chinatown) · Victoria · Westbourne Green · Westminster |
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