Day Number One at Euston

Amidst the debris of packing-crates, stray parcels, a weird and wonderful assortment of labelled furniture, the pioneers of Euston descended on Thames Television House on Sunday, 16 November.

By Monday the building was transformed into an efficiently operating Television Studio.

Jane’s new reception area in the foyer is designed to impress. Jane, herself, describes it as, “Rather elegant.” The wall behind her is lined in sage-green suede. “The first few days,” says Jane, “have been hectic but fun. This area is still buzzing with workmen and the foyer becomes increasingly impressive daily as yet another section is completed.”

The new Switchboard (pictured above) under Mrs Laycock’s supervision is much more compact than the one at Television House. For the time being the Switchboard is operated by four girls – with Mrs Laycock in the photograph are Sheila Noonan and Christine Rayment.

The ‘Today’ team also appear delighted with their new wall-to-wall carpeted surroundings and their room is already well endowed with ‘Today’s’ unmistakable stamp of busy chaos.

Opposite ‘Today’ on the third floor, Graphics have a bright spacious office. It seems to have inspired an unexpected house-proud streak in Jim Bainbridge, which has even brought a smile to the lips on his wastepaper basket.

A temporary canteen has been installed on the fifth floor under the supervision of Miss Lovell. The canteen is catering for approximately 164 people but Miss Lovell is still trying to work out how that number consumed 400 cups of coffee on the first morning!

Much of the building is still incomplete as the bottom central picture of the fifth floor illustrates. The reaction so far from people now working at Euston has been one of approval. When the workmen have finished, the building will not only be functionally well designed but also an impressive showpiece.