As part of a programme of detailed air-raid precautions in West Bridgford in preparation for the Second World War, the Abbey Circus communal shelter was one of 11 whose construction started in September 1939. The work on this concrete shelter, conceived to hold 100 persons, was carried out by Messrs. W. & J. Simons, Limited, of Gordon Road, West Bridgford, and was completed in April 1940.
Many residents had Anderson shelters in their gardens. Others used Morrison shelters or basements in their homes, and some residents even built their own concrete shelters in their gardens. The grounds of local schools were also used to house air-raid shelters.
Local residents, upon hearing an air-raid siren were encouraged to make their way to their home shelters or the local communal air-raid shelter until given the all clear. The Abbey Circus shelter contained benches that ran along the length of the interior walls. It was dark and uncomfortable but provided a sense of security and protection for those without private shelters in their homes.
The importance of the air-raid shelters was underlined on the night of 8/9 May 1941 when Nottingham was the target of a Nazi bomb raid with huge damage and significant loss of life in the West Bridgford community. This episode is commonly referred to as the Nottingham Blitz.
A total of 11 shelters were commissioned to be built on council-owned land in September 1939. The map below sets out their locations and number of spaces in each shelter:
- West Bridgford Hall grounds and Bridgford Road (100 + 50)
- Abbey Circus (100)
- The Green, Wilford (50)
- Ruddington Lane (50)
- Hall grounds, Manor Club (100)
- Council dept, Abbey Road (100)
- Rutland Road (100)
- Stamford Road (50)
- Wilford lane, playing fields (50)
- The Green, Wilford (50)
