Part 2 of the complete Great Oaks history, covering great oaks in the 1970s: cinema, tesco & parking.
The early 1970s changed Great Oaks from a largely service and road area into one of the busiest edges of Basildon town centre. A new cinema, supermarket, offices, public house, employment services and a major multi-storey car park were developed around Great Oaks and North Gunnels.
The ABC cinema opened in September 1971. Although the entrance and upper-level leisure complex related closely to North Gunnels and High Pavement, the surrounding development was physically tied to Great Oaks and its car park. The former cinema building survives as an important reminder of this phase of town-centre expansion, although the cinema use later changed.
On 23 November 1971 Tesco opened a large supermarket below the cinema complex. The opening ceremony was carried out by broadcaster David Jacobs. Tesco already had other Basildon shops, but the Great Oaks store represented a much larger supermarket format.
Tesco later left the building after its newer Pitsea store became successful. The Great Oaks unit then stood empty before being converted into Liberty Shopping Hall in the 1980s.
Great Oaks House was completed around 1972–73 as part of the same period of expansion. The building and nearby single-storey blocks accommodated government and employment services, including an unemployment benefit office and Jobcentre functions at different times.
The Great Oaks multi-storey car park opened in 1972 and became a key part of the town-centre transport system. Because parts of the leisure and shopping development were above ground level, pedestrian bridges from the car park gave direct access towards the upper-level facilities.
The Great Oaks multi-storey remains in use. Current parking information lists it as Car Park 1, with more than 1,200 spaces across twelve levels.
The early-1970s Block S development created High Pavement, an upper-level leisure area linked to Town Square and the Great Oaks car park. Activities over the years included bowling, bingo, a dance studio, pool club, pub/restaurant use and the Sweeneys discotheque. Although High Pavement is a separate named location, Great Oaks provided an important access route and parking connection.
A public house linked to the complex opened as The Painted Wagon. It was later renamed the Jolly Wagonner and then The Oasis. The Oasis eventually closed around 2000, ending the site's long association with pub use.