Photo-a-Day  (Saturday, 1st April, 2023)

How surprising and welcome the news that these plans have been reversed and the old market hall is to be fully restored to its former glory .

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. What an absolute, senseless waste of time and money, not to mention all that money spent on a new bus-station when people no longer have the heart to come into Wigan unless they have to. I don't know anyone who is enthusiastic about Wigan's so-called "exciting new future", for the simple reason that we have seen and heard it all before. Pull the other one, Wigan Councillors.....it's got bells on.

Is all that area going to be demolished or converted into flats ?
Whichever, a 'council' that wastes money like there is no tomorrow needs outing !

PS....
I should also have made the comment...what a great viewpoint you had Andrew & that it is a very good photo to add to the history of the changing face of Wigan.

You don’t really think ‘the councillors’ are responsible for this, do you?

I've heard they are going to take down the rooftop greenhouse and put it up in mesnes park or at haigh hall and then used to show wiganers how pineapples and bananas grow.

It’s all over my head! I just can’t visualise what is happening at all.! Instead of posters saying how exciting it’s all going to be why not show the actual plans or a picture/ painting of the outcome…. or have I missed them? Possibly - as I am rushing for the train after a quick visit to where I have to go once a week…at least there’s still a bank to walk into. There’s none at all where I live.

Nice one, Poet. I honk I can see a spaghetti tree in the background.

So, Andrew! You still have the keys to the castle.

You would be able to see Parbold Hill from up there if you looked a bit to the left

For God's sake, stop moaning will you ? Whatever the Council do, some folk will whinge....they're replacing the 'horrible' modern replacement for the Market Hall (peace be upon it ), with some exciting and innovative developments, and a good proportion of folk have already decided its a waste of money. Closed-minded doesn't come close.
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It's sad and seems wrong for it to be demolished and a pity it couldn't have been transformed into another use. Though no one could foresee the way folks shopped would have changed so much over that relatively short time. I haven't been into there or even the town centre for some years as there just wasn't anything from the shops that were there that I wanted, nor is there anything I want from the shops that are still there, and it's been that long ago that I can't remember exactly when, though it would have been when the Retinopathy clinic used part of Boots chemists and moved out.

I just hope that they are to retain the clock tower, as it's now iconic and would fit in with anything else that's planned, I'm sure.

Looks like the happy tablets are working for some folk?

I don't think The Galleries was a "horrible replacement" for The Market Hall at all, Gareth, and am sorry to disagree, as you and I are usually in agreement on things! ....I personally found The Galleries attractive and I was proud to work there in Boots' Chemists, with The Market Square stall just outside the door, in the 1990s. It was lovely on a Summers Day with all the colourful hanging baskets when the market was in full swing. My point is that I just feel sad that The Galleries is being demolished after only 36 years.....such a short time when you think about it. My "whinge" to The Council about their promise of a "new and exciting future of Wigan" is that they said exactly the same to us in 1987 when The Galleries was being built. It does rather make a person think "here we go again". I hope with all my heart that the new plans work and bring people and new businesses to the town, but somehow I don't think it will. But I would be happy to stand at the top of Wigan and proclaim that I was wrong if that is the case. All we can do is wait and see.

Agree Irene… it’s not very surprising that people mourn the Wigan we had and lost. There’s hardly anything left! There’s just no compunction to come to Wigan. When you do come it’s for a very short time to do what you have to do then rush back home.