Town centre

They say there is going to be over 400 apartments in the new wigantown centre that's a Lot, used to live in woodcock house think it was 12 story high with 8 apartments on each level that's about 96 apartments multiplying that by 4 , not much left for shops

CityHeart, the developer working alongside the Council on this, are promising 483 homes across seven new residential buildings; a 144-bedroom hotel; a retirement living complex; a new market hall and food court as well as new landscaped areas of public realm including a public square for events and performances.
9 JUL 2023
LINK

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Not like you TTS to be stuck for words

Until mid 1960's, I lived where a well known view could be found. Across Sparrow Fields, Back Lodge. Lancashire Union Railway Line & Pemberton Branch, the lane from Landgate to Bryn Gates with its bridge- universally referred to as Seccy Bridge, and beyond to L&L Canal. Dominating the vista were the spoil tips: Park Lane, Garswood Hall's long tip along the lip of the railway cutting and the giants of the game: the three sisters.

Where spoil tips did not obscure the view, you could see for miles: WCML, signal box at Bamfurlong, and in the very far distance, the high Pennines beyond Rochdale.

I have spent many hours taking in that view. My favourite was when, as a child camping in our 'pen', seeing the sun dawning over the area from direction of the Pennines. I am still drawn to Pennine sun rises today.

By 1970, I was living in London. One fine day, I walked into the (now disappeared) Geology Museum where I had some business to conduct.

You could have knocked down with a feather. There spread out in front of me I saw an expansive layout: a scale model, in great detail, of the area which I describe above.

Only changed. It was the proposed development of the Three Sister site.

It had, seemingly EVERYTHING.

Sky slopes, Sky lifts, Water park & sports, a marina, it just went on and on. I recognised it intuitively whilst at the same time, I did not recognise it at all.

Well the next few years, I was away at Uni, and a spell out of the UK.

I was eager to see what had developed.

Some trees, paths, a pond and a race track!

Really brought home to me the saying:

There's many a slip 'twixt cup and lip!

It probably changed because the originators Lancashire County Council passed the project over to Wigan council in 1974 following local government reorganisation.

If I remember going back in time did WW post photos of the grand arcade. And if they did this I would love to see the difference between the plans and reality

They said (council and developers) that the Grand Arcade would be the Wigan equivalent to the Trafford Centre, and when it opened most folk said the same thing after walking down to Debenhams "is that it"

In all the years that it has been open since 2007 I have spoken to only two people who like the Grand Arcade, but folk use it because they have to use it.

I'm with TTS...we will see that pigs can fly with this current Clowncil.

Never has a comment and picture in jest been so true!

To the best of my knowledge, the council have never divulged the funding details from the Chinese developers, so have the council received any funds for the demolition of The Galleries or are they paying for it out of council funds, in expectation of funding from the developers ?

Wigan council would be wealthy enough to pay for the demolition of The Galleries.

As regards the development, if as I expect, only the food pavilion and market hall are built, and the cinema, bowling alley and hotel are not built, then that will leave a big hole where The Galleries was located, but I suppose the hotel could be built, if part of the site was turned over to parking for the hotel.

Clock comes down LINK

I wonder why they did not save that clock and put it somewhere else, either in the new Market Hall, that new Pavillion, or in Leigh in the Market Hall there, or the Spinningate Centre, because it was something to do with the miners.

Thank you TOMMY 2S for showing us that video ,For me it's absolutely soul destroying at what this ROTTEN CLOWNCOUNCIL are doing to our town !!! IT' S A BLOODY DISGRACE ,AND FOR WHAT? PROBABLY TO HOUSE SOME ROTTEN IMMIGRANTS, OR THE LIKE 'S ,JUST AWFUL !!!G.B.

I am so annoyed at the clown council for telling demolition to destroy that clock, I worked in there for 15 yrs and that clock never lost a minute, it must of been very expensive to have it made and like TTS said it could have been erected elsewhere, no doubt they will do same with Lady Diana's marble plaque, if they do someone needs to go to jail, this council STINKS.

Construction spokesman said it would not be cost effective to put scaffold up to dismantle the clock How much would it have cost to hire a cherry picker to do the job

PeterP

They have their own cherry pickers in there, they are in the Market Hall now.

So just wanton destruction, What happened to recycling

Market hall have had them cherry pickers for a long time, they had to move them from basement when demolition took over.

Criminal...........

i don't understand why they will build a new market hall when there is a perfectly good one already. And why build one anyway if it is not an integrated part of a town's shopping centre?

Take your pick, there are numerous empty units around Standishgate / Grand Arcade that could accommodate the market traders. I am sure I read somewhere that a move to Debenhams was mooted in the early stages but the traders refused.

I posted this on here 18 months ago.

"When Debenhams shut down last spring in the Grand arcade I thought to myself that these premises were ideal for an indoor market hall. Two large spacious floors and it would increase footfall in the Grand arcade. It is more than big enough ( in my opinion ) to accomodate the traders who are currently trading in the market hall. I'm very surprised that this has not been considered"

I don't recall anything about the traders refusing the suggestion? If you don't mind me asking, where did you get that information from?

Cheshire Pussycat

No, the old Debenhams Store would be totally unsuitable for a Market Hall.

I read it somewhere.

I thought the Debenhams relocation was a good suggestion at the time. But I think that the new location that has been agreed on is a lot better and hopefully will attract the much needed extra footfall Hopefully the people of Wigan will support it.

Pussykins said:

"I thought the Debenhams relocation was a good suggestion at the time"

Well yoo know wot thowt did

And I still think that it would have been a good location given the options bandied around at the time!

So now you know what you "thowt" about what I "thowt" did to thee

Cheshirecat, it would have been a good location compared to the bomb site they are sitting in the middle of at present.

Well .......................................................

Cheshire Feline

What about those pensioners who like to shop in the market, and then go and catch a bus or a taxi home, can yoo imagine them lugging fruit and veg and other stuffs, such has ham shanks and other meats from the bottom of the Grand Arcade, to the bus station and taxi rank, and would the students from college, walk all the way from Parson Walk to the bottom end of Station Road, just to visit the chicken stall at lunchtime ?

I could not agree more, Angelwood.
Its a disgrace the way they have been treated.

Tommy, students are young they can use their legs. The taxi rank could be moved to Millgate or Library Street.

If 18 year old students cant walk to the Grand arcade for their dinner, they should take a packed lunch, or do without.

A lot of pensioners go up town EVERY day to pick up bits and bats (not a big shop) more for the chance to interact with other human beings and at the same time pick up a quarter of boiled ham and a loaf. Next day they may pick up some tripe and a pork pie. The day after that they may buy a pound of carrots and a tin of corned beef. Its very theraputic to get out and interact with other people instead of being stuck in all day on your own. Try it. You may like it

Has far as students are concerned I think it is the time element walking from the college to the grand arcade and back eats(excuse the pun) into how much time they have for their break

Most of the students wanted to do was smoke cannabis in galleries stairwells and roof car parks, not them all though a lot of them visited Clunans.

As stated above, legs or packed lunch.

Yung uns might be fit, but they are bone idle

If the young students can't manage the walk to the grand arcade there are numerous outlets in the closer vicinity of Market Street that should satisfy their carbohydrate and protien craving

Yes, they can go to the chippy or a pie shop, subway etc etc

Subway Chain has been sold for $9.55 billion. Who says there is no money in sandwiches?

£7.50 chips n fish in that chippy ,£3 odd for a Greenland meat n potatoe don't think students could afford eat round there

No wonder the pie is £3 if it is coming from Greenland!

Greenhalghs shops are very expensive, you won't get students in there, they all go to Jez clunan who has a variety of snacks for them at affordable prices.