Photo-a-Day  (Friday, 2nd May, 2025)

The new section looks like a nice, bright, modern building to get an education.

I will never understand why architects & planners do this....why put a steel & glass box next to an existing older..& very attractive building ?? Beats me.

Isn't it odd how things change over the years? There can't be many people who recall when Rushton's building actually WAS Rushton's grocery warehouse. Some will recall when it temporarily housed Pendlebury's department store for a while in the 1950s after the store on Standishgate burned down, but most older Wiganers today look back fondly to when it was The Gas Showrooms, the pick-up point for coaches taking people to the seaside for their annual holiday, or for a "works night out" at a nightclub. Today's young Wiganers will remember it as a place of education. And so it has stood, strong and proud, through the years, and hopefully for many more to come. Let's hope the powers- that- be leave this one alone.

Does this new build section still have the rotating garden beds?
The new to the old does not blend very well and I bet the new does not last has long as the old brick section

Perhaps it was a student who designed the ‘modern’ part but …..the old building still stands proud. Instead of taking a wrecking ball to most of the older heritage buildings they could have been utilised.

A sunny day makes all the difference to a picture, it’s brought out the warmth of the terracotta.
At first I was looking at the plane in the sky above wondering where it was off too, then noticed the bottom left, that got me thinking who stole that Anthony Gormley statue from the sea at Crosby Beech and placed it outside the Market Hall?

This will make some of us feel old — it has been 30 years since Prince Charles stepped into the controversial limelight and made his famous Carbuncle speech to the RIBA describing the the then proposed design for The National Gallery extension in Trafalgar Square as 'A monstrous Carbuncle of the face of a much loved friend'.
Integrating new buildings alongside existing is in my opinion quite tricky, many factors have to be taken into account such as spaces suitable for the intended purpose, modern construction materials and environmental concerns, heating, lighting, ventilation and energy usage and more importantly cost.
Perhaps panels in terracotta rather than black more sympathetic aligned with the existing building would be a more visual improvement or a complete new design replicating the Rushton Building but unlike The National Gallery, however Wigan is not blessed with a multimillionaire benefactor.
That said the interior is a bright modern and cheerful interior for learning featuring two wonderful modern Lecture Theatres on the ground floor.
Looking forward, I do hope that when the new entrances to the Multimedia Centre on Standishgate and the new Market Hall in the Market Place that the design foe the facade's are not bland or garish but sympathetic to the adjacent buildings,

A "Lecture Theatre" is a place where they 'act' as if they know what they're talking about?

I have just looked up the "Multimedia Centre", and can see it is to boast a large six-screen cinema, a multi-lane bowling alley, mini indoor golf, climbing wall and other activities, as well as bars and restaurants. Does anyone know if they've thought of having a few shops?

Irene, yes, there will be shops, but not as you have known them, they will be bright and modern, and sell stuff the younger generations want.
On Wednesday in Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester, people were queuing up outside a newly opened shop called POP MART, it's not for you and me, but it might attract your grandchildren.
PS Ive just returned from a visit to Cleveleys were I sat in Kays chippy and had a children's potion of excellent fish and chips and a cup of tea.
Then visited the newly opened Trinity House superstore hospice shop.
Then, on the way back to the car, I treated myself to a steak pie from JL Bean's Bakery, that I warm up for my tea and I also bought a nice brown loaf from M&S.

What are you on about Mick with the new section?
It's been up for years; in fact, it was your mate Dave Whelan's mate who demolished those two quaint buildings to put that glasshouse up, which at the time was said to be for growing lettuce and tomatoes from seeds.

It certainly seems that way Irene, as it's all leisure activities mentioned.

That sounds a good day out Mick.

My word ! … there can be no doubt about it …you certainly live life right on the edge don’t you Mick?

Having a child’s portion of fish and chips … AND buying a nice brown loaf from M&S pushes Captain Webb’s feat of going over Niagara Falls nailed inside a barrel firmly into the realms of mediocrity …and no mistake .

Well thankyou Mick for the information that the new shops in Wigan will be bright and modern and no longer suitable for me. However, I might pop along and have a look as I would love to see the "younger generations" queuing up at these bright and modern" stores like POP MART to pay for their purchases in a shop, instead of sitting at home choosing them off a computer screen and sending away for them. What a new idea.....Perhaps it will catch on!

The way Cyber attacks are going on at the big companies we might end up with shops again! M&S are still not sending orders out. But this is the FUTURE..

Ozy, It was recommended by the waitress, there a bit like a pensioner's special but with no bread.

Wigan Council vacated the old Rushton's building in 2012 after moving into the then new Wigan Life Centre.
The building was then converted into a University Technical College, the new built bit was built in 2012 so it is anything but new, and it housed a vertical garden, which was hardly ever used, and was abandoned by the college after only a couple of years, the (UTC) specialised in process engineering and environmental technologies and the Wigan UTC had an intake of students aged between 14 and 18.
The College closed in 2019 because of a lack of students.

For many years the Rushton's building was known as the Old Gas Showrooms for obvious reasons.

Mick if you had gone to Fleetwood the chippy next to the Knott End Ferry serve chips,fish & peas twice for £12 supposedly small portions but you wouldn’t be eating any pies till day after,and if you take your bike it’s a great ride to Blackpool South Shore and back just short of 25 miles all by the sea no need to go on the road and free parking at Fleetwood ask Ozy as we’ve done it a couple of years back,but I do that ride regular.Colin great photo as always sorry to chirp in.

I don't know about "the interior is a bright modern and cheerful interior for learning featuring two wonderful modern Lecture Theatres".

When I was a student at Wigan Tech, in early 1960's, both Library Street and Parson's Walk buildings were used.

The old lecture theatres at library Street were far more conducive to study than the modern examples at Parson's Walk.

The chips & fish etc are excellent at that next to the ferry.

John I've eaten their chips and done the ride, Ive also rode from Shevy to St Annes and then along the front to Blackpool.
And Ive caught the ferry a few times visited Knott End Chippy.