Photo-a-Day  (Tuesday, 19th March, 2024)

Dennis totally agree yet another 60's pile of concrete

Put a collar and tie on a pig and it's still a pig.
I've never took to this building, infact, I've never took to any concrete slab buildings....they are horrible designs.

I think we have had this conversation before Dennis.
I am not a fan of much modern or post modern architecture, Brocol House, Brian House, Hallgate Sorting Office Etc. They don’t even qualify to be termed ‘architecture.
I do though think this building in concrete has some merit as does Preston Bus Station. It might be in the wrong place but if demolished in 50 years time people will be be decrying the council if pulled down.
Cleaned up and repurposed it will be better than another vacant plot of wasteland.
Alongside will be the new entrance to the former Debenham’s Store, internally gutted to form a live entertainment and food court. Now that’s something to talk about!

Of all that’s been demolished in the town and ALL around this is the ugliest ‘monument’ to the sixties that’s ever been created at the top of Millgate. What is happening now to the 3 C’s - Crazy Clown’s Centre?.

My thoughts exactly Dennis !

What an eyesore! Veronica and Ozy have recently put photos of the old shops on Millgate on "Album" and yes, the shops were getting old by the 1960s when the building in today's photo was brand-new....they probably had rotting window-frames and damp walls and even mice, but they had a bit of character and certainly looked better than this monstrosity despite their age.

If they find RAK and Asbestos you might all get your wish.
I see we are to get another multi story block of concrete on Market Street opposite The Queens Hall, a Hampton by Hilton Hotel!!!
Oh what controversy.

Colin, putting a few flower beds in front of this building is not going to make it any more pleasing to the eye. It is a concrete catastrophe. Just pull it down and make a new start.

Will no one else jump to the defence of this poor beleaguered concrete beast.
Its a masterpiece of ingenuity and design. What need is there for flower beds, these would only distract from its grace and beauty.

"I've never took to any concrete slab buildings....they are horrible designs."
Garry, I am in the same mind and I have been as long as I can remember.

Wigan Council will NOT demolish this building, they only pull down beautifully designed and pleasing to the eye buildings....Historically we all know that.

Cooeee Dennis, I think you have thrown a 'Pound Bakery' concrete pastie amongst the pigeons for everyone to peck at!!!!

Let’s hope RAK is found and any other obnoxious substances.
Nothing can hide the ugliness and cheapness of that heap of concrete. And any other of its likeness….Whoever designed it must have been the bottom of his/ her year at the Design and Craft Movement
of the Institute of Concrete Blocks and Prison Buildings)

Unfortunately, the "beautifully designed and pleasing to the eye buildings" you refer to, in Wigan, are only pulled down as they are all in bad repair due to their age. Concrete structures last longer.

Don't talk nonsense John Noakes. The old Town Hall at the corner of King St and Rodney St was beautiful in all aspects, demolished in 2015, for a car park. Utter vandalism.
This is just one of many beautiful buildings destroyed by the Council and not only buildings but destroyed Wigan Town.

There are some great structures made of concrete, but they don’t last very long, witness the schools that are now being held up with steel props.
Over time concrete beams crack and allow water to get to the reinforcement steel and once that steel gives way the concrete soon crumbles.
Even so, it’s not the concrete that I am against, it’s just the fact that this particular building is so plug ugly that makes me want to be rid of the thing.

Concrete construction DONT last at all John Noakes, they start to crack with age and show the reinforced wire that supposed to keep the slabs supports strong.
The Concrete sections start to show weakness when rust starts to appear through the Concrete.

Don't talk out of your what's i call it, Mr Noakes. Many very good buildings have bin knocked down in very good condition, with nowt wrong with um.

Brick buildings last much longer than concrete. And look better.

Anybody who thinks this building has value must be ‘skenn eyed’..

In 2007 when the Grand Arcade opened, there was 'serious' talk about the Civic Centre site, becoming a second phase of the Grand Arcade, and that was why the Grand Arcade was built so close to the Civic Centre, because it was expected to be demolished when the Life Centre's were opened.

Typically bricks last longer than Concrete slabs. And look more neat and tidy. Most of the time, construction is ruled by cost. You are right Sandra with your judgement of the two building materials.

If they do find RAAC I can well imagine thousands being spent to try remedy it with carbon fibre wraps and polymer resin injections.

You're right Dennis it should have been razed to the ground, and hardly anyone who worked there liked the building, though John Noakes and a few others would have loved it.

There are photos in the Album of the many ancient buildings on Millgate which got demolished to make way for Phase 1 of the Civic Centre, and quite possibly a lot of Roman remains could also have been dug out and dumped along with the rubble, and more ancient buildings along Station Road along with the Central station also got demolished to make way for the proposed Phase 2, which never got to be built.

Couldn't agree more Dennis,Gary and Veronica.

Concrete is prone to weakness and Erosion with age. Bricks and mortar far more superior than Concrete.
Accrington bricks are one of the best and most Wigan buildings from the past have been built with them, ie the old Town Hall and local Council Offices.
I think cost plays a vital part.

Cyril

As regards Phase 2 of the Civic Centre, as I understood it, that would have been built on the site of the old Empress Ballroom (Wigan Casino) and the land to the side of it, the Civic Centre overlooked those two sites from Millgate, and phase 2 would have extended the Civic Centre over and into that side of Station Road, but not as far as the old Central Station.

The Pantheon in Rome was the largest dome in the world for 1300 years, it is made of concrete!

Sorry, Ian and Irene as well !

Now then talk about putting the cat amongst the pigeons I must admit I’ve seen a lot worse concrete buildings but the Mersey Rail Tunnel as been open since 1886,Queensway Tunnel since 1934 and the Kingsway Tunnel 1971 all constructed with thousands of tonnes of concrete,steel and cast iron so maybe put your foot down when driving through.even though they are the safest tunnels in UK.

Gathurst viaduct is stood on concrete legs, Who saw owd Tom the Wigan historian on 5 news?

It depends how you use it Colin.
Concrete is very strong in compression, but you can’t bend it, that’s why it is reinforced with steel. The steel gives the concrete tensile strength.

Did you know? Some of the World’s oldest buildings, still standing, are made out of CONCRETE.
There’s concrete and there’s composite, also there’s bricks and engineering bricks. The ‘concrete’ they’ve had problems with in some schools is as far from concrete as a stick of rock is from a candy floss.

Sir Bob, buildings both sides of Station Road from Watkin Street to the bottom end of Millgate got demolished, even the station, with the land supposedly for council offices. Someone's dream then was for every council department to be under one roof, though the money wasn't forthcoming to build the next build nor the other ones.

There's a concrete structure in Wigan that is now 78 years old and still standing strong, and it's also a Grade 2 listed structure, but even so I've never liked it, though it did look a lot better when it was painted.
Thanks to Wigan & Leigh Buildings for the photo with information: https://www.wiganbuildings.co.uk/building.php?id=508

Did you know that some of the oldest buildings in the world still stand strong, and are made from bricks and mortar.
And look much better.

Well said Arthur.. brick even looks better when it’s past it’s sell by date!
Unlike crumbly drab greyish concrete.

Okay, Okay, let’s keep it and clad in Mock Tudor.

Cyril

No,,, the old Central Station was demolished in the early 1980s to build a multi storey car park on, which opened in 1984, here is a picture from the year 2000 before the area was levelled to build the Grand Arcade.

https://i.ibb.co/QQysCbF/stationroad.jpg

Now that’s like putting a sticking plaster on a Pig’s foot Colin..

A good exercise for the bomb disposal , to carry out a controlled explosion.