Wigan Album
Market Square
19 CommentsPhoto: Deborah Topping (nee Bond)
Item #: 24151
you can just see the radio Wigan studio to the left
I recall folk club used to meet there in 1960's.
Closed March 1985. A sad loss.
Went in there when Tom Brown and his wife had it in the 50's. Even had waitress service in the Lounge Bar. Ring the bell and someone would take your order and bring the next round. Heaven!
The Park to me was the most cheerless,depressing pub in Wigan and District.
We used to meet in there before going on Triangle Valve stag do's. Happy memories with Merv being the chairman..."An inch of ale", playing Buzz Fizz...Wish I could do it all again...
A man who became a friend, Dick Hatch, used to run Radio Wigan from that office, later moved to Millgate when the destruction of the market area began. He was a regular at The Old Pear Tree, in his red cap & clogs. Lovely chap..
Alas he died in April 2012 from a massive stroke..
I used to look at all those photographs of the Great Britain Rugby Tourists every time I went in.
I can remember when the building next door was a tea bar.
Did I imagine that the bar and fittings from the Park went into 'the Way we Were' at Wigan Pier? What happened to that museum, is it closed now?
Would that have been the Don Cafe, Ron?
It was the Don Café, Mick. Very basic by today's standards but very popular, especially with the bus crews. Next door was Warburton's upmarket furniture store.
The Don, was owned by the Greens, who also owned the Gate Café, opposite the White Horse Standishgate. Mr Greens four daughters ran that one
Thanks DerekB. I could remember the cafe, but wasn't entirely sure of the name. It was very handy if you had a long wait for a bus.
Douglas valley stompers ,Mersey Sippy jazz and others played at the jazz club there.In the 50s .Many a good night.
the scoreing contraption next to dart was a job in its self
Wigan jazz club 1950s at Park Hotel. Played with the Black Eagle Jazzmen there a couple of times in 1956
Used to go in the Park at lunchtime and evenings when on day release at Wigan Tech. This would be between 1968 and 1977. Mrs Brown was the Landlady. We would play darts. In the earlier years we'd often have a pie for lunch hut then we moved up market and went to Shackladys chippy and quite often Roberto's. Pubs like this closing is a travesty.