Wigan Album

A time long since past. The Ritz Cinema at the rear, the Empress ballroom around the corner on the right and the old Wigan corporation buses. Wigan has changed so much, I think I prefer to remember it as it was.

Looks like the film at the Ritz was "Scream and Scream Again" which came out in 1970 starring Vincent Price and Christopher Lee.

Syd. The other evening I was talking to an acquaintance in Blackpool. That day he had been to Wigan, first time for thirty odd years. He said, he couldn't remember the last time he was in such a vibrant town, A well served town, with the amount of shops that were there.

Nothing on this photo has survived (buildings) I remember Waring & Gillow Furniture store, the old Leyland buses and ABC picture house. Woolworths to the left and out of the photo Wigan Casino and the Ship inn, All gone because of the Grand Arcade.
Nice set of photos Brian.

Oh the memories,I worked around the corner at Willbrooks..
right next to The Emp' where I was every night bar Wednesday,
the Ritz cinema facing was luxurious if my memory is correct,
with Ruth Roman's framed photo on the left wall as you went in..thank you Brian.

The good ol Wigan when we actually had a town that was individual from the rest and had character - sadly no more. The town centre today looks like any other town centre (all by design), just full of the same shops, Starbucks, Costa, M&S, WhSmith, nothing but corporations and no uniqueness from the rest. Buses today sadly full of CCTV cameras recording every thing you say and do (no privacy anymore because of the terrorism/crime fear mongering nonsense - just an excuse to take more freedoms away from everyone; why don't we hear people talking about the ridiculous big brother/surveillance state that's getting more and more ridiculous with I'D this and I'D that so they can database every aspect of our lives?), bus drivers with miserable faces on them as though it's the worse job ever; what happened to the Stan and Jack of On the Buses with the cheerful smile, then we have buses with heaters on in summer and heaters off in winter. That's what happens when you privatise the service.

Maureen, what was Wilbrook's?

That bus 22 Marsh Green. Worsley Hall was 23 just behind it. I wish they hadn't built over this street then we might not have had all the empty shops in the Galleries. They are now going to build more shops and a hotel at the bottom of Millgate.

Irene,it was a small credit firm..run by a Mr Wilcox..there was a shop upstairs and office down,I was in the office..next door but two going round the corner was a little Catholic shop.

Thanks, Maureen. I remember the Catholic shop.

How nice it would be to walk down Station Road again and go to the Ritz, ice cream sweets and all in the front circle.

Mine's a box of Poppets, a Kia-Ora orange-juice and a "Film Review" magazine, please, A.W.!

Wow!! Amazing memories. Sadly now all gone. Thanks Brian

In 1960, when the weather was wet, I caught the Abram bus to school. To avoid the crowd in front of Pooles, I would drop off the back of the bus as it slowed down, close to where the bus is in the photo, and run over to the Woolies side. One day I did this and nearly got run over by a car going the wrong way down Station Rd. It was close - my coat buttons clicked on the side of the car - an extra lesson learned that day. Before the year was over, the new buses with doors put a stop to platform gymnastics.

i hate grande arcade me so so uneccarsary wonder how long it will last before they decide to build another not needed arcade and pull it down ?