Photo-a-Day  (Monday, 8th January, 2018)

Fond memories worked at Grimes tv shop helping to erect aerials mr Toubkin owned it. I couldn’t start at springs branch till I was older

What a shame to see this arcade in this condition. Grimes was the place to go for music a few decades ago. Have been in there many times, it is a real shame but how far can you stretch the pound notes.

Not sure which arcade this one is. was the bodega pub in this one

Just realized that Grimes arcade was the one with grimes music store in it

When its done up and reopened Wiganers will realise that it was nothing special in the first place

Faded Glories indeed.

I bet other places have old arcades similar to this & are used to house small independent shops that cant afford the pricey High Steet rents.
What a sad image.

Another disgrace! Had it been brightly lit I doubt there would have been the problems leading to its closure.

that is shocking and very sad

What a shame. This arcade was such a pleasure to walk down and listen to the organist in Grimes.

Criminal

If this arcade was in any other town it would have been cherished.

Was only thinking about this last week - Christmas 1964 my dad bought me a Mc Michael stereo/radio for Christmas and he went into Grimes the second week in January with a scribbled note from me for a record I wanted. He asked for "Sixty Now" and the lady had to look at the note and laughed. It was "Go Now" by the Moody Blues.
And now this photo appears! Sad to see.

It is indeed shocking to see this, one of the few bits of Wigan to retain some style rotting away.

I'd forgotten what it looked like but I remember it was "echoey" when you walked down it. If it was renovated it would have to be sealed off at night from the King Street revellers.

With the broom leant against the wall it looks like someone has gone in there to sweep up - looked around, then said blow this for a lark.

Jasper's, one of the first bars to open along King St in the early 1980s was there, they had problem with rats coming from the busted drains, every time it rained heavily the toilets in the cellars would flood with water coming up through cracks in the floor.

Cyril you can see that the brush as been left leaning by somebody who dosent have any common sense, because they have left it the wrong way.

I seem to remember the arcade was paved with stone flags- it doesn't seem to be the case anymore.....

Its a real shame to see it like this.

I bet it's Trigger's!

Mick, you can always be depended upon for such boring, negative comments. If you hate the town of Wigan and its' people so much why do you bother coming onto this website?

I think Mick and Alan are one and the same person because they are always willing to add such miserable, negative, snidey remarks.

Yes,Veronica I think you are right in saying if this was in another town it would have been cherished.Lovely memories of Grimes Music shop.

I still have (and play) the clarinet that I bought from Grimes Music Shop in 1956. The place looked somewhat different then. Shame.

I too have lovely memories Elizabeth,I've been trying to think of the ladies name that served in the shop..I used to look at one piano in particular and dreamt of owning it,it was beautiful ...but I'm afraid the arcade has been used as a toilet for quite a while now...standards are lower than ever nowadays.

King Street is a mess these days,it's very sad to see.

I know Maureen,you are definitely right.Sometimes think standards are non-existent.

All the comments beg the question...who owns it & has let it get into this state and who has plans for it ?

Councils usually have an input, any feed back on that ?

Mick I know what I'd like to do with that brush

I have found that Grimes Arcade is recorded as listed building by Historic England because of its architectural features. Someone must own it & be responsible for it.