Photo-a-Day  (Wednesday, 4th March, 2020)

We love The Chippery. We usually sit near the window where the lady is, and the very pleasant waitress who serves those tables looks like the actress Geraldine James. The staff are hard-working and always busy. I was gutted when it caught fire and was closed for a while!

They must have been hot those chips to melt the bin!
Not a very nice view today of Market St - locked down and boarded up....it only needs a couple of shops with the shutters up to look neglected.

Happy memories of going in there with mum x

I don’t go to Wigan much these days, it’s like visiting a sick relative who’s just waiting for the end. I would rather remember it as it was, full of life and very active.

Oops! Apologies I didn't know the shop had caught fire, glad it's up and running, I have been told loads of times what a good 'chippy' it is. I meet up with a couple of friends during the week - we must give it a try...

DTease, that sums it up perfectly. So sad.

Well why does someone not clean it up!!!
An eyesore to say the least.

Councils changed in 1974 when we all merged under one Council.
This under the then Wigan Corporation Council would not have happened. Councils had pride then.

In Germany every house or business is responsible for keeping the pavement in front of their property clean and tidy and face a fine if they don't.
I think that law should be brought in here.

I don’t go to Wigan much these days, A lot of Wiganers are that, so maybe thats the reason why Wigan and many other town centres are in decline.
Geraldine James as not been on the telly now for a long time so maybe the waitress is her.

You have to remember, Arthur, that back in those Good Old Days, the only litter bins on the streets were those little metal ones strapped to a lamp-post near a bus stop, for folk who hadn't put their tickets in the 'TICKETS ONLY' box on the bus platform. There wasn't the need for big plastic litter bins - when you bought a quarter of chocolate chewing nuts they were weighed out from a glass jar, and tipped into a little paper bag. When you'd emptied the bag, you didn't throw it away, you took it home, flattened it out, and put it in a drawer in the kitchen, along with little lengths of string from parcels, and the ball of india rubber bands.
Also, of course, back in the Good Old Days, local Councils were left to get on with the job, without The Government telling them what to do. Things started to change when the Commissars took over in 1979....

Good point Rev David Long.
But, we have so much junk and litter these days, as you say small waste bins strapped to a lamp post because not much litter back then no junk food outlets on every corner.
What does get up my nose is folk throwing litter/junk food boxes from out the car/van windows while its moving. they should be find a least £1,000.

I still collect such trifles, Rev Long: usually to stifle all that a half-taken onion can give, and to replace a rain-sodden bag which holds, for a day, that special scone for my older brother.
And to Garry, I ask 'Why in Heaven's name should anyone wish to disturb The Dandy's wonderful dog Black Bob?'.

Mick, Geraldine James is in Downton Abbey, the film version that was on at the cinema last year and is now on dvd and will probably be on the telly soon.
Rev, David, I STILL save paper bags and string and elastic bands!

That's it Irene, whilst the chippie 'was closed Geraldine was offered a part in the film, but she couldn't wait to get back to serve her favourite customers and she really, really missed the wonderful smell of the chips and fish and steak puddings. The corsets she wore in the film wouldn't allow her to have a pudding, chips 'n' mushy peas with gravy. Blinkin' 'eck I'm drooling !

A piquant observation Pip and was Black Bob not also portrayed with equal degregation in 'Viz', as ' Black Bag ' , modern man's ubiquitous best friend ; a plastic bin liner blowing in the trees?

Veronica, Our Ashley booked and paid for Peter and I to see Downton at the pictures for my birthday last year. Oh, it was so different to the cinemas of our youth, The lights used to stay on in those days until the programme started but not now....it was pitch black and we old fogeys were using our mobile phone-lights to find our seats. Then the adverts and trailers were DEAFENING! I had a headache by the time the film came on but daren't risk going out for a drink to take some tablets as I'd never have found my way back! However, "Downton Abbey" was fantastic, but I DID rather wonder why Queen Mary had a placard round her neck saying, "Visit The Chippery in Wigan"! xxxxx

I agree with everything you say Irene it is deafening especially when watching 'Dunkirk' last year. It sounds like a ' whooshing 'effect it's awful! No wonder you don't see courting couples on the back row!

I hadn't previously been aware of Black Bag, Poet, and so I then decided to read a little about it. It soon became pretty clear to me that 'Bag lacked the appealing crouch of the eponymous hero, and as such, ought really to have been given every encouragement to 'Come by', and then on towards the direction of its nearest windblown handler, thus allowing our hero his release from wild comparison.
I trust that Garry sees this fun of it all, … wouldn't you agree?

It was so unbearably sad that Bag was killed at the end of each story Phil, that I now see the melted remains of 'Black Bin 'as a sort of Greyfriars Bobby of Market Street, and would be quite upset to see him removed.

Looking forward to more of your lines - roving, romantic, or riveting - in the future, Poet.
Hope Garry's ok, too.

Black Bob what memories have been stirred, he always looked as if he was smiling! 'What a dog' ...as Lady said about Tramp...even more famous than Lassie and the 101 Dalmations!