Photo-a-Day  (Sunday, 8th May, 2022)

When they knocked down Lowes they should have left all the space empty, and opened up the view of the parish church

More pigeons than people

"Feed the birds, twopence a bag".....I love to see the Parish Church when I am in Wigan and to hear the clock chime. I can still see Lowe's Department Store in my mind's eye....it always reminded me of Grace Brothers in "Are You Being Served?" with its creaky stairs and old-fashioned air. A friend who worked there told me it had a ghost, and when the store was demolished, she was still seen by the people in the bank which was built in its place. I love this view and wonder where it was taken from? Was it from an upstairs window, Tom, round about where Max Spielmann's is?

where are the toilets?

Great photo Thomas great angle you got.

Freddie, the toilets are long gone as will all the mock Tudor buildings be once the Councils vandalism is started. This may be the last tome that you will see this view.

I remember when Lowes was demolished and seeing the Parish Church from the vantage point with no buildings in front, I agree with Tom a space should have been left …..but I suppose it was because buildings were always in front of and it they followed the same
pattern/structure.

A nice different view Tom.

The banks - very soon there'll be an issue there, as they push and cajole everyone onto online and iphone banking. Branches are disappearing all over the country at a rapid rate of knots.
What happens to places like Market Place then? Tattoo parlours? Places selling ludicrously expensive coffee?

Alan H,l was looking at the proposed plans on display in the market hall and I am sure that those shops are not affected, have a look !

Alan H,l was looking at the proposed plans on display in the market hall and I am sure that those shops are not affected, have a look !

Excellent photo Tom!

Is Rumpelstiltskin still locked away in that copper domed tower weaving gold into straw for the council I wonder?

Was the plan of installing a pond and fountain in the middle of there voted out.

I liked the Market Place when it had the raised flower beds in the centre, as this attracted a lot of birds and insect life, but I suppose a lot of folks sitting there were forever complaining of being buzzed by the bees out collecting the nectar, but being distracted by the gut busting sugary cakes from the bakery they were scoffing.

I had forgotten about the raised flower bed - that didn’t last long either just like other things such as the Galleries. It’s a sin and a shame what they are going to be doing there. The inside market has another two years to go a Market trader told me yesterday.

Alan H,l was looking at the proposed plans on display in the market hall and I am sure that those shops are not affected, have a look !

I can see there's possibly nine or more litter bins around this patio/seating area. Are these where council enforcement officers hide - being ready to pounce whenever they spot someone accidently dropping a few crumbs from their sandwiches which the pigeons quickly devour, they are then cock-a-hoop when issuing an on the spot penalty notice of £50 for littering - even though there is no evidence to be seen.

The other seating area prior to this wasn't there very long either Veronica, and those different sized and shaded marble slabs was quite attractive to look at too I thought and somewhere children liked to play on and especially so when the roundabout and other play activities was on there. Obviously someone at the top didn't like it and wanted to justify their job and had this built.

Why do some of the younger people today, call this "The Marble"?

What a waste of money, I don’t understand why it was changed it just looks totally nondescript to me. Reminds me of a quote from Hamlet
“ Something rotten in the state Denmark “ - (otherwise Wigan !)

Edna, maybe it's because they grew up seeing and playing on 'The Marble' paving slabs that were in place previous to this - just a thought.