Photo-a-Day  (Monday, 27th June, 2022)

This is Wigan ???
I think I will stick to whats in my head thank you.

Sometimes when I visit the Range it means having to cross the road to go ‘up town’ it’s not a nice feeling - I know the traffic lights are there, but it feels like dicing with death! ….it must be my age…

Wigan must be the only town with a by-pass that doesn’t by-pass.

I think we'll all come back with you, Helen!....I would go back in a heartbeat to the Wigan of my childhood, , but to be honest, whilst this view of the high-rise housing must look odd to someone who hasn't lived here for a long time, it's only "t'tall flats" in Scholes, which I think were built in the sixties. I assure you it doesn't look as "foreign" as this from close-up, when you pass by on the bus, and it still is, (and always will be), "Up Scows" to us Wiganers.

Yes,it's Wigan.
A view of a modern, well managed road, a civic building that's helped out thousands of people , some affordable social housing that many are proud to call home and plenty of greenery for what is by necessity a developed urban roadway, taken from one of the numerous bridges that facilitate fantastic rail links to the town.
Some people seem to think that Wigan should be all black-faced miners eating tripe out of a dolly tub whilst a gaggle of scruffy children die quietly of consumption in the background and toothless old crones wrap their shawls around their shoulders and clog it down to the holy Palace that is the Market Hall for a penn'orth of lard for tea...the Market Hall was demolished you know...

The first, last and only time that I ever had occasion to enter the civic building that’s helped out thousands of people , I was obliged to climb over half a dozen
can toting lager louts sprawled grinning across the steps and entrance hall of the place while the security bloke sat watching the pantomime unfold from the safety of his plate glass reinforced tardis.

All this took place 30 odd years ago mind, so it’s quite possible that he may have got round to shifting ‘em by now.

Not looking for an argument here you understand ….Just saying, that’s all.

Gareth , you must work for the travesty that is Wigan Council. Better the Victorian Market Hall than the monstrosity that is to come.

Well said Gareth.
I like this road junction with all its easy to read traffic signs and road markings which thousands of motorist and pedestrians safe each day.
The council have even made dimpled ramps at the road junction and at the crossing, which will help the blind, young mums with pushchairs and wheelchair users.

Gareth cheetham, your not a Labour M P by any chance.

So ya reckon crossin’ a busy road is tantamount to taking ya life in ya hands do ya Veronica ?

Well , ya oughta see what I gotta cross to get to the range…It would open yer eyes fer sure.,
by Jiminy.

I ain’t never bin to Wiggin , but I’ll betcha ya don’t get many western diamondbacks or other pesky varmints round yonder, do ya ?

Hang on,..the danged beans have dropped into the danged fire agin. Dang! Dang! Dang!

So long y’all .

The Singing Cowpoke.

I dont work for the council, and I don't think that I would ever make it as an MP.
I just don't understand how some people seem to take pleasure in being negative about every aspect about Wigan, change and progress.
The town is far from perfect, and there are things that we all miss, but times change and some changes are for the better. I miss Central Park, for example, but the new stadium provides better views of the pitch, better weather cover, better catering and toilets that are worthy of the name.
It's the same with lots of things about Wigan but some folk like to moan at every opportunity

I'm with Veronica on this one.It never feels that safe to cross there somehow.

Some laughable comments there Gareth,and I mean that in a nice way.

That’s exactly the point Gareth, you say the people of Wigan are negative of every aspect change and progress!
It’s people like you who never involved them, never even thought how people of Wigan would have an opinion, Wigan council just ripped the heart out of everything they knew and loved.
Now your saying they are just being negative, these people Gareth, WIGAN people never had a choice in what was going on.
They made it like some Manchester metropolis, and the people became alienated in something they didn’t know or want.
Now you’ve got your smart roads, with many directional lights, new buildings that only have a decade life span “ if that” with a Wigan town centre that’s dead.

It is a good shot Dennis.How did you get it?

Probably feels safer in a car, on foot it’s different.
Tried crossing further back out of the picture, to get to Queen St, it’s worse. Probably because I’m not used to the area and remember before this system came in place. To Wiganers who have grown up with it there’s no problem. As I say it could be age, it can make you nervous crossing roads of this type…

John G,
I never said 'the people of Wigan' I said SOME people...but don't let what I actually said stop you from making blind assumptions about 'people like me'. I'm nothing to do with the Council, but they haven't 'ripped the heart' out of anything-they built a new market hall and shopping centre which at one time were thriving bustling shopping places. Some people didn't like it, some did. The town centre now is like a ghost town, due in my mind to out of town retail parks and Internet shopping, not the council's fault
What the council are actually doing is redeveloping the town centre in an effort to revitalise it and in doing so will be getting rid of the buildings you despise so much...but don't worry, SOME people will moan about that as well...

Dtease,it's the only town in the country without a town centre.

I got it from a train Pw, using a fast shutter speed, and a steady hand, but mostly by using a good little Sony camera.

Well said Gareth. The decline in Wigan town centre was all down to Wiganers not using the town centre shops

Not all Wiganers stopped using the town centre shops it was mainly the younger element. I agree with the original John G. Why are so many people
disturbed about the decline - far more people than could be thought of. I, and I think I speak for many others, would rather walk inside a store and see the merchandise first hand, not ordering online and being disappointed. Then having the hassle of returning goods, not to mention queuing up in post offices whilst waiting my turn to be served, whilst people return goods over the counter. So depressing not having the familiar stores we all loved.