Photo-a-Day  (Sunday, 31st July, 2022)

With half a blink Dennis , I said Abbey Lakes. It's amazing how some things are embeded in your mind, yet others , just as significant, are not . I wonder why that is? I always had a haunting fascination with the famous couple , even as a child , maybe it's that? .. It sold camping gear at one time. Always had a wonderful gentle atmosphere around here , hope it still has .. Must be forty years since I was last here . Thanks for the memory Dennis, means a lot .

That brings back memories of school bus journeys from Wigan to Ormskirk.
Its where the Corporation buses use to turn around & the Ribble service went on...
A nice building , looks well maintained. What is it used for now Dennis...a pub ?

Should have looked closer then I would have seen it is an Indian restaurant....

Ive walked from Appley Bridge on a Saturday night to the Abbey Lakes, we used to stop off at a couple of pubs in Roby Mill then a couple in Upholland before having our last few drinks in the Abbey Lakes.
If I were lucky I would get a lift back home via M6 motorway cafe and a kiss and cuddle in a Wrightington country lane.

Abbey Lakes Hotel car park was the terminus of the Wigan Corporation
bus route number 7. I have replied to Veronica on the St Thomas page.
Ray.

I don't know that part of Wigan very well but I remember buses from the town centre having "Abbey Lakes" on the destination board and I think a lady who was a local beauty-queen took the Abbey Lakes Pub over at one point. I can remember my Mam telling me of when people used to go to Gathurst for a day out at one time, when they just didn't have the money to go to Southport or Blackpool, and there were swing-boats and somewhere to get a cup of tea..... I believe that there was a similar venue in the Abbey Lakes area. Lovely photo of an attractive building, Dennis.

How true the “half a blink” remark made by marky is. Nothing to do with this picture but the recent AA advert had the same effect on me. Recognized the locations immediately.
The camping shop behind the main building was JJBs. Went there often.

Second thoughts about the camping shop, I seem to remember a few caravans for sale as well.

My brother met his wife at Abby Lakes, dancing early fifties. She was 16, he 17, they are still together.Just had their 65th wedding anniversary. Thanks for photo Dennis.

Joan, so you are the one who was always parked up in my favourite COURTING spot in Tunley Lane <g>

Yes Irene,Wendy George the beauty queen married John Turnbull who was at HAGS when I was there,he was in 6th form then I think so might have left when you went there.

Now this photo takes me back the the year 1968, me and 3 of my mates decided to rent a tent from JJ Bladburn who had a place at the rear of the pub
The renting of the tent and our camping holiday changed my life for ever, first thing I had to do was explain to my 2 girl friends why I was dumping them.

The Abbey Lakes pub was built and opened in 1879, and formed part of the Abbey Lakes Pleasure Grounds, which at different times had a small zoo, a boating lake, fairground rides, a dance hall, and other attractions.
In the mid 1960s, John Bradburn opened a camping store in the then disused dance hall, selling tents and accessories. This (the dance hall) is now a gym/fitness centre.
The beauty queen who had the Abbey Lakes pub was former Miss Great Britain Wendy George. She was licensee from 1985 to 2000.

You dont seem to catch couple having it off on the back seats of cars these days, you could also catch them if you was walking through a field of long grass.

I remember John Bradburns camping shop behind the Abbey Lakes pub.
I bought the awning for my touring caravan from Bradburns in 1969.
Bradburns also had a shop on Mesnes Street in Wigan town centre.
With regard to the JJB trademark, this sign became part of Dave Whelans
empire years later as far as I know.

So you went camping with three mates and dumped two girlfriends and it changed your life forever.Did you start to bat for the other side?

Taken from a different angle this time Dennis, and the skips have gone.
https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/photoaday.php?photo=2021-05-13

Why is it that some folks good intentions often to others seem to turn out bad, like here where they have covered beautiful natural stone with ugly grey paint, it isn't to my liking.

Some discussions from Communicate about the pub. https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/communicate/mb_message.php?opt=f2&msd=678182&offset=&subject=Abbey%2520Lakes

As you appear to be something of a expert in the field Syd , I find I have little option other than to bow to your superior knowledge
when it comes to dyking

I have no idea from where the word dyking originates , but if I’d have caught you dyking on me Syd , then tha’d have been gooin’ wom wi’ a fat lip owd lad.

One of my pet hates Cyril seeing paintwork over stone…can they not see the beauty of stone created over centuries?.
Pw that tickled me ! But perhaps there wasn’t room for six in the tent…

Did you read it that way too Pw.
Ennis Del Mar, or more like Carry On Camping perhaps, wonder if a campfire grilled trout came into it somewhere too.

Grilled trout eh Cyril ?Blimey !
I appear to have forgotten the first time that I had it …….Can you remember the first time you had it Cyril ?
I know I can’t .

And in all honesty , I’m struggling to recall the last time that I had it actually.

No need to get angry ozy, Im no expert and never went out looking for it, it was just couple who we stumbled across when we was out in the local fields

Sorry Syd , bit of an overreaction on my part there I’m afraid . Its just that I’m a bit peeved as I can’t get the batter to stick to my onion rings and everyone else is having to suffer as a result .
All the best mate . Ozy.

Funny you should mention grilled trout Cyril, because I did have many of them, and many Porterhouse house and Fillet Mignon steaks, you name it we got it served up restaurant style in the galley of Santa Fe rig 65.
Yes I left Wigan to become a oil pioneer working in the north sea in 1968 all because of us going camping adventure in Great Yarmouth.
From the north sea I was transferred to the red sea and spending my time off in the Paris of the middle east Beirut.
Then it was the French Congo and Nigeria, then the Persian Gulf, time off in Tehran, the Singapore, Bombay, Jakarta, Balipapan, Brunei, Thailand, Malaysia, even staying at the Shangri La Hotel chain many time.
We didnt see many rainbow trout out east it was mostly big steamed Red Snappers and sweet and sour Groupers.

Ozy just noticed youv been having trouble trying to get the batter to stick on you onion rings, Ive watched many a chef battering all sorts and they always coat the stuff in flour before dipping them into the batter I remember one once told me rice flour was the best .
Ive also seen rice flour being used the quality Fish and Chips.

Yes Mick I've seen all those places on the news - not much left standing in a lot of them places nowadays is there, maybe those Sheiks who own those oil wells could spend some of their vast wealth in helping their fellow Arab Muslims then the situations in these countries wouldn't be so dire with all the devastation from tribal wars, famine, diseases etc, that they have to endure even with help from the west. All we hear of is when they boast of building another multi-billion dollar skyscraper higher than the last one, which is full of office blocks and apartments that stand mostly or entirely empty, or buy a football club and all live a life even Bill Gates could only dream of.

So Mick you've watched many a chef battering all sorts. Yes and probably down a dark alley when all sorts of customers have complained about the food in those Triad run far eastern restaurants that you ventured into.

Ozy, a top tip from L1 Corden Bleu chef. Dipping the onion rings into cornflour before battering will enable the batter to glue to the rings also for an extra crunch dip the battered rings into Panko breadcrumbs before deep frying.

Sounds like a good idea does that Mick .
I’ll give it try and let you know how I go on .

Blinking eck Cyril did it take you until 1am to Goooglegather all that information.

I totally agree with all you have said Cyril.

Sounds like you have had a rum life Mick.

Mick, I was up at 1.00am and even for some time later, and the only the name I googled was the Triads, as I couldn't remember what they are now called, I remembered the Boxers - now they did do some battering of folks and anywhere and anyone they didn't like the look of.

Very Long time since I was in Abbey Lakes pub, my “local” was the Old Engine down Gathurst Road, used to do a nice Sunday roast beef, potatoes and two veg, unfortunately the pub was demolished some time ago.

Very Long time since I was in Abbey Lakes pub, my “local” was the Old Engine down Gathurst Road, used to do a nice Sunday roast beef, potatoes and two veg, unfortunately the pub was demolished some time ago.