Photo-a-Day  (Saturday, 26th August, 2023)

I am glad the old building is still there AlthoughI I think it could have had a more sympathetic frontage. Not sure how old the building is. Next door on the left what can one say….Magnifique! No way must that ever be demolished.

Beautiful building next to the old Black Dog pub. You see lovely buildings taken over with in my opinion too many of the same businesses. Betting shops, junk food outlets, barbers and what they call convenient shop were you can see inside from the outside windows. Where are we heading.......

Poor Wigan, we haven't much to offer these days, have we.

All that i can say is that wigan like any other town all have nothing to offer anymore it is so sad what has become of our towns. I am so very sad and angry how everthing has turned out in this decade.

Beautiful buildings, and the lovely "Church Gates" alleyway in between....there is something haunting about that little passageway which leads into the church grounds. I remember Joan Barrie's clothes shop, and there was a little cafe there too, called Cafe Makinson.....customers entered through a door at ground level just where the two ladies are on the photo, but then went up some stairs, the cafe being on the upper floor. There is a photo of the cafe in one of Geoff Shryhane's books about Wigan; its address was 10 Wallgate, and it was apparently known as "The Birdcage" because of all the chattering ladies inside!

Yes Sandra I agree, I wish that Mike would send some photos in.

That betting shop could be set up in a garden shed not a beautiful building like that. What a complete waste.

I think 'Mick' is too busy sending comments in under different names 'Cliff'.

That's a very sad scene,and who on earth decided to paint the shop front red? years ago this particular spot was bustling..and Joan Barrie's was always bustling..I recall going up those stairs to visit my Aunt who was actually my Mams stepmother, she lived in an apartment that was at the very top of Joan Barrie's,it was eventually pulled down but I never found out why...the building itself I'm sure will stand for decades,it's a beautiful build...I wonder if we'll ever get poor old Wigan to thrive again.

At least they are open and being used.

What a truly handsome building, there's something regal about it. I agree with you Alan, perhaps office space would have been more in keeping.

Should have read, "you can't see inside the shop from the outside windows because of advertisement".

I agree Alan.. make it into a lady’s boutique - much nicer.. .
Or a quality shop for curtains and cushions, lamps and things for the home. The new apartment residents might take advantage of that instead of ordering on line or going miles away in their cars.
(Another pipe dream!)

Great photo Dennis. I was going to say that Tui had ruined what was the Black Horse, but looking at photos it seems the brewery had once done alterations to the front, and after the pub had closed it became Curry's, they again altered the front and also the side too.
As it was originally:
https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=5&id=3799&gallery=PUBS&page=1

After brewery modernisation:
https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=5&id=28492&gallery=PUBS&page=186

Later still when Curry's did alterations:
https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=5&id=28271&gallery=Market+Place%2C+Wigan&page=5

Though as Veronica says it could have been done a lot better than what has been done by Tui.

Sandra, we have an array of betting shops and travel agents too, also plenty of greetings card and coffee shops and not forgetting the many miles of cycle lanes, all of these are apparently an indication of what the modern visitors and shoppers coming into Wigan want, so the council have us bee-lieve.

Can remember the Joan Barrie shop very well,had never been in the Black Horse pub though.My Mum's first job was at Makinson's Cafe.x

Maureen your absolutely spot on, who on earth picked red to paint that building. No way does it blend in with the sourounding buildings, the Councils should have stepped in for me.

Maureen, I thought the stone built buildings were taller at one time, but was thinking I'd imagined it, however this photo from the Album shows them, the building looked a lot better with the Garret rooms intact:
https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=5&id=1354&gallery=Market+Place%2C+Wigan&page=1

Elizabeth, you don't know what you missed with not going in the Black Horse! Tell the truth as I remember of it you didn't miss very much, I only ever went in a few times before it closed. I was told that Joe McFarlane held the roost there, whether true or not I don't know, maybe he just got any troublemakers out as so told he was a doorman at one time.
Jarvo mentions them here: https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/communicate/mb_message.php?opt=f1&opt2=&msd=1409202&offset=240&subject=Wigan%2527s%2520Underworld...

See the silver post outside Betfred . What's it for . Why is it there ?
These things are everywhere . Listening to us ?

I confess I like the red . Nice contrast . It's the shower room tiles that spoil the look . Oh , and the plasi signage .

Betfred was Bradford and Bingley , where I took my mortgage at 15% . Hard for kids today , yes , but it's always been hard for working folk .