Photo-a-Day  (Friday, 16th February, 2024)

It ran a lot further than the Ritz and Central Station, it ran to Millgate.

Remember queueing down Station Road Dennis on a Saturday morning, the Ritz cinema, "Minors" Old Mother Riley, Scouts to the Rescue, Laurel and Hardy. Rin Tin Tin, Lassy, Flash Gordon. What were the cowboys called ?. Remember galloping to the Aspull bus stop just across the road on our pretend horses slapping our backsides as we did, over 70 years ago now for me un thee marra. Thanks for the memories Dennis

I bet when they built the grand arcade they did not deviate much from the line of Station Road for the pedestrian zone. It makes a change to see a few shoppers using the arcade

That does look very grand. Difficult to visualise it being the road I walked along to get to the Ritz.
Are there many shops still open ? The rents must be high.

Used to catch the bus to Blackrod from there No 18 also bus to Blackrod via Haigh No 17 and bus No
16 to Horwich

Yes, remember it well. Oxley's Department Store which was situated top left of the photo, which wasn't as "posh" as Pendlebury's or Lowe's, and where I was taken to see Father Christmas. They had the old-fashioned payment system where your money was whizzed along a tube to the upstairs cash office and your change and receipt came back the other way! I also recall that on the other side of the road was Woolworth's little-used back entrance, (roughly where the TSB stand is on the photo),and then The Ritz, (ABC), cinema. Funnily enough, The Ritz was the furthest I ever went down Station Road and I have no recollection at all of Wigan Central Railway Station which was further down....I have only ever seen photos of it.

I recall going to Wigan in 2007 when it first opened. A lot of excitement that day It seemed very strange walking along where Station Road had been. I loved going in the cafe in Debenhams and finding a table to look out of those big windows overlooking Scholes etc. it all seemed very hopeful in the beginning. Such a short time in the grand scheme of things for the ‘Grand’ Arcade.

Ken, used all of those bus services plus the number 15 to Bolton, turning right at the Fingerpost down Bolton Road.
Dennis, is the HSBC bank in the photo open? If it is, Wigan is lucky. So many branches are closing or shut altogether.

Some beautiful shops and buildings were destroyed with this monstrosity. Nothing Grand about
this place for me, but great memories of Station Road and the quality shops that stood up to the Ship Inn.

I remember those Flash Gordon episodes Wigginlad. You would get to the end of one weeks episode with Flash in a hopeless position that he couldn’t possibly survive and the next week the ending had changed and by some miracle he had survived without a scratch!
I also remember the cheer that went up if the film was in colour!
The bus fare from Aspull was three old pence and entrance to the Ritz was six old pence.
Happy days!
I used to take pop bottles back to Jackson’s shop to raise the finance Wigginlad. Either that or run errands for grandma!!

Yes, Gary, the HSBC Bank is still open, also Santander and NatWest. How long for is anyone’s guess.

Anyone remember the Court School of Dancing. It was using the Ritz cinema canteen. I learned to dance there in the early 60s. Enjoyed the social dancing on Saturday nights. It was very popular.

All we in Westhoughton are left with is the ‘hole-in-the-wall’ left by Nat West. Still in use but the bank isn’t. We have been promised a ‘hub’ for the three main banks somewhere but no sign yet. All in the name of technology!

Wigginlad....remember Roy Rogers & Trigger his mighty steed ? Trigger was swift & fleet of foot as the old saying goes . Also Tonto his Red Indian pal. Ming the Merciless, foe of Flash Gordon....goodness weren't they exciting times at the Ritz !

Hopalong Cassidy,Range Rider,Roy Rogers.Gene Autrey are some of the cowboys I saw and there were countless B films.I always loved when they showed a colour cartoon between the films.Like you say Wigginlad when you came out you rode on an imaginary horse and shot at each other being either a goodie or a baddie or in the cavalry.Happy days.

Yes, I remember the Court School of Dancing at The Ritz, although I only went once! It was in the early 1960s, (I would only have been nine or ten years old). I went with my friend and we fell out and she stormed off and I realised she had my bus fare and I had to walk it home to Ince! What a memory you've brought back, John Gaskell! I think Tom Moss was the dancing teacher. I went to line-dancing in Beech Hill about the year 2000 with Tom and his wife Bridie doing the teaching. He taught dancing for many, many years.

Haven't been into this arcade many times, and then it was mostly to Boots, but I remember going in to see the George Formby statue and was aghast to find it had been put out of the way into a back entry passageway, and I wasn't the only one as many folks didn't like it being there, so after calls from the GFS it was moved to a more prominent position in front of the customer service desk, it now looks to have been moved again and put in front of the large planter and tree. There was a lot of calls for it to be moved onto the Believe Square near the Wiend and I don't know why it wasn't placed there, so maybe now is the time it was.

Dennis and Wigginlad, you probably already know that you can re-live all those good times at the Saturday Minors with Talking Pictures TV, as they show all those films of the time what you've mentioned on their Saturday mornings programmes. Maybe we'll once again begin to hear of dogs with names of Rinty, Lassie and maybe Monty too.

If you look across to the right of HSBC you will see that the TSB is now relegated from its once impressive building in King Street to a free standing kiosks!

There's a 'hub' for most banks already operating in Westhoughton. It's called 'The Post Office'.

You've got Weatherspoon opposite the hole in the wall bank, Veronica, and a great restaurant on Church St.

All the memories spoken about come flooding back. Flash Gordon and the Clay-men gave me nightmares. It was how they became formed out of clay in the caves and they would trudge about to dirge like music. But Flash rescued them in the end and they became human again. It must have been Ming and his side kick Zara who changed them into clay. She had the same silver frock on in every episode.
I loved Mother Riley and her daughter Kitty. The way she kicked her legs up crossing and uncrossing her little legs with her laced up boots.
Then there was Jungle Jim, Tarzan and Cheeta, Roy Roger’s and best of all Superman changing in any telephone box available! I loved him when he took his glasses off!;o))

Veronica , I went to a hole in the wall where I live , bank name on the left here .
Requested £200 . It started to give me my money then some stopped half way and got stuck in the mouth . I tried to pull the remaining cash out but it retreated. A clear fault . It left me £60 short . I immediately went inside and reported it . The guy said we can’t check now but will check later . They reported days later No Fault in the machine .
I wrote to the manager, they replied again We found no fault in the machine . I said the machine would show it has 60 excess cash - my money ! They again said we found no fault in the machine .
I have been with them since it was in Wigan under Midland bank .
Obviously, being Joe Bloggs in the street how could I fight a bank with billions. It was their machine against my word . Be careful of machines outside !

Alan you want to try drawing money out of the ‘hole- in- the- wall’ opposite the Wetherspoons you can’t see what you’re doing, the screen isn’t clear you end up peering bent double at it. And plus having to keep looking who’s behind you! As for the Post Office the less said the better…I can’t stand going in there. I invariably go to Sainsbury’s. The point is there’s no one to speak to in a Bank as in most towns. The size of Westhoughton these days we need a Bank.

Ronnie, the Post Office seems to be having a bit of trouble with its “Rithmatic” lately.
There’s a rumour doing the.rounds that they are thinking of going back to the Abacus.

That’s awful Dave and I take it you didn’t get a receipt. Surely they should have checked your account in the bank and seen your request for the money.
Luckily at Sainsbury’s if there’s a problem at the cash dispenser there is someone who works for their bank and can deal with it.
Phoning the Bank is another hurdle as well especially if you get a ‘scam’ phone call.! It’s not good enough.

We still have a TSB and Barclays branch in Wigan.

There's plenty hole in the wall banking machines, Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury's you don't have to travel far. Banks close because we don't use them enough, (just like the pubs) online banking is used by many younger people. Bosses don't seem to care about older folk....like me.