Photo-a-Day  (Monday, 5th May, 2025)

Hmmm....
The song that comes to mind is ' You don't know what you've got till its gone'

The same old story, I'm still not convinced. Because Wigan has changed so much in recent years especially with Junkfood shops Vapes shops who have been in the press lately, I don't feel safe anymore.
So I won't be shopping in Wigan and I don't care about the New Market, it has lost all it's feeling for me.
But thanks for taking the photo Colin.

Whatever it finally looks like when finished, I hope that they find a place to integrate the old Cast Iron Canopy now in storage on the exterior as a nod to the past.

Lets hope there are enough market tenants left to use it

Sorry to be pessimistic on such a lovely May Bank Holiday morning, but, although I'm glad to see proof that we WILL have a Market Hall, (I was beginning to doubt any of these promised new ventures would ever take place), I hope the council don't charge such exorbitant rents that the stall-holders can't afford them, (something we have seen happen in the current Market Hall), otherwise what's the point of building what will be, (to most of us in Wigan), our THIRD Market Hall? All we can do is keep our fingers crossed that the powers-that-be will see sense and learn from past mistakes. We can only hope for the best. Have a nice Bank Holiday Monday, everyone.

PeterP, Chorley and Warrington Markets have a large selection of really good stall holders, I hope that they can attract a few of them to branch out into Wigan and that the Council enforce minimum standards for both product and display.
Most of the remaining stalls in Wigan’s existing market are tacky and unattractive, more like a Penny Bazaar.
I think it will do quite well being in a more central and accessible location than the existing.

Arthur, Helen coined the lyrics to a song, I have another one for you by David Soul - ‘Don’t Give Up On Me Baby’.

Let's hope all of them who say on here that they miss shopping in Wigan start to use the new market
You'll be able to come right up to it on the Bee buses.
I was talking to the security man on this spot last week. he told me some stuff but I can't bothered to tell.

And, once alighted from your said bus you can exit through the chewing gum and fag stump littered filty main entrance to the new market hall, welcome to Wigan.

It won't be a proper market hall.

It all depends on who will be running/seving on the stalls.
Markets don't have traditional anymore.
Irene you said you don't go shopping in Wigan anymore only Linacre centre.

Here we go again from the miserable multi personality Shevy man with many names who needs to get a life.

Please check out the most recent posting on The Album.
Ron Hunt has just posted for me the information sheet I sent to him detailing the architectural plans and images of what is proposed.

Slippery Marty Mick, you overlooked the pigeon poo splattered all over the floor and benches in the Market Place.
I hope they cull the lot of those flying rats before the Market Hall opens. And the pathetic dregs feed um from that pigeon food shop known as The Pound Bakery.

The French quote "déjà vu" comes to mind..A strange feeling came over me seeing this today. As if I have seen it all before! Is it a dream?
I must say it’s the big stores I miss not just the market. It’s all been said before …we just have to concede it is what it is..

Will the big M practice what he preaches?
He loves doling the blame onto ordinary folk for not using the shops or market ( which is completely absurd as my generation did make full use of them!) in fact there’s more of my generation than the younger generation according to statistics. Did he use the shops and stores apart from the ones selling pies and chips? I doubt it…..

Please also check out Victory on The Album. Appropriate for this week of VA Day. Thank you.

Thankyou Kath for your observation....I DO only go to Wigan for eye tests at Boston House and blood tests at The Linacre, the latter unfortunately so often these days that I feel like a pincushion, but I DO call in The Market Hall whilst I'm there. If M and S, WH Smith, British Home Stores, Debenhams etc, were still there I would be tempted to stay, but there is nothing to stay for now. If ever Wigan returns to what it once was, I would go there as often as I used to. As Veronica truly says, our generation is the one who used those shops and stores that we have now lost and who would use them again if they returned, but people aren't prepared to pay parking costs or to wait for buses to Wigan to wander around a dead town centre. We can only wait to see what shops appear in the promised revived town, and whatever you might think, I hope that Market Hall Number Three is a success.

That is not going to be the new Market Hall, that is going to be the new Food Court, and in the background that lump of scaffolding will be the new Hilton Hotel, but they have not started building anything yet, they are just doing preparatory work to prepare the site for construction to start.

Has anyone seen the poster displayed in the old M&S store window ? It reads " PEOPLE MAKE WIGAN " crossed out in red and underneath it says " " PEOPLE MEK WIGIN " I ask you !! Every Wigginer knows you spell Wiggin with two ggs. :)

I think that the Council is Codding us.

I know that sounds fishy, and that is because it is fishy, because have the Council got the funding in place to build that new Market Hall ?

Colin...should it be, "Don't give up on US baby" think you'll find I'm right.
David Soul mid 1970s.

Sir Bob, you are completely wrong.
Both sets of scaffolding are on this side of Woodcock Street. The new Hilton Hotel will be much further down almost opposite The Queens Hall and before the hotel will be what is termed the Pavilion Building on the opposite side of Woodcock Street.
Walk down yourself if you still disagree.

Kath, I was paraphrasing the song title.
Us would be plural Me is singular.
So as the new Market Hall will be a singular entity I think the correct version would be ME!
But thankyou anyway.