Photo-a-Day  (Wednesday, 11th June, 2025)

I have no idea …it does look daft stuck on the end of the modern building though whatever that is.
At least the Georgian house is being preserved.

Not sure what they are doing with it, it has been like that for the last 20 years.

There’s no sign of any activity.
The scaffolding is only at the front, not the sides or rear so I am thinking this is purely to secure the front of the building as there is still a sign up on the right hand side advertising a ‘New Restaurant Opportunity’ of 6,000 sq ft. Time will tell.
Veronica, it is not connected to the multi story car park there is a large gap on the right that takes you past the re-creation of the ‘Roman’ remains giving access to the back of the Grand Arcade. Eventually when the redevelopment of Debenhams takes place it will be one of the main entrances to the new Entertainment Complex.
On the left would have been the Millgate entrance to Stairgate. Who knows when the new complex opens it might be renamed Stargate.

P.S. I took a photo of the scaffolding up in King Street of the major work being undertaken on the former Revolution Bar. It’s going to be quite something when completed.
I sent a photo to PAD explaining what I know about the redevelopment, it might yet appear but not holding me breath!

Hopefully it will be renovated and then used for a good purpose, and as Veronica says it is good that it's being preserved. Also, I do agree that the Lego built car park of the not so Grand Arcade; just doesn't look right beside this Georgian house.

Cyril, the car park has been in use for much longer than the old Pennington’s building, perhaps they should just demolish that relic of the past before it falls down as nobody seems interested in doing anything with it.

These days my eyes play tricks Colin although it does look as if the house from the 1700’s is attached…! Not only that numbers ‘dance’ out of view…it’s a good job I don’t drive anymore!

WN6

"Cyril, the car park has been in use for much longer than the old Pennington’s building"

Are yoo sure about that ?

There is a planning permission from 2020, allowing it become a mixed use bar, restaurant and offices, with a single storey extension to the rear, which will have a roof terrace, but that permission was only for three years, there is also a requirement for the gable end wall to be replaced, using where possible the original bricks, because it is a listed building, which is probably what the scaffolding is there for now.

Colin Traynor

I think the building in King Street you are referring to is the former Evolution Bar, which is being converted into flats, there is a Revolution Bar in King Street, which closed down a while back, and that was built as the Trustees Savings Bank in the mid 1970s, and next door to that is the original Trustees Savings Bank, which is now a firm of Solicitors.

WN6, I can remember that car park being built, but Pennington's building has been there for a very long time, going on for 300 years, in fact when it was a house the river Douglas ran along the bottom of the garden, (long before it was re-routed) and the owner's young daughter drowned in the river; and there is a sculpture of her on the front of the house.
When Tom Pennington was replacing some spalled bricks there was none to be found, so he had to have them hand made to measure and with a clay to match, as were the originals when they was made.

If you have a browse through the search facility you will find the history of the house, I very much doubt you'll find any history of that car park.