Do you use buses

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by jaysay

At one time Burnley had a good lively town centre and a first class market, just like Accy, to me the only town that still has that pull in this area is Bury from what I hear, with them still having a thriving market

Burnley is still a good town centre and the inside market is thriving. Agree about the outside market, was one of the best around, now nosedived in to oblivion

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by lancsdave

Burnley is still a good town centre and the inside market is thriving. Agree about the outside market, was one of the best around, now nosedived in to oblivion

Well didn't know what it was like nowadays Dave but in the 70s it was brilliant, used to go to the Broad Swords every lunchtime then a look round the shops and market, sad that the Market has gone the way of lots of others

[Barrie Yates]

I agree with Post 15 - Jay has got it spot on. Bury Market, inside & outside is always busy and good value - many things cheaper than the supermarkets and a pleasant attitude from the stallholders, no bad smells in the meat and fish market, a pleasure to shop there.
In addition they have built the mall type complex adjacent to the market, all in all a well thought out, carefully planned complex, yet still retaining the atmosphere that I remember from long ago.
Accrington - well the Market Hall is still there despite the councils attempts to improve it, but what a pale shadow of what it was. The outside market, well, I ask the question - Is it as good as it was before the Wilkinson/JJB etc complex was built?
I used to look forward to visiting the market on my infrequent visits back home, but now a visit to town - usually a couple of times a week, I am sorry to say that the market only receives a cursory glance.
Could the council (whichever colour), not have sought advice and guidance from people who have experience in running and promoting a successful market area?

[Neil]

Originally Posted by jaysay

.... but in the 70s it was brilliant.....

That's 40 years ago, if people wanted to shop in markets still they would all be as busy as they used to be.
It's not just shopping habits that have changed, peoples whole lifestyles have changed.

Looking at the shops in Accrington will tell you what the shop owners think about Accrington shoppers. Its all charity and pound shops - that says to me that the big shops know there is not much money in Accrington so they stay away or pull out and blame things on the high rents in the Arndale etc because they don't want to say they can't make money out of the shoppers Accrington attracts.

Its ok for our retired members to keep saying Accrington used to be busy and the Council should attract more big names but it wont ever happen. Younger people like to shop for their day to day things in Asda/Tesco etc, many of them do it online in the evening while the kids are in bed to fit in with their lifestyle.
Even someone of my age (43 before you ask) likes to pop over to the Trafford Centre with my wife in the evening after work, do a little shopping, have something to eat and a bit of peace and quiet from the kids.

All town centres are fighting to stay alive, smaller ones will disappear which will in turn help out the larger ones.

Accrington will in my opinion disappear and you will have to catch the bus to Blackburn to do you shopping. Accrington cannot support a big shopping centre and must shrink to fit the shops, if it doesn't I think the decline will be even faster. Empty shops looking a mess with put off many shoppers and they will start to go elsewhere sooner. Less people means less trade so more shops will close sooner.

I am sure the Council know what is happening and that they can't stop it. Blocking plans to expand retails parks wont help, they will just build one outside of Hyndburn. The Council have no money to redevelop the town, they can't persuade shops to move and redevelop the empty areas and that is what is needed. I don't suppose it helps that many of our Councillors fit into the older and retired bracket either.

Sorry for the long rant

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Barrie Yates

I agree with Post 15 - Jay has got it spot on. Bury Market, inside & outside is always busy and good value - many things cheaper than the supermarkets and a pleasant attitude from the stallholders, no bad smells in the meat and fish market, a pleasure to shop there.
In addition they have built the mall type complex adjacent to the market, all in all a well thought out, carefully planned complex, yet still retaining the atmosphere that I remember from long ago......

We go to Bury as well, they were big enough to get the investors to revamp the centre, they are now pulling shoppers from Accrington as they have shops that Accrington never will have.

Blackburn's extension to the Mall and the other work is their attempt to stop the shoppers disappearing somewhere else, it is also a nail in Accringtons coffin.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Blackburn doesn't attract me at all.
I hate the new shopping Mall and the market is very poor......two fruit and veg stalls for a town the size of Blackburn.
I wouldn't shop in Blackburn if you paid me.

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by Neil

That's 40 years ago, if people wanted to shop in markets still they would all be as busy as they used to be.
It's not just shopping habits that have changed, peoples whole lifestyles have changed.

Looking at the shops in Accrington will tell you what the shop owners think about Accrington shoppers. Its all charity and pound shops - that says to me that the big shops know there is not much money in Accrington so they stay away or pull out and blame things on the high rents in the Arndale etc because they don't want to say they can't make money out of the shoppers Accrington attracts.

Its ok for our retired members to keep saying Accrington used to be busy and the Council should attract more big names but it wont ever happen. Younger people like to shop for their day to day things in Asda/Tesco etc, many of them do it online in the evening while the kids are in bed to fit in with their lifestyle.
Even someone of my age (43 before you ask) likes to pop over to the Trafford Centre with my wife in the evening after work, do a little shopping, have something to eat and a bit of peace and quiet from the kids.

All town centres are fighting to stay alive, smaller ones will disappear which will in turn help out the larger ones.

Accrington will in my opinion disappear and you will have to catch the bus to Blackburn to do you shopping. Accrington cannot support a big shopping centre and must shrink to fit the shops, if it doesn't I think the decline will be even faster. Empty shops looking a mess with put off many shoppers and they will start to go elsewhere sooner. Less people means less trade so more shops will close sooner.

I am sure the Council know what is happening and that they can't stop it. Blocking plans to expand retails parks wont help, they will just build one outside of Hyndburn. The Council have no money to redevelop the town, they can't persuade shops to move and redevelop the empty areas and that is what is needed. I don't suppose it helps that many of our Councillors fit into the older and retired bracket either.

Sorry for the long rant

Can't argue with that, but it's not all charity and pound shops, there is at least one other shop

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by Neil

That's 40 years ago, if people wanted to shop in markets still they would all be as busy as they used to be.
It's not just shopping habits that have changed, peoples whole lifestyles have changed.

Yes, shopping habits have changed, but you can't just put Accrington's decline down to that. Every town centre I go to including ones the same size as Accrington, are far, far busier, yet they've been subjected to the same market forces. Accrington centre has been ruined by the demolition of the old open market, the changes in the market hall which has made it a shadow of its former self and the tolerance shown to the smackheads and alkies who can make a trip to town such an unpleasant experience.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

..... Accrington centre has been ruined by the demolition of the old open market, the changes in the market hall which has made it a shadow of its former self and the tolerance shown to the smackheads and alkies who can make a trip to town such an unpleasant experience.

I agree with the unpleasant experience bit but not the market bit. As other have said most other outdoor markets are rubbish compared to how they were. I think thats down to the changes in how people want to shop. I want to get it all at Asda, wheel it to the car and go home, not wander round the market trying to carry a weeks food for 2 adults, 3 kids and 2 Beagles then walk in the rain back to my car.

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by Neil

I agree with the unpleasant experience bit but not the market bit. As other have said most other outdoor markets are rubbish compared to how they were. I think thats down to the changes in how people want to shop. I want to get it all at Asda, wheel it to the car and go home, not wander round the market trying to carry a weeks food for 2 adults, 3 kids and 2 Beagles then walk in the rain back to my car.

Don't agree that most other outdoor markets are rubbish. Bury of course is an outstanding example, but Wigan, St Helens, Leigh, Ashton, Stockport and various other places I've been to all have thriving and well-patronised markets. But apart from that, you can't deny that every other town centre is busier than Accy's. The air of semi-desertion on a Saturday afternoon is quite stunning. There must be reasons for that, over and above contemporary shopping habits.

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

the tolerance shown to the smackheads and alkies who can make a trip to town such an unpleasant experience.

Quiet day today Steve, I've only been asked 3 times for money on Peel St

[susie123]

Morecambe Sunday market is busy, Milnthorpe market on a Friday near here is busy and the town/village is tiny, and where we used to live in Warwick there is a well used Saturday market and the same in Salisbury where we lived even longer ago.

All these markets take place in a large open space rather than a cramped Victorian style travesty of somethng or other - what I don't know. Maybe that's the difference? I've always found the new Accy outside market very claustrophobic.

[accyman]

in america walmart stores are known as town killers and over here we have their asda SUPERMARKET's which have had the same effect on our town and the further building of aldi,tesco etc hasnt helped

yes i said supermarket because as much as the yanks would like to destroy and bastardise our language and make us as fat and dumb as they are a supermarket will be the name i will try my best to remember to use (old fart syndrome kicking in early)

oh and then theres whitebirk the place all the big names in town shut up to go run and open up there like curry's,dixon's etc which really was an own goal on teh councils part

[accyman]

Originally Posted by lancsdave

Quiet day today Steve, I've only been asked 3 times for money on Peel St

thats becaise most of the dirt bags think the snow is cocaine and are snorting it as best they can

[Less]

Yes, times have changed, not just here but everywhere, WHY? Have times changed so badly for Accrington?
Too much meddling? Not enough meddling?
Yes, we've lost industry, yes we've lost factories, so have other towns.

What is it that's ripped the heart out of our town?