[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by Lini

I was wondering if anyone knows what the New Era Complex used to be through its history. I gather that it has been a community centre for some time, though the age of the origional structure suggests that it was likely to have been something before this.

Any information will be greatly appreciated (and may even get a mention in my acknowledgments in my Dissertation hehe).

Thanks
Lini

That site has had many occupants in the past.
Originally it was known as Higher Fold, the centre of New Accrington, the land was occupied by cottages, then Lang Bridges had a factory along with others on Paradise St. Then a Sewing Machine Works occupied the site.
When they started to demolish the site to build the New Era, the library contracted me and asked me to go and see the site manager, down in the cellars they had a problem with water, and didn't know where it was coming from.
I identified it as coming from an old lodge that used to be on the site of Wellington Mill, facing the end of Paradise St, it was supposed to have been filled in and the water course diverted.
Once they knew what was happening they went ahead with the building of the New Era.
Retlaw.