A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

Blackburn. :eek:

For you people Blackburn might not be a big issue but it’s been over thirty years since I was in the centre. I was over on Monday to register for my Registered Managers Award and was both in dread of going back and inquisitive at what I might find. I had a brief look round on Monday and though ok I’ll ask Joyce if she want to pop over on the way to Accy to have a look around.

Today we did just that, Corporation Park look the same as it did nearly 40 years back when I visited it as a child. But it was the centre that impressed me. Joyce was very impressed and felt that she preferred it to shopping in Blackpool or Preston. It was clean, the people where friendly, polite and cheerful, the weather was excellent. Joyce though it was Beautiful and said she wouldn’t mind living there, :confused: :eek: and believe me that saying a lot coming from Joyce.

Undoubtedly there is still a long way to go before the Town becomes a destination of choice for most, but for me I’ll be looking forward to many more visits and a few excursions in and around Blackburn & Darwin. :)

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

Hope you've got your passport and some sun screen. It get very hot down under.

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

I suppose anywhere looks 50% better on a sunny day. Blackburn is not a place I would like to live - Darwen maybe - although someone did once remark to me -'Darwen? well I suppose someone has to live there' ' - still dont know why that was said - perhaps a Darrener will enlighten me.

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

What's Blackburn got that Accy hasn't?

Oh yes, a Labour Council.:D




I agree, Blackburn is looking good.

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

I had the misfortune of having to work in Blackburn centre at Broseley House for 2 separate years in 1970 & 1993. Both were years I would rather forget.
That Broseley House - I described it as 'a submarine in a cesspool'. The heating system provided overlarge piping which extended several inches from the walls (as in a submarine) and the cesspool bit came from the deisel fumes from the buses which parked next to and underneath the 'bridge' section. Altogether the most undesirable working environment I have ever been subjected to.
PS - I suppose if one of your hobbies is 'shopping' you might like it - It never has been nor ever will be a hobby of mine

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

I thought the council had no majority after the recent elections? Last I heard, the Tories, Lib Dems and the independents (For Darwen Party) had formed an alliance and were the controlling party in Blackburn with Darwen.

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

Doug, you traitor! :eek:

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

There are some decidedly dodgy areas in Darwen and I would would not relish having to live there. I currently live about 2 miles south of Darwen and it's some of the most lovely countryside in Lancashire, if not the country. I had a bloke doing some work on the back of my house and as he looked around he said, "It's like the Yorkshire Dales round here". It's beautiful for most of the year, but can be a bit wild in the winter.

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

Go on then --- tell me where are those 'dodgy areas'
please

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

To be honest I don't know how dodgy the area is, but I drive through Sudellside as a shortcut and it looks dodgy to me. Always seem to be police round there and some of the people I see wouldn't be out of place on Crimewatch. ;)

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

Oswaldtwistle is the most desirable place to live in this area -- as demonstrated by the local estate agents waiting lists and the slightly higher house prices by comparison with similar sized property in Accrington. There are highly desirable areas in any of the outlying districts but Oswaldtwistle as a whole is 'desirable' in any of its areas.

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

Well I'm glad you had a good day Doug - I had a pretty lousy one. Good job I'm able to adapt.

First thing - gym for Maddie and football for Zack - Maddie threw up five minutes before due to set off and Zack decided he wasn't interested in going today. I adapted by having another coffee (after cleaning up sick of course).

Next, garden clear up day at the kids school - Maddie still sick, Zack hadn't got dressed so decided to leave them both at home with Chris. Got to the school took a couple of pictures, just about to pick up a spade (honest) when my phone rang - the estate agents had someone coming round to view the house so needed to get home and help Chris with tidying up. So that was the end of gardening.

Next, had tickets for the puppet festival. Maddie felt a bit better so we set off. Watched the first show then Maddie wilted again, missed the next two shows because we had to come home.

Next, Mother in law was coming round.

Finally, Asda was due to deliver between 7 pm and 9 pm and it's now 10.22 and I'm still waiting.

Nothing has gone right today. I've still got a smile on my face but hoping tomorrow might go a bit more according to plan! :D

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

Bless you Gayle, hope you have a better one tomorrow.....:)

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

Today has quite unevenful - apart from trip to round up 3 turkeys who had escaped from nearby allotments. I had very selfish intentions -- they were creating quite a lot of noise like chickens being attacked by dogs, which I thought was happening,--- just needeed them to be home safe by nightfall or they might have been squalking all night.
Hasn't it been hot today? -my living space is 1st floor and gets hot because the loft space heats up -- tried out my air conditioner today --YIPEE --works fine.

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

May 2007 election[discuss] – [edit]
Summary of the 3 May 2007 local election results for Blackburn with Darwen CouncilPartiesSeatsPreviousNet
Gain/LossLabour3132-1Conservative1715+2Liberal Democrats13130For Darwen31+2England First000Independent01-1Vacant02-2Total6464

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

^ I hate it when it does that.:(

As of the elections in May, 2007.
Labour- 31 councillors.
Conservatives- 17
Lib Dems- 13

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

Plus a couple of councillors from the For Darwen Party. 17 + 13 + 2 (or maybe 3) = 32 (or 33). Labour have more councillors as a party, but no longer have a majority compared to the 'opposition combined, and therefore no overall power on the council. That's what I meant in my post :)

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

Labour - 31 Councillors
Conservatives - 17
Lib Dems 13
Others - 3

So nobody has control, unless somebody makes an alliance to make 33 or larger :p
17+13+3 = 33

I don't know if they actually have made an alliance. I should read local papers more.

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

Agreed, but since most of the recent changes in Blackburn were planned and implemented before May of this year, I stand by my original observation.:D

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

Just comparing the regeneration of Church Street in Blackburn, to the wishy washy, half baked, badly designed, abomination, that is the 'new and improved' Broadway, is very sad.

http://www.publicartonline.org.uk/ar...hurchSt_29.jpg
http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/upload/i...hurch_St_5.jpg

I couldn't even find any photographs of Broadway. Perhaps the photographers couldn't find a seat, or if they were lucky enough to be seated, ended up with a wet bum, or piles.:D

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

I have also had the misfortune of working in Brosley House from 2001, in fact my office was on the bridge and you couldn't open the windows in summer due to the exhaust fumes of the buses at bus stops below..it was a nightmare...luckily we moved out a year later!!

As for Church Street, when it was done alot of people from Blackburn were in uproar about it...but I quite like it myself, unfortunately if you walk down there at most times it still is deserted

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

To be fair Blackburn is much bigger so they have more money to spend.

Though I guess this is where you come back at me having done research and tell me the Blackburn Church street was cheaper or something ;)

Blackburn also has the added bonus of having nice surroundings round there, rather than a bunch of chain stores..

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

The alliance was formed which meant a new Conservative Leader and the executive was formed by the coalition. Labour now in opposition and long may it remain so

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

The only things Blackburn has not got, are free car parking (for what it's worth) and those marble pile probucing seats, as far as i'm concerned they are welcome to both of them. Accrington Market has to much competition from nearby supermarkets and 'cash and carryes' the one on Brown st is far cheaper than the market. I can remember when would be stall holders queued up early in the morning, to see if someone had missed their slot, and names were put on waiting lists to get a stall, The market is no longer competitive.

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

It isn't about cost. It is about having the vision to carry out a programme of good, and innovative design, and I suppose having the knowledge in the first place, to tell the differences between good versus bad design.

The near half a million pounds spent on refurbishing Broadway, is nothing less than disgraceful.

A mish mash of competing tar-mac, a few backless benches, which retain water on their seats hours after it last rained, a couple of fret worked fixed steel gates, leading God knows where, and which can only be viewed properly if you stand in the doorway of the pound shop, and a few young Oak trees supported by Ten Ton Tessy's callipers.

Well designed, and visionary, it ain't, whatever the cost.

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

Get your crayons out rindy and show us what you would have done? I had noticed a load of concrete balls dotted round town which I thought was nicely done and the street sculptures and older monuments sat well together. Yes HBC did let itself and the community down, but progress is an unceasing beast and change will come again to Broadway and around Blackburn Road no doubt.

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

...at what cost?

Better to have spent wisely the first time round.

A fool and his, or rather our money, is soon parted.

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in
 

Blackburn ... great place ... I was born there ... what can I say!

Re: A Grand Day Out……………..in