Re: Town Centre Changes
 

I agree I think the town was busier then. You couldn't find a place to park if you went down town in the afternoon.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

And there were a lot less cars on the road then

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Yes, they were all on the car park.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

would the Arndale be missed........only by those who own the property...for the rents they would not be getting...Though how it can be profitable to have a building like that with so many empty shops in it, beats me.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

It could be a charity shopping centre.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

it could be a bus station....move all the remaining shops that are still trading in there into the Market hall...or onto Broadway....knock the thing down and Hey presto, you have space for a bus station that is slap bang in the centre of town...which benefits whatever shops are still left and trading.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Why are you all complaining about the bus station, the council did say they would confer with the people. On that basis they musthave asked you all and you said yes :rolleyes:

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Never asked me Dave.....and I don't know anyone who was asked.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

It probably can't be knocked down, it's been up for more than ten minutes probably a useless but listed building like churchills.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

You might have a point Less, the frontage of the old Rhyddings mill in Ossy is a listed building, it should have been knocked down years ago after it was ravaged by fire, but no it has to be maintained for posterity. Same with the old central school, Rhyddings school annex, that can't be knocked down either because that's a listed building, me thinks that the authorities who insist on these buildings being retained, should have to pay for the privilege

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Absolutely, before a building is listed some form of trust should be in place to maintain it, if you can't get the trust its not worthy.
I live in a block of terrace houses, what if some arty farty party person decided they should be listed? Anyone owning one would never be able to sell because the buyer would have the expense of maintaining it as it is, no chance of improving.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Strange that.... neither do I :(

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Perhaps one of our councillors could actually tell us who was asked?:confused: cos i sure don't know anyone either.

Town Centre Changes
 

They could have built the bus station here!!! :rolleyes:

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

In case anybody hasn't seen the Observer this week, there's an artists impression of the new bus station. Looks like a few stables bolted on to each other. Ironic really that there has always been rumours the bus station is being sited there to suit Tesco's. Accrington will have the freshest horse burgers in the country :)

Here's the link

http://menmedia.co.uk/accringtonobse...-2015#comments

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Totally agree Less, its fine trying to protect our heritage, but if things need to kept for posterity then finances should be in place for the upkeep, why should it fall on the people who own these properties. I know the guy who owns Rhyddings mill was after knocking the old fascia of the fire damaged building down years ago because it was very unsafe but they wouldn't let him, its a nonsense

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Good pic of the fancy bogs, where late wife had her handbag nicked.:rolleyes:

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

There was no internet shopping then and only a very few supermarkets. Peoples shopping habits have changed massively since the days of the old car park but some still think Accrington Centre should still be the same.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Ya Neil time marches on there's no turning the clock back

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

There were kwik save and ASDA a market inside and outside, full of produce not flea markets, all shops occupied doing well and Lulu was advertising Littlewoods catalogue.

No, things shouldn't be the same they are much better now downtown.

:D

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

i think the pictures are a pretty acurate prediction

looks empty and unused

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

What other bits of the Pennine Reach scheme are still going ahead?
I hope no bus lanes. The one at Whitebirk so hardly used and traffic should be non stop towards PC world like it used to be. One lane on the McDonalds roundabout is stupid, the work on the big roundabout appears to be an improvement

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

that bus lane at the mcdonalds rounabout is more of a hazzard than anything because if it is to be used as intended it means cars have to cut accross the roundabout at the last second if they want to use the exit for the range.If the roundabout was marked as it should be according to the highway code there would be no misunderstanding and the bus and car could go back to having no problems at all with each other and go about their buisness safely.

mind you cant expect common sense from a county council that says it removed traffic light cameras because people were running into the car infront when the car jumping the red light slammed on because of the flash.The only way that can happen is if the second car also jumped the red light so i fail to see what the problem was.Id rather some idiot suffer from his own stupidity than see a child run over because some moron jumped a red light.

anyway i wander so - mcdonalds roundabout/blackburn = not so good

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

It may be a good source of income if Traffic Light Cameras were installed in Accrington, there would only need to be 2 or 3 real ones and some dummy ones - real ones at the Eastgate/Abbey St and Eastgate/Whalley Rd junctions would be ideal, almost every time I go through there I see at least one vehicle going through on red - and they aren't all taxis.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

I am going to guess all that road work was done by both Blackburn with Darwen and the Highways Agency. The Highways Agency stuck all the traffic lights on the M65 junctions trying to stop cars queuing on the motorway trying to get onto the slip road.

I think the bus lane is more about getting funding for achieving bus lane targets than it is for improving traffic flow. A lot like the Pennine Reach scheme we are still being afflicted with. I forget how many £million is being spent to improve bus travel times from Accrington to Blackburn by a few minutes.
Are we all really that lazy that we can't get out of bed five minutes earlier so sitting on a bus for an extra five minutes is not a problem?

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Last years M&S rumour has now resurfaced. Moving the food store and closing down the main store. Latest one today is that WH Smiths wil be closing, though that one comes as no suprise.

It's not a new bus station we need, it's a miracle. Do they have funding for those ?

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

I used to pop into W.H.Smiths weekly fer bits n bobs,until 1 week awhile ago i asked fer me usual lottery tickets n got em on "White Paper" just the same as a till receipt,:eek::mad: which i lost cos i thought it was one, Never been in since.:rolleyes:

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Have been in W H Smiths in The Arndale this morning.
They have confirmed the rumour - unfortunately they too are leaving Accrington. They are to close in March, could be beginning of, or end of, but ... they go in March 2013!!!!

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Last one out turn the lights off!:(

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Like I said...it would have made a good bus station.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

True, but as we don't own it, cost would prohibit that.:eek:

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

It isn't going to be making much money for its owners with the rate that businesses are leaving the place.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

True but businessmen are just that in my experience;)

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

so as it becomes less profitable.........might they not sell it?
And anyway what would it be worth in the current climate?
The more empty shops there are inside it, the less attractive it becomes......unless of course Tesco want to take it over...or Asda perhaps. Maybe they'll share :D

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Possible, but if they got a bob or two,more likely sit on it,than sell at a loss? in my opinion it would be as well demolishing, the sodding roof has always leaked fer donkeys years.;)

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

2 years time it will be a drop in center for addicts to get methadone

wonder if bet fred will give me odds on that?

speaking of which do accy center chemists dish out methadone becaus eif they do they should stop

accy asda has a no booze policey after midight to stop troublesome people visiting the supermarket detering decent customers so maybe like asda chemists in town centers or near to town centers should do something to keep the riff raff out of the way.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Peel Street chemist dishes methadone out, have seen it for myself, not a pretty sight believe me

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Yep n yer likely to get tapped fer fags or dosh whilst they wait fer it to open.:rolleyes:

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

The owner of the Arndale will have to pay business rates to the council on the empty units.

There will a stage (maybe reached already) when income from rented units is exceeded by outgoings on rates.

We can then expect a 'fire':rolleyes: to damage the roof so rendering the place unusable and rate exempt. So another eyesore will blight the town centre whilst the owners try to sell what is left of it.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

The sad part about it is that HBC once owned the lease for the Arndale, and George Slynn and co sold it to furnish the globe centre

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Heard this morning whilst down town, That its eventually gonna be closed n flats built?? Dunno if thats fact or fiction, Still if true will be somewhere fer the smackheads to reside together.:D

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Can't see that happening to be honest.

Anyway today's closure notice is Stead & Simpsons. :rolleyes:

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Demolition to make way for housing is logical
- there is a surplus of shops and a shortage of housing
- and it isn't green belt land (even though a green area in the centre might attract visitors)

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

The more popular theory at the moment is that the Arndale are clearing space for Sainsbury.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Arndale Flats - has a nice ring to it - sounds like an American comedy cowboy programme (do they make such things any more?).

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Then all that's needed is a big Morrison's and Accy will become the supermarket destination of choice for out of town shoppers - result! They'll be coming in by the busload - now you see why a new bus staion is needed.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

It's already got a Morrisons, although I beleive they are looking for something bigger. Maybe people have got their supermarkets mixed up ;)

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

I know there's a Morrison's but I was talking on a much larger scale also nearer to the centre.

I know my supermarkets - we have em all here in Morecambe - Big Sainsbury's, Asda, Morrison's, small Tesco plus several Expresses, Lidl, two Aldis, plus a few Booths round and about. Just waiting for Waitrose!

And our Arndale Centre still seems to be thriving...

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

I didn't mean you were confused, I meant the ones pontificating about the Arndale future :D

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

It would really rub Tesco's nose in it if Asda decided to move into the Arndale(though I am not for one moment, suggesting that such a thing has been proposed)....it has the central position, a multi storey car park and it will be close to the new bus station that Tesco (allegedly) paid something towards....gosh, how I wish it would happen...but then...that would definitely be death to the Market, and the Market Hall.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

I doubt that the area for deliveries would be large enough,
for what they (Arndale) have it's always seemed small.

Another one bites the dust
 

Smiths in the Arndale centre to close in March end of lease and can't agree rent with the owners I can't understand surely with the state of things it is better to have some money than nothing and shops lying empty the market is going the same way people will not keep visiting Accrington while the market and shops are empty the council need to look at the rents of the market stalls and the Arndale centre will soon have no shops in

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Sorry Dave didn't quite catch your drift there. Mind you I have a bit of an excuse - started on a short course of drugs yesterday, just read the product leaflet and it says one of the possible side effects is getting confused and losing your memory - what was I saying? only a few days more but I rest my case!

BTW the rumours are spreading - just been talking to my 82 yr old cousin in Accy - her 92 yr old neighbour (they live on the Milnshaw estate) has just told her they're going to bulldoze the Arndale and put up small flats and bungalows in its place...

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

I'm sure they could pull some strings somewhere and enlarge the area...perhaps by using the lower floor of the car park....where there's a will...there's a way.

Re: Another one bites the dust
 

What about knocking down the eyesore on Broadway that passes for part of the Town Hall move the shops underneath it into the Arndale to make that look habitated and put some covered market stalls on Broadway in place of the eyesore then the buses could extend to where the empty market was saving the cost of building a new bus station.??

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

I began using online groceries when Tesco was the only one that delivered round here - about 1996/97.

As the other grocery stores started a delivery service, I tried them too, so I have used Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys. I now use Ocado, who do not have any stores and fill orders from Waitrose warehouses.

Stores are more expensive to maintain than warehouses and are not likely to generate profit in towns where there is too much competition.

The future of grocery shopping is a weekly delivery, topped up by small retail outlets of the type which Tesco has, (for those of you who can't organise your weekly shop efficiently.:rolleyes:)

I recall that Sainsburys did express an interest in Accrington at one time, but dropped the idea when Tesco was given the go ahead.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

I just merged the other new thread on this subject in case anyone is confused

Re: Another one bites the dust
 

Remember where you heard it first AccyWebbers ;)

Except the bus station bit as it looks like a done deal, unless they can use Pennine Reach bus station money for the demolition and kill 2 messes with one bulldozer.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

The trouble with Tesco express and Sainsburys metro is that the range is so limited if you forget something a bit more exotic. The Sainsburys one in Lancaster is aimed at students who live in the flats above and consists almost solely of pasta, pasta sauces, ready meals, sliced bread... you get my drift. The local Tesco express is not much better.

I sometimes try compiling a shopping list from the Sainsbury's online website and then sending my other half to the store which is less than a mile away. Nine times out of ten several of the items I have chosen will have never been heard of in our local store. So if I was having them delivered and they were picking from my local store what would I get in their place?

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Good idea Neil, thanks.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

More than just supermarkets sell food on line.
Even Waitrose (via Ocado) doesn't stock all I need.

I have 'exotic tastes' too.
I buy coconut oil Raw Food Shop - UK Online supplier of superfoods & raw ingredients
Organic bread, biscuits, and chemical free household cleaners Grocery from GoodnessDirect
Toiletries Dr Bronner's - Natural Health Welwyn

There are several on line sellers of veg boxes and meat packs (including game meat)

**When you shop online from a grocer such as Sainsburys they select your order from the warehouse, not your local store.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Yes I do buy meat and game online but that's about all. Used to grow all our (organic) veg ourselves till recently.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Ha ha posted a reply too fast to miss this edit! I did wonder about that - maybe I will try it one day and see what they come up with. But it grieves me to pay delivery charges when we have a car and a local store. I just want a better choice there! I have to go to a store the size of the Preston one to get a better selection.

If Asda have a warehouse for picking deliveries why are there delivery vans outside our local store?

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Store practices vary. I recall that Asda deliveries to Ossy came from Clayton le Dale, and Tesco deliveries came from Haslingden store.

You will find more info here -
http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...ing-33500.html

PS I have an Ocado delivery pass which means that I pay just over £2 each delivery for 51 weekly deliveries a year (xmas week excepted)

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Aye as if there's any point coming up with sensible ideas in a political issue :D

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Do you have to pay that up front or do they just add it on weekly Margaret

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

On the odd occasion we have ordered online from Tesco, They have just put delivery fee on there n then,when yeh have chosen a delivery slot.:)

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

I was on about Ocado, Margaret said it was £2 delivery 51 weeks was more at Xmas:)being so cheap I though you may have to prepay

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

I pay yearly up front. £109.99
I think there is a monthly pass available which might mean less of a saving,

By having the pass the minimum order for delivery is reduced to £40, which means a weekly delivery for one person is more feasible.

The pass entitles you to as many 'free' deliveries as you want (but only one per day) - so technically you could have a delivery free every day as long as you spend £40 each time.

PS http://www.ocado.com/theocadoway/del...very-pass.html

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Seems a great deal that Margaret, just had a look and, apart from you initial order, with £15 off, what would the charge be without the upfront payment

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Delivery charges vary according to what day and what time you choose.

When I book a delivery the charge isn't shown, but if you browse delivery times and dates you can pick the cheaper ones.

How to slash your supermarket delivery costs!

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Thanks for that Margaret I've saved the like for reference in case I decide to start online shopping

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

is it true that wh smith is shutting:confused:

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Keep reading backwards in this thread, you'll find the answer - which is yes...

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

W.H. Smith was closed when I passed yesterday afternoon. Thought they were not closing till March but was definetly shut, anybody else notice?

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

May have been a weather issue, if enough staff couldn't get in ( and you can't blame them for not wanting to make to much effort ) then they would have had to close.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Yeah maybe that was it

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

I noticed today that there is an application in to change the old Gamestation store from A1 retail to A2 financial and proffesional use. Anyone tell me what category money lenders or we buy your gold shops come under ?

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

I noticed that Game Exchange in Blackburn Mall has closed as of today, suppose that increases Games' chances a tad. My money on the next to go in Accy are..(in no particular order) ...Holland & Barrett and Superdrug.:(

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

you amy be right about holland and baret coz folk can barely afford to eat healthy nevermind extra healthy

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Holland & Barrett is not about healthy eating, it's about stuffing yourself with supplements that most people don't need or wouldn't need if they ate healthily.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Spot on susie, who needs pills and potions when you can have a big pan of broth, with little lads in:D

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Well, I eat healthily(no junk food, stuff cooked from scratch) but I do buy some supplements....B vits and Vitamin D.
I am sure that the food of today doesn't have the same vitamin content.......maybe the intense farming methods take much from the earth and don't put much back.
Just my opinion...I have no scientific facts to back up my opinions.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Rot! My daughter likes their Omega sprinkle on her porridge and also eats their dried cranberries, there's nowhere else in Accy to get them.We have been advised that she needs extra vitamin d, she has very low blood pressure and any amount of energy giving food I can get in her great!
Next time you are walking past in your blinkers why not have a look in, it's not full of bodybuilders buying whey protein, hell they do a good line in herbs and spices as well as vegetarian stuff you can't get anywhere else.;)
(and they do a loyalty scheme to!)

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

You can buy dried cranberries at Asda - and when H&B charge £5 a kilo for sea salt and I can get several kilos for that at my local wholefood store then I shall continue walking straight past, blinkers or no blinkers.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Buy High Quality Vitamins, Minerals and Herbal Supplements Online | Holland & Barrett - the UK's Leading Health Retailer
free delivery on orders over £20.

I prefer liquid supplements so I need to shop in USA
iHerb.com - Vitamins, Supplements & Natural Health Products

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

You can also buy burgers from Tesco at £1.00 for 4 and burgers from your local butchers at 75p each.....I know which I'd chuck on the barbie in summer ;)

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Burgers? I make my own.......they taste much better than the shop bought ones and I know what goes into them.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

I remember Musgroves herbalists down on Bull Bridge in the fifties, used to be given their worm cakes, god knows what was in them but they tasted foul. Did anyone actually have worms? or did these things drive them away?

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Ah Musgroves, yes every teenaged lad in the area used to shop there in the 60s;):rolleyes::D

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Bull Bridge? Surely Musgroves was at the corner of King St and Albion St?...if it's THAT Musgroves. ;)

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Not being a teenage boy I didn't go there very often - but I rememeber it in the Bull Bridge/ Union Street/ Crawshaw Street area. Maybe a different shop?

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

I remember Musgroves being on the corner here -
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Acc...,33.81,,0,8.43

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

OK, that's what Steve said above, maybe I just remember walking along Bull Bridge to get there from our house in Owen Street - I would have been less than ten years old at the time.

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Yep, defo corner of King St and Albion St...I remember it well. Couldn't just buy 'em off the shelf in supermarkets in those days! :D ;)

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

We were fed 'Worm' cakes.........we thought they were chocolate and looked forward to them...but not to the effects.
We rarely had chocolate(the odd Fry's Five Boys bar if grandad was feeling a bit maudlin on his way home from the pub - but a bar of that didn't go far - we had to share it).

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

I was only concentrating on Musgroves Wyn,;) but your right it was on the corner of King St. and Albion St, not that I ever visited the premises you understand:rolleyes:

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Ya and both my Father and myself used the same Barber Wyn, so that was out :D Never did catch on when the Barber used to ask blokes, anything for the weekend sir:rolleyes:

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

Ya when you were a kid with a big appitite the question was asked, tha getten a tapeworm lad:D

Re: Town Centre Changes
 

i think someone is after a job with another big supermarket .....

BBC News - Small shop closures are progress, says ex-Tesco boss