Do you use buses

Do you use buses

  • Total voters
    44
  • Poll closed .
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.
 
Neil said:
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
Click to expand...

Can't argue with that, but it's not all charity and pound shops, there is at least one other shop :D
 
Neil said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
Wynonie Harris said:
..... 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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
Neil said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.
 
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
 
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?
:(
 
Less said:
What is it that's ripped the heart out of our town?
:(
Click to expand...


basically the building of the arndale center and the destruction of our traditional outdoor market

preston's outdoor market which is very similar to what we used to have still thrives amongst the shopping centers and retail parks

when our old market was destroyed most of teh stall holders shut up shop for good and those that stayed operated from blue steel containers dumped on broadway for many months.Peopel dont want to come and see such an awfull sight so went elsewhere and most likely now still go elsewhere.The grass was greener on the other side for shoppers and i guess they are still happy there.

our outdoor market is now a joke and a shambles and in no way measures up to the old one in any way what so ever.It has no charecter and basically sells tat that you can buy cheaper in the pound shop around the corner.The few shops that are left are stuck between charity shops or have to hope people arnt detered from their doorway by the junkies that doss around town.

if only someone would take affirmitive action..

i dunno like maybe take away the benches or something hahahahahaha (sory couldnt resist)
 
Last edited:
No way can i accept,times changed as n excuse fer whats happened to Accrington Centre, That just don't wash wi me. People who have used occasionally have possibly come to that view? People who have used it regular fer many decades may just think like me.
 
Margaret Pilkington said:
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.
Click to expand...
People I know from Blackburn are not over keen on the town centre either Margaret
 
Neil said:
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 that's 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.
Click to expand...
That's the answer Neil, the wife has to go, sorry Romps only joking:D
 
Wynonie Harris said:
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.
Click to expand...
I certainly agree about Wigan, St Helens and Leigh Wyn, used them very regularly over the years Joan still does and she commented only the other week that her local markets are far better than Accrington
 
I love shopping in a good market(Barcelona's and Palma, Mallorcas being my fav's) and use Accy market for veg when possible as its usually better quality than ASDA and Tesco. I agree the market is a shadow of its former self.. My auntie used to run a stall for many years selling the tabard things people wore in work.... I've not seen one for sale now in donkeys years, people have changed, there is no need any more... Kevin Horkin I first met when he had a stall selling cheap tat jewelry on accy market ( Would have been ~ 78-80 I reckon?).

Neil did however hit the nail on the head, far more families have both people working so have less time to nip to town during the week, when I've finished work the markets packed up and gone, even if I wanted a nice piece of fresh fish or some veg for tea the only place I can get some is a supermarket unlike abroad where they are thriving well into the evening. As such people have to do a weekly shop and as such want to do it all in one go. It is this convenience that people want hence the rise in Internet shopping. can the market be turned around to become something like Bury? sadly not IMHO, there just isn't the money or desire in the residents to make that happen and you won't attract external visitors till it is already successful

One interesting quirk is at work yesterday ( in Knutsford in case you don't know where I work) I was sat having lunch and some lads on the next table were talking and one was berating his home town for being nothing but charity shops, pound shops, phone shops etc... and he didn't have a Lanky accent either so I'm pretty sure he wasn't talking about Accy! I don't think we are unique here, its happening all over
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top