Possibly my first brush with modernism and modernity, the shopping precinct in Ashton under Lyne. Typically in the mid Sixties, British towns reinvented themselves as space age retail experiences, in stark contrast to their middle aged, Middle Aged market centre, market centred identity.
Out with the cobbles and stalls, in with the travelator, frothy coffee, concrete and a pedestrianised, undercover, all weather, super convenient haven of heavenly fun!
And lo, it came to pass, let construction commence.
Simply add a few decorative embellishments courtesy of the Direct Works’ pavoirs.
You have built it and now they will come:
Little did you know you had created a punk rock icon.
Featured on the cover of fanzine Ghast Up #3 – many thanks to MDMA
Many thanks to the Tameside Image Archive
Modern Mooch 
I must say another comprehensive and informative article enjoyed by one of the very few of us who rode the ‘travelator” up to the first floor on the rare occasion that it was operating.
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Thanks Ian always a pleasure to research and look back on our recent past.
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That was a grate place at that time.i had good memory’s but to look at it naw wow gone well sh.t to say the least..
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I remember skating around Ashton after leaving wheels, I came down the travelator to be caught at the bottom by the local Bobby who promptly gave me a telling off.
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I remember all of them, that’s when ashton had good shops and it was a pleasure to shop there it’s gone down in my opinion and these changes are for the good the tameside council have ruined the town it’s not the town I grow up in. The market is nothing to what it was before the fire. It’s very sad theat the council have let the people of ashton down.
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Do you remember Rumbeloe’s my mum and dad rented atv from them with the remote control on a spring attached to the side.
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It is a shit hole.Thanks to this council
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Pre precinct I remember watching Terry tattooist opposite the old Oden cinema I even worked in the supermarket in the precinct after school think it was called Quick Save.Everyone blames the council but everyone still votes Labour have a change I’m not saying who to vote for just have a change🤷🏻
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Ashton was so amazing. Sad how it’s ended up ,dreadful place now
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looking back the 60s architecture looked cool i remember my regular saturday swimming at ashton pool with my kwick save bag storing my trunks n towel.followed by letting off stink bombs from dougies joke shop.But yes now the general class of people and town centre are crap
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