A Short Stockport Walk

Posted on by modernmoocher

I was asked by SMBC to take folks on a short Stockport walk – beginning at Stockport War Memorial Art Gallery and concluding at the Stockroom, a distance of less than a mile.

So here we are beginning at Stockport War Memorial Art Gallery a Grade II* listed building opened in 1927.

Designed in Neoclassical Greek Revival style with central tetrastyle Corinthian portico, the order loosely based on Temple of Apollo at Bassae

The Gallery has a long history of exhibitions from some of the art world’s finest artists. Today the gallery boasts an extensive exhibition program, which gives emerging artists a chance to showcase their work.

 Designed by James Theodore Halliday of Halliday Paterson & Agate of Manchester.

Sculpture by Gilbert Ledward.

© National Portrait Gallery

Crossing over the Wellington Road South to the site of the former Mount Tabor Chapel 1868 designed by William Hill.

Closed in 1954 demolished in 1969.

The capitals of Chapel’s Corinthian columns, surround the site of the Cockleshell Hero memorial 2017 – sculptor Luke Perry.

The former Edgeley milkman James Conway took part in the Royal Marines’ most famous wartime raid, where he was one of the twelve men who paddled more than eighty miles in canoes up the Gironde to plant limpet mines on shipping in the German occupied French city of Bordeaux in 1942.

Royal Navy UK

Down the hill to Stockport Town Hall 1908 another Grade II* listed building – designed by Sir Alfred Brumwell Thomas, built in a free English Baroque style.

Although much simpler than continental Baroque architecture, English Baroque designs were equally heavy, sensual and decorative.

Across the road the former Stockport Infirmary l832 Grade II listed – architect Richard Lane.

Currently named Millennium House, home to the Department of Works and Pensions.

Around the back of the Town hall we find Stopford House built in 1975 and designed by JS Rank OBE, Director of Development & Town Planning, Stockport Council.

The painting has recently been much improved by the folks from Merseyway Workshop along with local volunteers.

They also staged the hugely successful Stopford House Party in August.

Back down the road to the old Grand Central.

Formerly a large coal yard, replaced by a huge leisure facility and now a hotel and office complex, with a municipal swimming pool attached.

Next door the former Royal Mail sorting office.

The transformation of a building once dubbed Stockport’s ugliest has been completed, now known as The Mailbox.

When it was built in the 1970s, it was given extra reinforcement due to the risk of IRA letter bombs. The sorting office closed and moved sites in 2010, from when the building was vacant for nearly a decade.

The state-of-the-art development is now home to 117 ‘stunning’ new one and two-bedroom apartments and 12,500 square feet of commercial space. There is an atrium at its heart a roof terrace with views across the town centre.

It also has an eighteen -metre high green ‘living wall’ covering the front and other parts of the exterior, which with 114,500 plants is the largest of its kind by surface area in the North of England.

MEN 2023

Over the road the Grade II listed former Central Library – architects Bradshaw Gass and Hope, funded by Andrew Carnegie, opened in October 1913.

Current plans are to use the building as a new home for the Stockport Music Service.

Adjacent is the Garrick Theatre.

The Stockport Garrick Theatre was founded on 24th of October 1901, by engineer Edwin Heys and his fellow actors: fugitives from the disbanded dramatic society of Stockport Unitarian Church. Meeting in what was then The Church Coffee Tavern on St Petersgate, Heys and his friends resolved to found a new society ‘to perform the best plays by the most capable amateur actors and with the finest scenic effects’.

The society purchased its current building, an old mill occupied by an assortment of small businesses, in 1920. Since then, the building’s labyrinthine interior has undergone various refurbishments to enhance the society’s ability to produce theatre to the highest standards possible.

The newly painted murals are by Captain Kris.

Next door the Hat Works – the UK’s only museum dedicated to the hatting industry, hats and headwear.

Occupying part of the Grade II listed Wellington Mill, a cotton mill of 1831 which became Ward’s Hat Works.

Both cotton spinning and hat making contributing to the economic development of Stockport in the C19th.

Across the way the long gone Carlton Cinema Architects: Francis Edison Drury and Joseph G Gomersall.

Opened on 28th July 1937.

In July 1948 the cinema was taken over by the Essoldo Cinemas chain. In 1954 the Essoldo became the town’s first CinemaScope cinema and for many years was the only cinema to offer full stereophonic sound. Richard Burton in The Robe was the first widescreen film to be shown, followed by Marilyn Monroe in How to Marry a Millionaire.

At the height of the Davy Crockett craze, in 1956, Fess Parker made a personal appearance at the Essoldo.

It was converted into a twin screen cinema in 1971, by converting the balcony into Screen 2, it was taken over by the Classic Cinemas chain in 1972. Its final owners were the Cannon Group who ran the cinema from 1982 to its final closure on June 21st 1990.

The cinema was demolished in 1994 and a small park occupied the site for several years.

By 2011, offices had been built on site.

Cinema Treasures

Until March 2025 home to the Sky call centre.

Further down the road the former Wellington Hotel.

Known variously as Ups ‘n’ Downs, Glitz, Bentley’s and the Bees Knees.

Finally, partial occupation by a forlorn Pound Shop – defying economic trends by closing.

Street art by Cats and That.

Next to the Transport Interchange aka the Bus Station.

In collaboration with Transport for Greater Manchester and Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, the project redesigned a 10,000 sq m bus interchange, linking the rail station with new landscaped parks. 

The development includes a fifteen-storey building with one hundred and ninety six apartments, commercial space, and parking. New parks and riverside spaces improve connectivity and enhance urban living, marking a transformative step in placemaking for Stockport.

BDP Design

Replacing the former Bus Station closed on Saturday 28th August 2021.

Down to the top of the Lowry Steps

LS Lowry snapped in 1962, the Viaduct in the not too distant distance – Grade II* listed structure and remains one of the world’s biggest brick structures.

Railway viaduct opened 1840 by GW Buck for Manchester and Birmingham Railway in brick and stone.

Twenty eight arches of total length over 540m – three spans at either end of 18ft, twenty two spans between of 63ft, and nearly 34m high above the river.

Said to contain eleven million bricks.

Stone moulded impost bands and rusticated faces to piers.

Took 21 months to build, at a cost of £72,700.

Widened to the west 1888 to 1889.

Historic England.

Down on the corner the former George Hotel.

Premises To Let as of 13th May 2018 – on the 2nd April 2018 the licence has lapsed, so this proved to be a barrier to it re-opening.

A former pub in Stockport town centre could be knocked down to make way for a tower stretching 17-storeys high. Plans have been sent to Stockport council for consideration and would bring 76 new apartments to the town replacing The George on Wellington Road, based opposite Merseyway Shopping Centre and near Stockport Viaduct.

MEN November 2025

Across the way the Heaton Lane Car Park is now rubble.

It is to become the site for the re-sited bus depot, as the current bus depot is demolished to make way for housing.

Though Place North West reports in August 2026:

Talks over a deal for a bus depot off Daw Bank have broken down after the council refused to meet the operator’s financial demands, prompting the authority to use compulsory purchase powers to acquire the site.

Despite protracted negotiations, Stockport Council and Stagecoach have failed to reach an agreement over an important piece of land the authority needs to deliver Stockport 8, a £350m, 1,300-home regeneration scheme.

Leaving Wellington Road we head for the Merseyway Precinct – 1965 architects Bernard Engle & Partners.

Where we find the Alan Boyson screen wall, screening the multi storey car park, now no longer above the Co-operative store, but above Primark.

Next in line the new occupants of Adlington Walk – Stockport’s fabulous Stockroom.

Stockroom is an exciting new creative and cultural centre in Stockport, designed for getting together, getting involved or just popping by for a brew. It has been developed with and for local people and the creative community to build an exceptional communal resource for entertainment and learning.

There’s room for everyone: to make noise, meet friends or find some peace, play, take part, think or do new things.

Part of Stockport’s £1 billion transformation, Stockroom is an ambitious £14.5 million cultural and creative centre that will breathe new life into the heart of the town.

Located in previously disused retail units, Stockroom has been brought to life through funding from UK Government’s Future High Streets Fund, which aims to rejuvenate town centres across the country.

The Stockroom have hosted a tribute to Alan Boyson, the exhibition The Marvel from Marple.

Otherwise open to access the Library service and archives, eat drink and play, use a computer, or a lavatory, read whilst relaxing in a comfy chair, stay cool or warm, stare into space either upstairs or downstairs.

Whatever floats your personal boat, though currently unsuitable for floating actual boats.

Mention must be made of near neighbours the Merseyway Workshop – the plant planters who we met up at Stopford House.

The Merseyway Workshop is a community focused, inspiring place for innovation and collaboration.

A DIY-style hub on Stockport’s pedestrianised high-street. Offering open use of creative workshops, drop-in activity sessions and skill exchanges.

Working in clay and wood, access to a fully equipped B&W darkroom and so much more.

One short mile or so a cornucopia of history – layer upon layer of exciting architecture.

Get out take a walk take a look!

Oldham Walk

Posted on by modernmoocher

1915

The Oldham area was once home to several railway stations – many of which have since closed.

There is currently no rail link to and from the town.

Tram services between Manchester and Oldham have returned – for the first time since trams stopped running in Oldham in 1946. 

The first service to Oldham Mumps left Manchester Victoria at 05:24 BST – calling at the eight stops on the line.

The tram then made the return journey, leaving Oldham at 06:00 BST and taking about 25 minutes to reach Manchester city centre.

BBC News

Oldham Central

To the right an huge Sainsbury’s supermarket 1999-2001 Pringle Richards Sharratt.

To the left can be seen the semi-derelict Grade II Listed Prudential Assurance Building 1898-91 Alfred Waterhouse & Son – now in the ownership of Oldham Council.

Image – Victorian Society

Back tracking toward Phoenix House – with its implausible heron.

It’s been four years since the Department of Work and Pensions left their Union Street office and eighteen months since plans were submitted to turn it into eighty two flats.

However, apart from hoardings being installed around the building, there doesn’t appear to have been much movement at the site – at least not legally.

Oldham Times

Turning the corner to Metropolitan Place.

Currently in use by Oldham Council – formerly home to the Registry Office, wedded couples referred to it as the Hobson Street Cathedral.

Though there seems to have been plans for both office and co-working space, along with conversion to apartments.

Back out onto Union Street and down to Gallery Oldham 2002 Pringle Richards Sharratt.

Linking to the older Library and Art Gallery 1883 T Mitchell with sculpture by JJ Milson.

Today the building has been restored to include the Council Chamber and Mayor’s Dining Room, public exhibition spaces and a new home for Oldham Theatre Workshop.

The Old Library is one of the earliest examples of an ashlar faced, in-situ formed concrete multi story building.

Oldham Gov

Take a turn up Greaves Street and here’s a faience clad Victoria House a former Billiard Club 1912 Winder & Taylor – subsequently the hall was used as council housing offices and a college before becoming vacant.

Oldham Boxing moved into the building in 2011.

Next door a Ponsonby And Carlile Solicitors Office 1902 Edgar Wood – Grade II Listed.

Back now onto Union Street and the GMB Offices.

Onwards to the former Oldham Evening Chronicle

Down the hill and left to the Walshaw Street Bus Depot 1936

Image: Jeff Smith Oldham’s Past

Home to the Pennine Lounge.

Next we head up Yorkshire Street to Harry’s Bar – formerly The Artizans Rest 1937.

Architects: CT Taylor – Roberts & Bowman.

In 2025, it was revealed by the Manchester Evening News that Oldham council planned to buy the building and demolish it with the price tag for the project reported to be £1m. The money comes from a £2.5m pot of regeneration finding given to the local authority by the government.

MEN

Image: Oldham’s Past

Image: George Symes

These two carved panels have been removed.

Just around the corner is the former Kings Picture Hall – currently Bees Knees.

Located in the town centre, directly opposite the Coliseum Theatre. The King’s Picture Hall was opened 18th September 1911. In October 1912 a café was opened in the building adding a further amenity to the cinema. In 1929 it was equipped with a British Thomson Houston sound system.

The King’s Picture Hall was closed on 25th June 1966 with Ryo Ikebe in Battle in Outer Space and Randolph Scott in Comanche Territory.

On 2nd July 1966 it was converted into a bingo club.

In 2006 it was a nightclub.

Cinema Treasures

A stand of shops – stepped the accommodate the incline, partially clad in Westmorland Slate.

Oldham Town Centre now has a new high-quality public space – Parliament Square

Six new restaurant units will be located within the Old Town Hall alongside a brand new 800-seat, seven screen ODEON cinema.

BDP 2017

A stunning glass extension to the side of the Grade II-listed building provides access to the various levels of the cinema and is also the frontage to the new restaurants.

George Woodhouse of Bolton 1841, extended by Edward Potts of Oldham 1879-80. 

Oldham Gov

To the left is a statue of Springhead born Annie Kenney – political activist, socialist feminist and suffragette, modelled by Denise Dutton, unveiled 14 December 2018.

The Egyptian Room Food Hall project extends BDP’s partnership with Oldham Council and the rejuvenated Grade II listed Old Town Hall building in Oldham town centre, the main transformation of which was also designed and delivered by BDP.

The Loom is a brand new events space next to Oldham’s new indoor market on Parliament Square in the town centre. The gala-sized event space can fit up to one thousand standing guests, seven hundred seated, or five hundred dining, or can be split-off into smaller rooms for exhibitions, gigs, or theatre performances.

Design for a war memorial chapel, St Mary’s Church 1920.

Architect: Nugent Francis Cachemaille-Day.

Artist: H Lewis Curtis.

Image: RIBA pix

Next to the former Yorkshire Bank 1970 John Brunton & Partners.

Under construction 1970

Image: Kayla Chadwick

Down to the Spindles Shopping Centre 1991

Originally the site of St Peter’s Shopping Centre architect Richard Seifert

St Peter’s House – housed Oldham Area Health Authority Administrative Offices

Images: Yesteryear Oldham then & now 

Spindles has been revamped by AEW Architects.

Stained glass by Brian Clarke installed in 1993.

Between 1990 and 1993, Brian Clarke designed a series of three interrelated roof lights in stained glass for the Spindles Shopping Centre in his hometown of Oldham, Lancashire. Among the largest stained glass windows in Europe, and some of the largest public artworks in the UK, these panels connect the main public areas of the principal shopping centre in the town.

No town walk would be complete without a former Burton’s.

Next to the Bus Stations 2008 Austin-Smith Lord situated either side of the Civic Centre.

In the midst of it all is the Queen Elizabeth Hall.

The Queen Elizabeth Hall in Oldham will soon open its doors for the last time before it permanently closes to the public and is prepared for demolition. Since being condemned for containing Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete – RAAC in 2023, its days have been numbered.

Now the old theatre is part of plans to bring 2,000 new homes into the town centre in a partnership between Oldham Council and the developers Muse.

Oldham Times

Chris Connor as Elvis at the Oldham Queen Elizabeth Hall.

Surrounded on two sides by the Civic Centre – the lower parts are by Richard Seifert & Partners 1962, the fourteen storey Tower and Hall 1974-78 are by Cecil Howitt & Partners.

Plans are underway at the civic centre, the largest site in the regeneration project, to create a vibrant community providing eight hundred and thirty eight homes rising up to fifteen-storeys with mixed-use commercial spaces on the ground floor. This development will integrate seamlessly with the surrounding neighbourhood, particularly the nearby Former Magistrates’ Court site. The Civic Tower at the edge of the site will be retained and redeveloped as a hotel in a later phase.

Where have the Magistrates’ Courts gone?

Architects: Leach Rhodes Walker 1977.

Demolished in 2019 to make way for further redevelopment.

The proposals for the Former Magistrates Court site include two hundred and nineteen new homes with the tallest block ten-storeys and a green route connecting Manchester Chambers with King Street. The designs have been developed to ensure a unified neighbourhood with a common design language and seamless movement between other sites. 

Team Civic

Oldham Council and Muse intend to work in partnership over the next 15 years to develop the sextet of council-owned brownfield sites across the town centre.

Place North West

Next door the Police Station – architects: Leach Rhodes Walker.

Next to the Mecca Bingo formerly Shopping Giant.

We conclude at the Telephone Exchange.

Viewed across the site where Bailey’s used to be – aka Romeo & Juliet’s, Butterflies, Astoria ballroom and Bowling Alley, Froggies and Riley’s.

The site originally started out as the Grand Theatre, a performance space designed by London architects Thomas Taylor and Ernest Simister who also designed Chadderton Town Hall.

In 1937, Gaumont Super Cinemas took over the building, gutted the auditorium and transformed it into stalls and one circle seating totalling 1,842 to open their 1930s cinema.

BBC

In 1991, the Chronicle reported on a mysterious haunting which was thought to have taken place in Butterfly’s nightclub in Oldham.

Before Butterfly’s had been a nightclub the building had been used for many purposes, and in 1939 was known as the ‘Grand Theatre.’ The building was undergoing renovations when Mr Lloyd was killed. ‘Witnesses said that Mr Lloyd was crushed underneath the beam which he was trying to guide down with a rope.’

However, Derek Lloyd’s theory of the origin of the ghost was not accepted by everyone at the time. Due to the fact the ghost appeared to be wearing a white T-shirt, people believed it was unlikely to be the spirit of a 1930s man. In response, Derek argued that ‘my father always had his sleeves rolled up at work because he suffered from a skin complaint.’ 

Gallery Oldham

In 2011 the building was converted into a roller derby centre known as the Thunderdome, once home to the Rainy City Roller Derby who moved out in 2020.

It was announced in April 2023 that the building was proposed for demolition and the end came in May 2025.

Image: Mark Hughes

Scarborough Coastal Stroll

Posted on by modernmoocher

This is one of many walks from South Bay Bathing Pool to South Bay Beach.

Today we begin at the Scarborough Library.

The Edward Bawden map was commissioned in 1931 by Tom Laughton, the hotelier of Pavilion Hotel in Scarborough.

I discovered Edward Bawden myself. I saw some illustrations of murals in the Illustrated London Newswhich had been carried out by Bawden at Morley College. The principal subject was a lodging house with a classical pediment and with the front walls taken out, so that the life in the house was shown from the basement to the attic. I found it delightful. I managed to find out where he lived, and I went to see him. I rang his bell; waiting on the steps I looked across the road and recognised the building that was the subject of the mural. At length a young and seemingly timid man came to the door; “There is your mural”, I said. He told me that I was the first person to spot his subject. He took me on a bus to see the paintings on the walls of Morley College.

The outcome was that he designed a wine list for the Pavilion Hotel, decorated a large ordnance map of Scarborough – (which when I left the hotel I gave to the children’s public library and also made an amusing perspective peepshow, which is still in my possession – Pavilions by the Sea was published in 1977.

The peepshow is on display on the first floor of Scarborough Art Gallery, where it still enchants children and adults alike.

Scarborough Museum and Galleries

The map is hand painted and based on the OS Map of 1926.

The map was fully restored and reframed in 2012 and now lives in Scarborough Library.

Bawden’s postcard for the Pavilion Hotel.

Tom Laughton was brother to Charles Laughton – the plaque is attached to their home the Victoria Hotel.

Enthused by Edward’s exquisite map I set off strolling along the seafront.

I always stop to pay my respects to these seriously neglected concrete beach chalets.

Thence to the former South Beach Bathing Pool designed by Scarborough’s former Borough Engineer, Harry W Smith.

Construction began shortly before the outbreak of WWI, and was taking place in December 1914, when Scarborough was bombarded by German ships. Workers were able to shelter, coincidentally, behind the new wall they had recently constructed for the pool.

Built in the Art Deco style, it measured 330ft long and 167 ft wide, and was filled naturally by fresh sea water, propelled into the pool by the tide each day – officially opened in 1915.

The pool closed in 1989.

Stories From Scarborough

Concrete Colonnade in the Post Modern manner.

Filey Brigg is barely visible through the mist.

The Scarborough Spa – boldly stands over the bay, beaches, and harbour, providing unrivalled views. With a lengthy and impressive past, it is a popular venue for touring performers and meetings, conferences, and training sessions.

The Spa dates back to the C18 when a mineral spring there became a place of fashionable resort. Originally there was just a timber embanked terrace to the shore. Later, in the early C19 a castellated building was raised. In 1858 Sir Joseph Paxton designed the new ashlar faced Spa pavilion raised on terrace with arcaded ground and first floor articulated by pilaster strips, seven bays, with projecting pilastered corner towers with balustraded parapets.

Grade II* Listed

Grand Hotel was chosen as one of Historic England’s seven wonders of the English seaside, as featured in the Daily Mail

Located in the town centre and built in 1863, the Grand Hotel Scarborough takes pride of place overlooking the town’s picturesque harbour and South Bay. This stunning Victorian building is an instantly recognisable landmark, and stands out amongst other hotels in Scarborough. 

We’ve stayed here a few times and we’ve never had a problem with our room. If you dont like lifts theres a lot of stairs but we like to keep fit anyway. Fridge was a bonus. Hairdryer, towels, three loo roll, towels, fan, iron, ironing board Good stock of tea and coffee, nice clean kettle. Paid for a room with a window and got unexpected sea view which was fab to wake up to. Gorgeous main area, singers on at nine, stayed in room thirteen no ghosts lol.

Will defo come again – thank you Grand Hotel.

Samantha K

Absolutely disgusting, the rooms was very dirty, full of dust, the room hasn’t been cleaned since the last person stayed as there body shape was still in the bed, bathroom had toothpaste all in the sink and the shower was absolutely filthy. Curtains are hanging off. Carpets are dirty. The food is very bad, cheap and under cooked. And most the food on the menu wasn’t even available. When speak to the staff I got verbal abuse from them and the chef told my partner to “f off”.. it’s just horrible experience. Do not wish this on anyone. You go outside to loads off homeless doing drugs and been drunk also. I actually ended having to leave and book an alternative accommodation.

Don’t stay here

Chloe S

Trip Advisor

Architect: Cuthbert Brodrick – 1863-67 an immense structure in red brick with tawny terracotta dressings, four storeys, basement, and storey at eaves cornice level, and two storey attic

Grade II* Listed

Olympia Leisure

This is the place to be, either to meet friends, make friends or just book a Party event for friends and family. With twelve lanes our Ten Pin Bowling Alley, with its modernised interior and updated scoring system is a fantastic place to relax.

We have fabulous balcony views of Scarborough’s Seafront and Bay and a Smoking Area. It’s the perfect venue for an office or workplace party, student celebration, holiday activity, or just a regular get together of friends.

Formerly the site of the Futurist Theatre

The Futurist Theatre was built to the design of Scarborough architect Frank Tugwell and opened on 27 June 1921 as a cine-variety theatre operated by William Catlin.

Originally it boasted a grandiose, ornate façade of robust, self-cleaning white glazed Carraraware tiles, the design of Henry Doulton.

This was later obscured during spring 1968 by a facelift of rectangular plain yellow cladding.

Demolition of the building began in June 2018 and was completed in August 2018.

The demolition and associated land works cost local taxpayers £3.91 million.

Wikipedia

Coney Island is a popular amusement centre located on Foreshore Road in Scarborough, offering a vibrant dose of classic seaside entertainment. It’s known for its unique architectural style and cool retro vibes that captivate visitors. This lively spot provides a welcoming atmosphere for all ages looking for fun by the coast.

Step inside Coney Island and discover a fantastic array of arcade games, ranging from exciting racing simulators where you can ‘drive’ sports cars and motorbikes, to a decent selection of both older and newer games. Beyond the flashing lights and sounds of the arcade, the centre also features a bowling alley, perfect for some friendly competition. Guests appreciate the ease of exchanging notes for coins at the desk, ensuring continuous play.

Yorkshire.com

I have been to t’other Coney Island – it looked like this.

Chorley Walk – 2026

Posted on by modernmoocher

Once upon a time it was 2022 and I was in Chorley.

Then all of a sudden it wasn’t and I was elsewhere – fast forward to yesterday and I was in Chorley again.

Arriving at the Railway Station.

White Coppice

The current railway station is a modern version from the 1980s that was built on top of the original station – it is entirely functional, but more than somewhat undistinguished.

Crossing over the road to Market Walk.

Whether it’s fashion, gifts, everyday essentials or an entertaining day out that you’re after, Market Walk has it all. With over thirty shops along an outdoor parade, plus entertainment and hospitality venues, there’s something for everyone.

AEW Architects were appointed by Chorley Council in 2015 as Architects for the Market Walk Scheme.

The Council’s aspiration was to breathe life back into the town centre by enhancing Chorley’s retail and leisure offer and refocusing Chorley’s centre as a destination for local residents and surrounding towns. The development needed to entice new, and retain existing, businesses in the town. Aesthetically, the development also needed to be a landmark for, and create a modern gateway into, the town – driving footfall towards Chorley’s commercial centre.

Next door is the Bus Station, opened in February 2003 replacing the previous structure.

Opening of the previous Bus Station – Ribble the area’s operators, before the Stagecoach arrived.

Red Rose Collections.

The Post Office – with its later extension.

Though dated 1935 the architect  Charles Wilkinson died in 1927 – posthumous construction following his earlier plans?

Former Fine Fare finds a new occupant the Big Bargain Store.

The NatWest Bank is still a NatWest Bank.

Next the Royal Bank of Scotland presenting and passing as a Post Office.

My good friend Mainstream Modern informs me that the architects were Cruickshank & Seward.

The distinctive white tiles of 2020 having become a living wall.

Long gone – this swish interior with its alarmingly charming calendar.

Let’s have a look around the back.

Next door this sinister functionalist brick structure.

Next to the Chorley Theatre, formerly the Empire Electric Theatre and currently the Empire Cinema.

Opened on on 3rd September 1910, one of the nation’s longest continuously running cinemas.

I spent some time chatting to the chatty guardian of the booking office, I learnt that the recently installed blue plaque commemorates the areas links to esteemed Beano artist Leo Baxendale.

Leo attended St Mary’s School which was sited opposite the theatre, he had a miserable time there, an experience which formed the basis for the famed Bash Street Kids.

He may well now chuckle to himself in comic book heaven, knowing that the school was demolished in 1982.

Red Rose Collections

It’s only right that the town boasts a Leo Baxendale Trail.

Furthermore, I was ever so excited to hear that the really surreal Leonora Carrington, was a local lass and that the theatre were screening her biopic Leonora in the Morning Light.

Back down to earth with a bang and just around the bend – here’s a former Social Services building, very much in the post-war manner.

Next thing you know we are at the Police Station.

County Architect’s Report: 1963-64.

The design team was Roger Booth, Lancashire County Architect; CA Spivey, Assistant County Architect; DB Stephenson, Design Architect; and DG Edwards, AG Gass, responsible for the detailed design and construction. The seven-storey in-situ concrete framed main block was the last bespoke police station to be built in Lancashire, following this the department developed a systemised concrete construction method which was deployed across the county. The dramatic cantilevers gave the new building a stature and presence that signalled authority. The lower levels were accessed by ramps and provided space for police vehicles. To enter the police station one ascended a set of external stairs across a pool that once contained koi carp – fittingly, one boy described the new building as a ‘fishtank’ upon its completion. The magistrates’ court was finished externally in a grey brick and carried the signature pyramid rooflights that were synonymous with the Department.

Many thanks to Richard at Mainstream Modern

Next door its partner in crime the Magistrates Courts.

Opened in 1968.

The courts are up for sale – offers in the region of £800,000 – the property has planning permission for an eleven storey apartment building with fifty two flats, three ground floor retail units and roof terrace.

The disused court building was last sold in 2022 for £300,000, according to the Land Registry.

Designs for the scheme were drawn up by FWP Group.

Next door is a pub no longer a pub.

Once upon a time a Vaux Brewery house the White Hart – implausibly renamed the Snooty Fox for a brief period.

Photo Alan Winfield 1988 – The Never Ending Pub Crawl

This was a really big looking pub.

The pub was decent enough inside with a large room which was empty on our Friday dinner visit, the pub was a Vaux tied house so we were well pleased as we had not done many of them.


We had a drink of Vaux bitter which went down well.

Interior from Red Rose Collections.

Currently the Ukraine Unit Donation Centre.

Our group was created in February 2022 to try and help raise awareness of the crisis in Ukraine and to help organise and coordinate local efforts to send support from across the Borough of Chorley in Lancashire. We have since grown into a major hub for donations.

Across Chorley & District multiple educational facilities, community groups and organisations reacted and began to spread awareness and collect donations. In order to sift and sort a lot of local donations, a unit has been loaned by Chorley Council. A large percentage of the region’s aid has come into this unit and we are regularly packaging aid and supplies in preparation for the next leg of the journey to Ukraine, whether it’s transported there by us or other charitable organisations.

Our philosophy is that if we can all do a little bit, together we can make a big difference.

Bouncing back to what was and never shall be no more Barclays Bank.

Almost finally we find ourselves at the Council Offices 1982.

You will be delighted to hear that Chorley Council has a Masterplan

Self Architects generated a high level Masterplan for this prominent site. The scheme proposes a boutique hotel, offices, restaurants/bars, along with apartments, aiming to transform the town centre by intervention to enhance the overall vision by:

  • Establish a series of formal/informal public spaces
  • Diagonally link public spaces
  • Greening pedestrian streets
  • Reducing dominance of cars
  • Improving evening economy

Having a moment or two on my hands I ventured to the land beyond beyond – the land of the concrete bench, bin and planter combo.

They are on Hollinshead Street.

Google Streetview 2022.

Wigan Walk – 2026

Posted on by modernmoocher

It’s been four years since our 2022 Wigan Walk – so time to see if there has been a refreshing change.

Beginning with a trip to the former flicks, the Princes Cinema now trading as Pure nightclub, sometimes home to Singo Bingo.

Originally the site of New Princes Theatre, opened on the 1st May 1911, the cinema was demolished and replaced, on an adjacent plot, by Princes Cinema in 1933.

Onward now to see the three Telephone Exchanges.

Interwar

Sixties

Ofd special note the adjacent Electrical Substation of the day.

Plus extra added military history.

Seventies

Tucked in behind the Telephone Exchange are several streets of Edwardian social housing – the Spring Gardens Scheme of 1905.

The property is practically paying its way, and all the present generation has to find is a small sum of ninety odd pounds for sinking funds. For this we get fifty-nine families decently housed, the rateable value of the town increased, a slum abolished, an eyesore removed, the health of the inhabitants remarkably improved, their environment made clean, refined, and elevating, whilst our successors in 1959 will inherit an unencumbered estate.

Municipal Dreams

Next to the Wigan Post Office Sorting Office 1959.

Next we take a look at the Bus Station.

Wigan’s original bus station was on Market Square.

Image Wigan World

It was demolished in 1985 as part of a wider redevelopment of the town centre to make way for the Galleries Shopping Centre. A new bus station, built at a cost of £2.3 million, began construction in April 1986, and opened in November 1987.

Wikipedia

Transport for Greater Manchester commissioned Austin-Smith:Lord to design a replacement nineteen stand £15.7m bus station in Wigan Town Centre, the project was completed in October 2018.

Construction images – Bee Network.

Around the corner to the Wigan & Leigh College.

The original building of 1954 by Howard V Lobb G Grenfell Bains & Hargreaves, with later extension.

There have been several phases of redevelopment and new build in recent years.

This block of the Technical School has been demolished since my last visit.

Thomas Linacre Technical School for Boys mural 1954.

Image – RIBA pix

Across the road the former Grammar School.

Wigan Grammar School was founded in 1597 and closed in 1972, as part of the comprehensive education movement.

It then became Mesnes High School, and subsequently Wigan College’s Mesnes Building in 1989. 

Since 2003, it has been known as the Thomas Linacre Centre and is an out-patient department for the Wrightington Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust.

It was designated a Grade II listed building in 1997.

Architect: A E Munby

DJ Russ Winstanley was a former pupil, here he is in 1975 at the Wigan Casino holding up a copy of Footsee by Wigan’s Chosen Few b/w Seven Days Too Long by Chuck Wood.

On Millgate we find the former Wigan Civic Centre.

Once it was all boarded up with nowhere to go.

Subsequently resuscitated by Capital&Centric.

Across the way the new Library and Life Centre by Astudio and LCE Architects.

Down the road is the recently refurbished Leisure Centre.

Built on the site of the International Swimming Pool – opened 1968 demolished 2010.

Across the way to Scholes Comprehensive Development 1964

Five thirteen-storey tower blocks adjacent to Douglas House in Scholes were approved in 1964. Lower-rise housing and flats spread to the east. In 1968, a further 13-storey block, Boyswell House, was built at this eastern end of the Scholes Comprehensive Development Area. Almost 500 slum houses, housing 566 families, were demolished that same year and 581 new council homes completed.

Municipal Dreams

Image – Tower Block 1987

Next to the Roger Booth cop shop that became a Premier Inn.

A super-comfy bed, blackout curtains, a powerful shower and free Wi-Fi – our double rooms have everything you’ll need for a great night’s sleep.

Next door the Wigan & Leigh Courthouse 1992 Wigan MBC Architect.

Relief figure of justice by Christine Ward.

Onward to Brocol House – currently home to the Job Centre

Image – Wigan Peers

Originally built for the Inland Revenue one the site of the Brewers Arms – has the welcoming charm shared by the majority of Ministry of Works buildings of the period.

Nearly done – up the road to the County Playhouse.

Which masquerades as Ibiza.

The club’s atmosphere is defined by thumping music and a vibrant crowd eager to dance and celebrate. Its modern interior design complements the lively ambience, creating an inviting space for locals and visitors alike.

Construction began on the County Playhouse in 1916. However, due to a shortage of materials and labour during World War I, it was not completed until 1919.

Finally opened on 22nd December 1919 with The Hun Within – starring Dorothy Gish.

The County Playhouse closed on Sunday 13th November 1966 with Disney’s “The Sword and the Stone”. It was taken over by the Leeds Based Star Cinemas chain and they converted it into Star Bingo and Social Club opened on 24th November 1966.

MAS sales store 1982 – Frank Orrell Photography

The building has since been used as a discount store and Playhouse Club Café. It then became home to the 1,200 capacity Pure Nightclub. In the early-2000’s it became the Ibiza nightclub. The Pure nightclub move into the former Princes Cinema

Cinema Treasures

Time for a swift half in The George to end your tour?

Great for a local pint one of the cheapest in Wigan I believe, slightly rough at times but no fights just real local people who are generally friendly. Proper drinking gaff, and karaoke on certain nights.

Use Your Local

Wigan Civic Centre 2026

Posted on by modernmoocher

Over ten years ago I visited Wigan Civic Centre.

It looked a lot like this:

The current Pevsner Guide remarks:

1971 built of a pre-cast concrete panel system, dour, on an awkwardly sloping site.

I beg to differ – what’s the opposite of dour?

So says the online Thesaurus – and I heartily concur, for the whole building has had a makeover and a half.

Civic is a super energy-efficient workspace in the centre of Wigan town centre. The BREEAM Excellent building has space for business of all sizes, from desks for solo start-ups, all the way to big open plan offices with their own front door.

The brutalist beast has been lovingly restored by Capital&Centric to celebrate its architecture, with original waffle ceilings, corduroy concrete and stunning feature windows that flood the space with light.

Capital&Centric

The redevelopment was supported by cash from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund – UKSPF.

Dave Molyneux, the leader of Wigan Council, said:

I had an office in here for quite a while and it had that 1970s retro, concrete building style but this is something special. 

For businesses, we’re probably the best located local authority in Greater Manchester because of the West Coast Main Line and the M6 motorway.

BBC

It was great to visit and tour Wigan Civic Centre on Millgate, to see the inspiring work being done to create sustainable workspaces and amenities in the centre of our town. This development, alongside others taking place and planned across the North West, will help to revitalise our public spaces

Lisa Nandy MP

The refit was handled by shedkm.

With students, start-ups and professionals situating themselves elsewhere in Greater Manchester, Wigan town had been missing out on the economic and cultural vitality that high quality workspace brings. Civic’s transformation represents not just the overhaul of a tired concrete building, but a wider renewal of place and opportunity for Wigan.

Main interior contractors were Workspace Design & Build.

Working with Wigan Council and Capital & Centric, we completed the refurbishment of the 50,000 sq ft building that is Wigan Civic Centre. Delivering aspirational office accommodation to stimulate economic growth with the goal to create a lasting social impact in Wigan. In addition to exemplar market-leading workspace, amenities include a rooftop terrace, mini cinema, gym studio and co-working/coffee shop space.

Here’s the exterior.

Many thanks to the Cotton Café Bar for kindly allowing us in after hours.

Diners image Canning O’Neill – spaces to let.

Ultimately, civic stands as a symbol of optimism for Wigan, proving that intelligent commercial design can catalyse economic renewal, secure a sustainable future, and truly lift a town’s spirits, without erasing its history. It is a gold standard for the adaptive reuse of 20th-century landmarks.

Judge, BCO Awards 2026

Open for business bob along pronto.

Ardwick Walk Again

Posted on by modernmoocher

1824

1904

2025

Previously in February 2022 I walked the fair streets of Ardwick.

Three and a bit years on it was time to see what had been coming and going on.

The Central Manchester Primary Substation on Travis Street is still there.

The building was cladded with a COR-TEN® steel envelope, the nature of which was relatively complex.

Corten steel sets itself apart due to the inclusion of unique alloying elements: chromium, nickel, copper and added phosphorous which gives the steel its self-protecting properties.

Architect: Walker Simpson

Immediately adjacent are Platforms Thirteen and Fourteen, bridged over the roadway by this vast concrete construction.

Platform 14 is primitive, I understand totally from an infrastructure standpoint because it’s on a bypass line on a bridge, but it gets too overcrowded and is windswept. The rest of the station is ok. Platforms 13/14 have not changed in 40 years, grim.

We the pass to the former BT Building – architects JW Hammond 1973.

Originally conceived as a hotel, there were no takers at the time, so it became the BT HQ.

Currently Marriot Hotel Piccadilly

Comprising 338 rooms, Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly is near a shopping district, a 10-minute ride from Etihad Stadium. Offering a location right in the centre of a beautiful neighbourhood, this comfortable hotel boasts a lounge bar along with city views.

It is supported on the most magnificent piloti.

Over the road the Holloway Wall 1968 – Grade II listed but its remodelling is in the air.

The developer’s architects now propose to ‘reimagine’ the artwork and incorporate it into the foyer of the new office building. However, this ‘reimagining’ requires large sections of the artwork to be removed by cutting away and ‘folding’ around 30% of the sculpture.

Modernist

The remainder of the UMIST site is also under threat – only the Renold Building is listed and to be retained intact.

Lecture Theatre, along with the Maths and Sciences Building.

Seen here under construction before the arrival of the Mancunian Way extension.

The Mancunian Way extension opened in 1992.

From beneath the roadway we can see the Ferranti Building.

Crossing over to see the Brunswick Estate, built in the Sixties and Seventies and recently refurbished.

S4B is a partnership leading the £106m regeneration of Brunswick, Manchester. The Brunswick Regeneration PFI is a combination of government funding, private investment and expertise that will revitalise Brunswick. Improvements will include council home refurbishments, new homes for sale and to rent and an improved neighbourhood design.

Pro Manchester

Long gone lost estate pub from the estate – King William IV a former Chesters then Whitbread estate pub was built in 1967. Closed in 1996 when it was converted to residential property. It had a brief spell 1991 to 1995 as brewery premises for the Dobbin’s West Coast Brewery, during this period the interior was stripped out to accommodate the brewery paraphernalia.

We take a jog around the block to see the concrete relief that clads the road ramp.

Where there was once a giant Cooperative Store there is now a light industrial and retail estate.

And the Honey Bear Discounter has become Spirit Studios.

And the Barracks has become the Fabric Church.

The Diocese of Manchester has been working in partnership with the Church Revitalisation Trust to open Fabric Church and refurbish the building, following a successful bid to the Church of England’s Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board.

We’re excited to be working alongside Fabric Church on the transformation of the Grade II listed former Ardwick Barracks in Manchester. This ambitious refurbishment project will see the historic site reimagined as a vibrant community hub, featuring a new worship hall, community café, offices, meeting spaces, and more.

Hexaconsulting

Alongside Ardwick Green Park there are new housing developments nearing completion.

Ardwick Green combines contemporary design with great light infused spaces, offering stylish homes with a modern twist, private parking, outdoor spaces and a welcoming community atmosphere an urban retreat that truly feels like home.

With the city just moments away, living at Ardwick Green will give homeowners easy access to Manchester City Centre and beyond with its vibrant social scene, bustling business landscape and extensive transport network on your doorstep. 

Step Places

The area is home to a mixed and mongrel bunch of homes.

Though these interwar flats, seen here in 1956, are now long gone.

Within the park is a glacial erratic, which arrived following the Last Glacial Period .

Without which much of what we understand as the modern age would possibly not now exist.

It appears to be green slate from the Lake District, the native underlying rock in this part of Manchester is a red sandstone.

Postcard of 1906

The Apollo of course prevails. – seen here in 1958

Architects: Peter Cummings Alex M Irvine

Opened on 29th August 1938 the interior decorations were carried out by noted interior designers Mollo & Egan with the Holophane lighting designed by R Gillespie Williams.

This Sixties municipal building remains a mystery.

Actor Harry H Corbett visiting his childhood area in 1969, he lived on Earl Street and later in Wythenshawe.

Stafford Walk

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To begin at the beginning – we arrive at Stafford Railway Station.

The current station was built in 1962, by the architect William Robert Headley, as part of the modernisation programme which saw the electrification of the West Coast Main Line.

Illustration: John Greene

On leaving the station there is an as yet partially un-let Sixties office block to let – Victoria Park House.

Onward to the County Technical College 1937 Grade II Listed – interior completed 1946.

The shell of the building was completed in 1937, after which it was used as an American army hospital during the war, then completed afterwards. 

Heavily loaded with Art Deco details.

The new £28m three-storey Skills & Innovation Centre at Stafford College, completed in August 2023, was one of the first further education college schemes to be delivered under the DfE framework and a pathfinder scheme for delivery in accordance with the Further Education Output Specification. The new Centre is equipped with cutting-edge equipment and state-of-the-art facilities for construction, engineering and hybrid / electric vehicle maintenance facilities, as well as IT rich seminar suites and open learning break-out spaces along with a 4-court sports hall, a fully-equipped gym and a flexible 300-seat auditorium.

Ellis Williams

A 1970’s block was demolished to make way for the new development.

Almost everywhere we go we find a PoMo Crown Courts 1991 – architects: Associated Architects of Birmingham, cost of £10.4 million.

The war memorial of 1922 is by Joseph James Whitehead.

Sneaking through the alley to and before the McDonalds – one many more recent buildings with jetted lead clad bays.

Keeping the town Tudor one bay at a time..

Further along a Sixties Boots.

The Classical stone frontage of the Guildhall Shopping Centre.

Working with Mercia Real Estate, Glancy Nicholls Architects have designed a contextual mixed-use scheme in the heart of Stafford Town Centre, within the footprint of a disused shopping centre. This includes the regeneration of the 1930’s Guildhall building that serves as the main entrance to the shopping centre and the listed Market Square building. 

Glancy Nicholls

On the corner a Santander Bank

Across the way an understated Burton’s.

Around the corner a somewhat neglected retail development.

And a long lost Wilko.

Amidst it all the curious time warp that is Trinity Church 1988.

It is used by Methodist and United Reformed Church congregations.

Tucked away in a minor maze of retail a piece of figurative commemorative public art by Glynis Owen Jones, entitled Stafford Faces.

Around the corner a big B&M.

Further along a brick FoB Telephone Exchange of 1959.

Adjoined by the County Records building.

Pringle Richards Sharratt Architects have been appointed by Staffordshire County Council to create a new History Centre for Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent.

The new £4m centre will be located on Eastgate Street in Stafford and will hold historical records and collections up to 1,000 years old.

The scheme will help to provide a rejuvenated service combining the existing Records Office building and William Salt Library, in Stafford and provide a welcoming destination for all of those with an interest in local history. This will include bringing on to the Stafford site the Lichfield Records Office and aspects of the County museum.

Further FoB in the Civic Building.

Close by the Staffordshire Place a civic and retail mixed use development.

Our scheme delivers 135,000 ft2 of high quality contemporary office space across two buildings linked by a new town square. The ground floor incorporates a mix of retail and leisure uses around
a sequence of smaller public spaces to maximise the amount of visible active frontage and create a natural extension to the town centre.

Sustainability issues fundamentally informed the design approach, from mitigating energy consumption to ‘future proofing’ the finished building. The building achieves a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating and a European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive Rating ‘A’.

3D Reid

Surprise surprise another retail development Riverside.

£70m riverside town centre retail and leisure development in the heart of Stafford. The 230,000 sq. ft. scheme anchored by M&S will deliver 18 retail units arranged over ground and first floors, five leisure units and a six-screen cinema to complement and strengthen the town centre economy and create new businesses and jobs.

Harris Partnership

Stafford’s £100 million Riverside development was officially launching today with two high street chains open for business on August 4th 2016.

None of this can detract from the monolithic complex Telephone Exchange.

Onwards across the main road past the Asda and up the road to Pennycrofts Court.

Featuring a split level garage facility.

The just around the corner this little corner of Vienna in Stafford – Corporation Street Flats.

Coniston, Windemere and Rydal were among the first council homes to be built in Stafford, between 1951-52, under the direction of County Architect CM Coombes.

The flats were built as a result of The Housing – Financial and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1946, which gave subsidies to local authorities to provide social housing. The expansion of the Borough Council’s civic duties included the employment of County Architects, in this case CM Coombes FRIBA, to whom these flats are attributed. 

54 flats were built in total, to a distinctly Modernist design, and their appearance and setting are very well preserved.

Let’s head back into the town centre – to the Grade II Listed Picture House 1914

Architectural alterations made by: Captain Fred Campbell in 1930.

The Picture House was closed on 30th March 1995 after a three week run of Disclosure starring Michael Douglas, there were seventy eight attending the final performance.

Cinema Treasures.

Close by the former Odeon

Architects: Roland Satchwell 1936

It was disposed of by the Rank Organisation in July 1981 and was taken over by the Hutchinson Leisure Group who re-named it Astra Cinema. In December 1981 it was tripled with 435 seats in the former stalls and two mini cinemas in the former circle seating 170 and 168.

In 1988 it was taken over by Apollo Cinemas and re-named Apollo Cinema. The downstairs cinema was closed and became a bingo club for a couple of years, during which time the two mini cinemas in the former circle remained open. The bingo operation gave way to films again in 1990 and all three screens were again open, with seating for 305, 170 and 164. In January 2014 it was taken over by the Curzon Cinemas chain and renamed Stafford Cinema.

It was closed on 18th December 2017 with Star Wars:The Last Jedi.

Cinema Treasures

Onwards but backwards to the Civic Centre.

Tiled mural by Brian Lambert 1979

Finally arriving at this lively aggregate gable.

Blackburn Walk

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Arriving at the Railway Station

The station was covered by twin train sheds, an architecturally detailed canopy that covered all platforms. In 2000, due to its decaying state, it was removed, changing the nature of the station in a £35 million regeneration project. A new building was built on the main island platform. The Grade II listed original entrance built in the 1880s,including the station buffet and former booking hall, was retained and refurbished.

Wikipedia

Facing the station the 2015 development of hotel and office space.

Arriving by train into Blackburn Rail Station, visitors get the full impact of this carefully planned but ambitious regeneration project. Maple Grove’s aspiration was to offer something befitting of a city centre in one of the region’s largest towns.  Cathedral Square comprises a six storey BREEAM Excellent office building, designed by BDP, a Premier Inn Hotel, restaurants and cafes positioned around a new public square that acts as a link between the rail station, cathedral and beyond to the shopping centre.

Left onto Jubilee Street where we find the Telephone Exchange.

The site was formerly occupied by the Grand Theatre – in the 1950’s, Blackburn had no fewer than fourteen cinemas.  The Grand carried on being a live venue until its closure in 1956, before finally being demolished in 1958.

Blackburn Past

Further down the road the rear of another former cinema – The Olympia

The Olympia was opened on 19th May 1909 as a roller skating rink. It was a short lived venture and closed in November 1911. It was converted into the Olympia Theatre, presenting music hall/variety, opening on 12th December 1911. Seating was provided for 2,000, many on long wooden benches. The proscenium was 32 feet wide and the stage 50 feet deep. It was soon screening films as part of the programme.

It was converted into a full time cinema in 1921, although there were still some variety acts on the programme. All the original wooden benches used for seating in the theatre were removed and replaced by regular tip-up seats, reducing the seating capacity to 1,360. During the 1940’s, the Olympia Cinema boasted a café for the convenience of its patrons and it was operated by Jacksons’ Amusements, Ltd.

The Olympia Cinema was mainly independently operated, and closed in 1957. It stood empty for two years, then in 1959, it was taken over by Mecca Ltd, and converted into the Locarno Ballroom, later becoming a Mecca Bingo Club. It later became the Golden Palms Nightclub, Jumpin’ Jax, and since 2009 it operated as a trendy nightclub named Liquid & Envy.

Cinema Treasures

By July 2018 it was known as Switch.

Across the way The Central Hall.

Previous to 1900 the site at the corner of Mincing Lane and Mill Lane had housed a temporary circus, known as Ohmy’s Circus. The New Central Hall was built and opened in April 1900, and was used as a roller skating rink until November 1909, when it was converted into the 1,000-seat Central Hall Cinema.

Altered and enlarged to 1,372 seats in 1923, it was re-named New Central Hall Cinema. The proscenium was 20 feet wide, later enlarged to 22 feet.

The Central Cinema was closed in January 1957. Then in 1974, it was renovated and was converted into a Walkers Bingo Club, which remained open until at least 1995. It recently operated as a Riley’s American Pool and Snooker Club until early 2009. In November 2009 after a refurbishment, it re-opened as the VIP Snooker Club.

Cinema Treasures

Turn right into Darwen Street along to the former Barclays Bank.

Next door Lloyd’s Bank extension.

On Astley Gate the brown tiled remains of the Shopping Centre now known as The Mall.

The shopping centre was built in three phases, with the final phase opening in 1979. The centre was refurbished in 1995, during which the lower floor of the former Co-Operative Department Store was transformed into the Ainsworth Mall.

The centre was bought by Standard Life in 1993 and its name was subsequently changed to Blackburn Shopping Centre. Standard Life sold the centre in 2003 to Reit Asset Management.

In 2004, Reit Asset Management sold the centre to The Mall Fund. The centre was sold again in 2022 to the Adhan Group from The Mall Fund for £40 million.

Wikipedia

Around the corner the Mother and Child monument, created by Welsh sculptor Robert Thomas in 1974, who used his wife and child as models.

In 1974 the statue was placed in Lord Square, removed in 2007 and placed in storage, it was placed in Cardwell Place in 2012.

The Mall has been significantly remodelled, along with the adjacent Tower Block.

Above the Mall is a dizzying array of multi storey car parks – reflecting the various stages of development.

Next to the Central Library, the former Co-op Emporium by Walter Stirrup in Town Hall Street, opened in 1930, was converted into a £1m library by BDP, it opened on September 1st 1975.

Onward to 10 Duke Street – home to council offices and the NHS, the Tower Block is now no longer in use.

Blackburn’s former town hall tower block has over the years become one of our most recognisable buildings.  Sadly it is now starting to be given derogatory names, such as the ‘Big Empty’ and ‘Mothballed Monolith’.  But compared to how it looked some years ago, before being reclad in today’s design, it still impresses many visitors to our town.  Wouldn’t it be great if Blackburn’s ‘Big Empty’ could become full again.

Roving Mick

These tower blocks were the flats at Queens Park and in the background you can see the co-called ‘deck-access’ flats at Shadsworth.

Bowland House was one of three tower blocks built in 1963 and the only one still standing after the others, Ribble and Pendle, were torn down in 2001 to be replaced by homes.

In 2022 Bowland House was refurbished.

Former four-time World Superbike champion Carl Fogarty was the guest of honour as Great Places’ Bowland House in Blackburn was officially unveiled.

Lancs Live

On the approach to Birley Street we walk through a mixed development of low rise housing, set in grassed and pedestrianised areas.

Birley Street Tower Blocks

Three thirteen-storey slab blocks built as public housing using the Sectra industrialised building system. The blocks contain 183 dwellings in total, consisting of 72 one-bedroom flats and 111 two-bedroom flats. The blocks are of storiform construction clad with precast concrete panels. The panels are faced with exposed white Cornish aggregate. Spandrel panels set with black Shap granite aggregate are used under the gable kitchen windows. The blocks were designed by the Borough architect in association with Sydney Greenwood. Construction was approved by committee in 1966.

Pastscape

1987 view of Birley Street development, with Trinity Court in the foreground: Tower Block

Back now into the centre – passing the now empty site of Thwaites Brewery, demolished in 2019.

Also missing in action is the 1960’s Market Hall – architect Tom Brennan.

The new Bus Station designed by Capita Symonds – replacing the old bus station.

The outward facing elements of the building are flat and orthogonal. In contrast, the underside of the canopy is free flowing and consists of a number of glazed slots cut in the canopy to allow daylight to penetrate onto the concourse area. Directly below each of the slots is a hanging loop which appears to be pulled down from the canopy to reveal a glazed opening. The composition of these draws inspiration from the cotton weaving looms, and drying cotton bundles, a reference to the town’s industrial past.

There are four loop types (A, B, C & D) which are arranged to alter the scale of the concourse and create a rhythm of peaks and troughs along its length. Loop A is designed to provide support to the whole canopy allowing the canopy to appear as one floating unified element.

Archello

Tucked away this mosaic panorama of the town.

Newspaper House – once the home to the Lancashire Telegraph, converted to apartments in 2017.

Finally to the Garde II* listed Blackburn Cathedral church – since 1926, formerly parish church, 1820-6 by John Palmer of Manchester.

Central concrete corona by Lawrence King 1961 – it was rebuilt in stone by Brian Lowe in 1998.

The Healing of Nations in steel and copper by Mark Jalland 2001.

It is a reflection on the opening of chapter 22 of the book of Revelation, new Jerusalem, and ‘the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations’.

Traditionally a stained-glass window at the east end of a cathedral would reflect a spectrum of light into the building but this sculpture projects the light out in a kaleidoscope of colour reminding us of Jesus the light of the world and the hope that we have in him. 

Annunciation and Christ in Majesty sculptures by Siegfried Pietsch 1965.

Crown of Thorns by John Hayward.

Lantern stained glass 1999 by Linda Hadfield, formerly Walton.

Further work by John Hayward.

Josefina de Vasconcellos

Tib Street Manchester – Johnson & Nephew

Posted on by modernmoocher

Thanks to L Kaye and the Manchester Local Image Collection there is a photographic record of Tib Street through the years.

Shot on 35mm black and white film, cautiously clad in gaberdine and trilby. The legwork aside the processing and printing of a whole heap of exposures was a gargantuan task.

Chapeau!

Mr L Kaye member of the Manchester Amateur Photographic Society.

The street is named for the culverted River Tib.

The river’s source is a spring in Miles Platting , from where it flows underneath Oldham Road and the eponymous Tib Street to reach the city centre. After flowing underneath West Mosley Street, the Tib crosses Princess Street to flow underneath the Manchester Town Hall Extension, the Central Library and the Midland Hotel’s dining room, before joining the Medlock at Gaythorn (now First Street,  close to Deansgate railway station.

Wikipedia

The distinctive street signs the work of my old pal Tim Rushton.

There are those who will remember Tib Street, as a street of pet shops.

Whilst on Sundays the area was transformed into an al fresco menagerie – a land of caged birds and cuddly coneys.

I have long been curious about the faience fronted shop on the corner of Tib and Swan Streets, it featured on my modernist mooch around the north of the city centre.

I have been informed by Lee Hutchings that it had originally been home to Tuttils Ltd.

Ensign Cameras existed until 1961.

It was also, formerly the showrooms for local manufacturers Johnson & Nephew.

Here it is in 1959 – with a Burton’s for a neighbour.

Pragmatic Manchester is far from awash with Art Deco – the lost Paramount/Odeon of Oxford Street comes to mind, demolished in 2017.

The Paramount Theatre was built in 1930 to the designs of architects Frank T. Verity & Samuel Beverley for the U.K. arm of the American Paramount Theatres Ltd. chain. The Manchester Paramount Theatre was a sumptuous American import.

Cinema Treasures

Along with the Rylands Building on High Street – currently receiving a facelift following the demise of Debenhams.

The building was originally built as a warehouse by J. Gerrard & Sons of Swinton for the Rylands textile company, which was founded by the entrepreneur John Rylands. That firm had occupied warehouses in High Street ever since 1822; its west-facing side is on High Street. The building was designed by the eminent Manchester architects, Fairhursts – Harry S. & P. G. Fairhurst, in an Art Deco style. It is clad in Portland stone and features a decorative corner tower and eclectic ‘zig zag’ window lintels. The work was completed in 1932.

Wikipedia

Rylands will be sensitively restored to its elegant past. The building will comprise workspace, retail and leisure, creating an exciting new destination in Central Manchester.

Rylands

Also of note are the works of Joe Sunlight the Express Building and Kendals.

The Tib/Swan Street site has now ceased trading as the last of the area’s pet shops.

Time alone will tell what fate awaits it.

Bury Walk

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Arriving at and looking around the Interchange – 1980 architects: Essex Goodman & Suggitt

It is the northern terminus of the Manchester Metrolink’s Bury Line, which prior to 1992 was a heavy-rail line.

A new short spur line was constructed to connect the new station. The railway had originally run into Bury Bolton Street which was further away from the town centre, and was closed by British Rail on the same day that Bury Interchange opened.

It also incorporates a bus station.

Bury Interchange replaced the bus termini scattered around Bury town centre, notably around Kay Gardens.

Wikipedia

Image courtesy of Roy Banks

An £80m transformation is coming to the Bury Interchange, which will see step-free access at the Metrolink, a “vertical circulation core” to better connect the Metrolink with the bus facility, and an integrated travel hub with spaces for cycle storage.

The work is much-needed, explained Transport for Greater Manchester’s Alan Lowe, he said that the interchange was built in the 1980s and very much is of its time.

Onward to the Art Picture House which is Grade II Listed – currently operating as a Wetherspoons.

The Art Picture Palace was a 1923 rebuild of the earlier Art Picture Hall both designed by architect Albert Winstanley. The Art Picture Palace was opened on 26th January 1923. A remarkably complete survivor of a 1920’s cine-variety house executed in an elaborate style.

Films ceased in February 1965 and it became a bingo club. Later converted into a billiard hall until 19th May 1991 when it became a bingo club again, it later became a Chicago Rock Cafe.

Cinema Treasures

Next door a typical steel glass and brick banded office block Maple House.

Around the corner and over the road to the Town Hall 1939-40 architects: Reginald Edmonds of Jackson & Edmonds then 1947-54.

Large and Dull – Niklaus Pevsner.

Back through the Interchange to the former Cooperative Store of the 1930’s.

The Portland Stone towers still visible – the elevation largely retro-clad in glass.

Passing through the Millgate Shopping Centre of the 1980’s.

Unambitious but successful, the floors cheerfully tiled – Niklaus Pevsner.

Down in the subway at midday.

The better to get a view of the Market Hall 1971 – architects: Harry S Fairhurst.

The Indoor Market Hall is currently closed due to the discovery of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete – within the building structure. RAAC is a lightweight type of building material that was used between the 1950s and 1990s.

Back under the road – where we find a delightful Telephone Exchange.

With an adjacent Multi Story Car Park.

Around the bend to The Rock.

The Rock is a vibrant retail and leisure centre which is home to a range of high street fashion brands, independent retailers, tantalising eateries and fantastic entertainment – it’s the perfect place to visit any day of the week. 

It is the work of architects BDP – completed in 2010 at a cost of £350 million.

Our masterplan for The Rock took into account the historical street pattern and public realm context to give the scheme its own identity, and make visual connections to local landmarks.

The retail and leisure scheme brings many exciting brands to Bury for the first time.

New pedestrian streets rejuvenate and improve connections to adjacent areas stitching the town back together.

The development will also contain 408 one and two-bedroom apartments.

Back to basics at a former Burton’s hiding its faience facade.

Typical inter-war infill on our crazy mixed up mongrel high streets.

Ribblesdale House

Application by Shop and Store Developments Ltd submitted August 1965. Architect on application was Samuel Jackson and Son of Ocean Chambers in Bradford but during the application process this changed to John Brunton & Partners – Brunton was a partner in Jackson’s firm, at the same address. It had a restaurant and shops on the first floor.

Off now to the Bury Bolton Street Station – currently home to the East Lancashire Railway.

The street level buildings were destroyed by fire on 14 May 1947 and were replaced with a new brick and concrete entrance and footbridge in 1952. 

British Rail closed the station on 17 March 1980, when it was replaced by a new bus/rail interchange station further east into the town centre. Bury Interchange railway station served up until 1991 before the entire Bury Line was converted to light rail operation. It reopened in 1992 for Metrolink operation.

Bury was once the centre of multiple train links and the lost station of Knowsley Street.

Over the road the former Temperance Billiard Hall 1910 architect Norman Evans.

Down the side and up the steps to the Unitarian Church.

The new church was designed and constructed by local architects James T Ratcliffe.

The church was opened in 1974, with a service of dedication on Saturday, 9th March. The total cost, including furnishings, was £85,000.

The People Praising by Elizabeth Mulchinock is a 12 foot high original sculpture at the front of the church which represents the family of the church.

Her work can also be seen at Sainsbury’s in West Ealing and Reading.

Next door is the former Trustee Saving Bank.

Planning application January 1965 – work started in June 1965. The architectural firm was Richard Byrom, Hill and partners. Richard Byrom was submitting building applications in the 1930s in Bury and locally.

The rendering on the building is original but the windows have been changed. The Job Centre took over the building in 1993. It is in a conservation area and the Civic Trust had some concerns!

Many thanks to David French for the above information.

Shrewsbury Walk

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On leaving the front of the railway station – we see the former Granada Cinema.

Architects: Cecil Aubrey Masey

Built and operated by Shrewsbury Empires Ltd, the Granada Theatre opened on 14th November 1934 with Jack Hulbert in The Camels Are Coming.

It closed as a cinema on 31st March 1973 with Charles Bronson in The Valachi Papers and Anatomy of a Pin-Up.

The Granada circuit was famous for its lavishly decorated interiors created by a Russian émigré called Theodore Komisarjevsky, the most famous examples of which are at Woolwich and Tooting – both now operate as bingo halls. The Shrewsbury Granada was by far the best cinema in the area, and in addition to Komisjarevsky, the scheme was designed by Cecil Massey, with some work being carried out by a local architect called Arthur Williams. The architecture of the Shrewsbury hall is often referred to as being a “standard” Granada, and the interior was very similar to the Granadas at Bedford now demolished and Maidstone which wasdestroyed by sub-division. There were less than 20 theatres built for the circuit, of which Shrewsbury was number five, although many existing cinemas were taken over and renamed, making the Granada Theatres an important group, although in numbers they were far behind Odeon and ABC.

Ian Grundy

On 17th November 1995, the Granada Theatre was designated a Grade II Listed building by English Heritage.

Many thanks to the staff of Buzz Bingo for allowing us access.

Next up is a Marks & Spencers store very much a shop of two halves – marrying post-war Brutalism with interwar Classicism, unified by a glazed ground floor.

Across the way, a 60s corner site development, with a dual-entry Greggs.

Formerly the site of the Post Office – demolished in 1959, and next to the Barclays bank the long gone Crown Hotel.

On the adjacent corner a curvaceous Barclays Bank, built in the post war Ministry of Works manner.

Next door is Crown House – refurbished but with it’s architectural type intact.

One of Marshall Structures’ biggest projects to date was the conversion of Crown House from a tired office block to a complex featuring 14 luxury apartments, providing a much-needed improvement to the site. The work involved in this project included large amounts of steel work and timber design.

The biggest challenge faced during the completion of this project was trying to fit an additional storey without loading quite an old existing structure. To do this, the new storey was designed out of a lightweight timber frame. By doing this, the client’s brief could be met while also ensuring that the existing 1950s building wasn’t overloaded in the process.

Marshall Structures

Directly across the road, this retail and office development.

Next up some tricky brickwork on the Wyle Cop Car Park.

Formerly Kennings latterly Signpost Motors Fiat dealer.

Very badly run carpark, one machine broken, other not taking cards or cash.

Great place with a lot of parking space.

Onwards onwards across the river toward Shirehall.

Architect: Ralph Vernon Crowe – 1966

Ribapix 1967

The foundation stone for the new building was laid by Sir Offley Wakeman, a former chairman of the county council, on 25 July 1964. It was designed by Ralph Crowe, the County Architect, in the Modernist style, built at a cost of £1.8 million and was completed in April 1966.

Pevsner described the building as – the major monument to post-war modernism in the county.

The Shrewsbury Civic Society is fighting hard to prevent the demolition.

There are archive photographs of the interior here.

Back into town to take a look at the Telephone Exchange.

Next to the Market Hall.

The Market Hall, which includes the town’s 240ft clock tower, an indoor market and a ground-floor shopping centre, was hailed the most modern building in Shropshire when it opened in September 1965.

Developed by the Second Covent Garden Property Company Ltd to replace an ailing Victorian market hall, it cost £1 million to build and was designed by award-winning architect David du Roi Aberdeen who also famously designed the Trade Union Congress headquarters, Congress House, in London, and the Swiss Centre in Leicester Square. 

Today the Market Hall’s 1960’s architecture might not be to everyone’s taste, but its indoor market is thriving with over 70 small businesses ranging from popular contemporary cafes and gift retailers to artisan producers and traditional market stalls selling fresh produce.

Shropshire Live

More of the Market Hall here.

Bobbing toward the centre – a striking Lloyds Bank.

A conscious effort to reflect the nearby Tudor architecture of Ireland’s Mansion and Pride Hill. Lloyds Bank is considered a good example of Brutalist architecture, and proof that bold modern buildings can be successfully slotted into traditional historic streets.

Original Shrewsbury

Possibly Shrewsbury’s finest post-war building, but of course it has its detractors. It was well received by critics of the period including the assessors for the Civic Trust who bestowed an award in 1968. They noted the quandary that the architects faced of building in such a historic setting and terminating the vista along one of the town centre’s main streets. In their opinion the architects ‘faced the problem squarely and their building, brave in its conception and immaculate in its detail’ and that it was ‘uncompromisingly of today but beautifully sympathetic to the great buildings it rests with’. Pevsner’s original assessment of it being the ‘boldest modern response to the town’s half-timbering’ was not shared by the authors who revised the Shropshire edition and viewed it as an ‘aggressive display of exposed and textured concrete’.

It was also shortlisted for the European Cement Association awards, one of only two British buildings to make the grade. Opting to draw on the Tudor traditions of the town, partner W Marsden, working with project architect W Allan Clark and assistants Malcolm Lovibond and Keith Maplestone, used cantilevered floors, vertical structural and sub-structural members, oriel windows and a black and white tonal palette deploying anodized aluminium window frames against finely ribbed concrete panels. The standing seam zinc roof adopted the town’s norm of pitched roofs without gables in order to blend with the street scene. Concrete Quarterly referred to it as ‘a skilful bridging of the centuries in a way that would not offend a purist’ . The main contractor was Henry Willcock and Company Limited.

Mainstream Modern

Nearby more modern infill sits alongside the historic half timbered heritage.

Next down Raven Meadows to the Raven Meadows Car Park, built by Truscon Ltd in 1969.

Which also houses the Bus Station.

Back now toward the station under the railway to the Royal Mail.

Doncaster Modernism – Revisited Again.

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The third time by the banks of the Don – first time around in May 2019, subsequently in October 2020.

So much can change in so short a time, post-pandemic and every town is doing its level best to build back better.

The vision includes:

  • Ensuring the centre is a focus for business and enterprise.
  • Building on the success of the current markets and raising the aspirations and functions of the markets.
  • Recognising the city core as the heart of the economy and the borough and the place where the image of Doncaster is most clearly reflected. 
  • Enhancing green spaces and waterways to create a better setting for visitors, investments and city heritage.
  • Developing the civic and cultural quarter and reinforcing the retail and leisure core through better links and public space improvements.
  • Developing city-scale functions and assets, to become a stronger draw for business, workers, visitors and inward investment.
  • Developing and bidding for new city-wide cultural venues, a University and Research and Development facilities.
  • Rebranding Doncaster as a location of choice for regional businesses.

Masterplan

Arriving by train and ascending into the light – here’s the station lights.

The railway station has sharpened up its apron and facade.

We have transformed the station forecourt. It has become a quality gateway which delivers a great first impression for visitors arriving in Doncaster by train. This will help stimulate interest from investors and developers, helping to attract new investment and create jobs for the borough and wider region.

Doncaster.gov

Celebrating engineering, speed and connectivity and stretching forty metres in length the public art at Doncaster Station consists of forty seven monoliths which are a nod to Doncaster’s past, present and future. With a fountain and three impressive water walls, the art takes centre stage in the new public space as you step out of the train station and head into the town centre.

The concept was devised by Doncaster Council and further developed by Chris Brammall.

CB Arts manufactured and installed the piece

Typically the high and low streets of Britain’s industrial towns and cities, are an amalgam of architectural style and fashion, spanning at least two or three centuries.

Faience fronted interwar developments abound.

Neo-classical speculative shopping arcades.

Revamped Victorian pub facades.

Behind the buff faience frontage is a lovely, small two-room pub with a well preserved interior created under plans of 1934. It was remodelled by the Grimsby brewers Hewitt Brothers Ltd who were Doncaster’s biggest pub owners for many years.

Pub Heritage

Originally a Gent’s Outfitters, this deco-gem was topped off with the Nags Head Hotel.

This grade II listed pub is now in retail use, though Vision Value, are it seems, on the move.

Lost pubs project.

Of course, every town had a Burton’s – the tailor of taste.

This post war infill has that distinctive Festival of Britain feel, original metal window frames, Portland stone and blueish slate like panels.

The revamped Frenchgate Shopping Centre, officially opened on October 4th 1968, has in places an upper tier, resistant to zinc over cladding.

The centre has been the heart of the city for over 40 years and was originally called the Arndale Centre because it was built, owned and managed by the Arndale Group. It was renamed in 1988 after a change of ownership, with the new name reflecting the name of the street which passes to the east of the centre and which is one of Doncaster’s main shopping streets.

The sale of the centre came just a year after Frenchgate had undergone a £200 million facelift to transform it into the country’s first shopping centre with integrated public transport and retail interchange.

Wikipedia

There are plans to rework the shopping centre.

We propose this is fundamentally transformed though the addition of apartments that wrap along the back of the first-floor retail with a further 2.5 new storeys placed on top. We also feel additional height -up to seven or eight storeys, is justifiable to the corner of Frenchgate and Trafford Way.

TODD Architects

The Lovers were once located in the Arndale, removed to a local garden, unloved – then later reinstated in the Waterdale Centre, where we will embrace them a little later.

Turn right to take in the 1920s mosaic remake remodel of the Grade II listed Blue Building.

The Blue Building which used to be the Doncaster Design Centre and Tourist Information Centre was originally the home of John Whitaker, a wine merchant, and son of James Whitaker who was Mayor of Doncaster in 1758.

In 1925 the complete building was demolished apart from the facade which was retained and given a facing of decorative blue tiles. The intention was to build a shopping arcade from High Street to Printing Office Street. Only part of the arcade, known as the  Westminster Arcade was built. It had a number of shops, the largest being that of Woodhouse & Co Furnishers.

Doncaster Heritage Trail

Two adjacent 60s extensions – to the right a redundant post office to the left an almost redundant telephone exchange, with the earlier brick built exchange in smack dab the middle.

Turn another corner and it’s all at the Co-op now – the Grade II listed Danum Co-operativeBuilding, department store and offices: 1938-40 designed by T H Johnson & Son for the Doncaster Co-operative Society Ltd. 

Over the road a zig-zag Halifax Building Society branch, tightly contorted by its corner footprint.

To the right of the Danum, this former Boyes store, having relocated to the Wilko site, the building is ripe for residential conversion.

To the left the Colonnades Shopping Centre a fierce angular glass and brick bunker of mixed office and retail space – the sole occupant seeming to be Home Bargains.

A £3.3m makeover of the Colonnades shopping mall in Doncaster town centre was completed in 2019.

The scheme of works was co-ordinated by Doncaster Council and funded by the Sheffield City Region Local Growth Fund.

Built in the 1980s, the brick built building received a major overhaul. The investment saw the visual appearance enhanced inside and out. The five floors were transformed into the prime office space needed in the town centre and the enhancements to the retail area were also finished.

The shift in the town’s axis to the Frenchgate and Market areas, seems to have taken the wind out of its sails.

The former flicks now a redundant pale brick behemoth – no more and ABC.

Architects: C Jack Foster and Alan Morgan

Doncaster’s new £250,000 ABC cinema, part of the Golden Acres development near the town centre, was opened on May 18th 1967.

Closed in January 1981 for conversion into a triple screen it re-opened on 9th April 1981 with seating in the three screens for 477, 201 and 135.

The Cannon Group took control in the mid-1980’s and it was re-named Cannon and it closed on 18th June 1992, screening its opening film Doctor Zhivago.

Cinema Treasures

The Golden Acres development seemed to have morphed into the Waterdale Centre.

It is currently being reshaped to provide a line of desire twixt the Civic and Cultural areas, from the town centre. There are still the remnants of homes, shops and a pub amongst the demolition – almost inevitably there is new paving.

Waterdale is a well-known part of Doncaster’s town centre. During its heyday it was a bustling area with people flocking to shops and the like – it was a place you had to visit while you were in town. However, it had suffered a steady decline which continued when the southern bus station closed – Frenchgate Interchange opening, and Doncaster College moved to the Hub at the Waterfront. With limited public transport entering the area and no student population on its doorstep, less people had reason to pass through.

Demolition of the College.

The Civic and Cultural Quarter is transforming Waterdale reconnecting it to the town centre. The quality and content of the plans is raising the profile of this part of town to new levels. The carefully thought out layout and consistent building design is giving the area a clear identity. It is already becoming a big attraction that draws people in and encourages redevelopment in the neighbouring areas.

Doncaster Gov

The relocated Lovers are still in love.

The weary walker is diverted toward the Civic Quarter Car Park.

The former Civic Offices are to be demolished.

Demolition of the Central Library is well under way.

Facing the former library we find the CAST Theatre, Civic Buildings and Savoy Cinema, grouped around Sir Nigel Gresley Square.

Within the square is a frieze, salvaged from the former Gaumont Cinema, the work of sculptor Newbury Abbot Trent.

The Gaumont Palace Theatre in Hall Gate at the corner of Thorne Road, Doncaster opened on 3rd September 1934 with Jesse Matthews in Evergreen.

It was designed by architects WE Trent and W Sydney Trent.

In 1949 WH Price the Borough Surveyor produced an outline plan for the area, with a green space at its heart, it was never realised. In 1955 Frederick Gibberd produced his plan to include a ten storey Town Hall, Art School, Technical College and Civic Theatre, revised and reduced in 1963 – eventually his Police Station and Law Courts were completed in 1969.

The former NHS Clinic at the ‘T Junction’ is transformed into a day care service.

The former Museum and Art Gallery now an archive and local studies centre.

The building was designed in the office of the Doncaster Borough Architect’s Department in a team led by borough architect Mr LJ Tucker. 

The ceramic designs were a later addition when it was discovered that the large open areas of glass overheated almost everything inside, the work was undertaken by LJ Tucker and family.

The sculptural work by Franta Belsky, now has a skip for company.

As a footnote the work by Fabio Barraclough reveals a murky past.

Barraclough was born in Madrid in 1923, to a Spanish mother and Yorkshire father who founded Madrid’s Chamber of Commerce. He moved to London with his family in the 1930s as a refugee from Francoist Spain. He taught fine art and sculpture at Rugby School, where colleagues considered him “highly entertaining, a most unorthodox and highly gifted” teacher. He established himself during the 1960s and early 1970s as an authority on sculpture, publishing in academic journals and becoming a member of the Royal British Society of Sculptors.

In 2000, it was revealed that Barraclough, while outwardly living the life of anti-apartheid activist since the 1970s, had been a paid informant of the South African state security police. The media was used to promote his image as a “brilliant, liberal artist with apparently impeccable credentials” in order to gain public trust, while he was funnelling money from anti-apartheid groups to the police. He died on 6th January 2019.

Wikipedia

Over the way faros the green sward is St Peter in Chains RC – A large and striking design by JH Langtry-Langton, incorporating important furnishings by J F Bentley from the predecessor church, along with good furnishings of the 1970s. The churches houses the modern successor to the medieval shrine of Our Lady of Doncaster.

Figurative stained glass by Patrick Feeny for Hardman in 1973 and abstract glass fitted in 2000 as part of reordering and revival of the shrine.

Further information on Taking Stock.

A special mention for the Danum Cultural Hub

Designed by architects Bond Bryan and built by main contractor Willmott Dixon, the new cultural and learning hub has been created following the restoration of four existing buildings. 

A key focal point of the scheme is the restored frontage of the Edwardian former Doncaster High School for Girls, which has been framed by Senior’s slimline SF52 aluminium curtain wall and showcased within a new steel-frame building. The glazed facade, which was fabricated and installed by Senior’s supply chain partner Chemplas, also features Senior’s aluminium commercial doors.

RIBA Journal

Where I was delighted to see Sir Nigel Gresley’s hat.

Adelphi Picture Theatre – Attercliffe

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Vicarage Road Sheffield  S9 3RH

Architects: William Carter Fenton

The Adelphi Picture Theatre is located in the Attercliffe district in the east of Sheffield. It opened on 18th October 1920 with Irving Cummings in Auction of Souls. The red brick building has buff and blue coloured terracotta enrichments on the façade, especially on the small turret dome over the entrance, which also has stained glass windows.

Seating in the auditorium was provided in stalls and circle, and the projection box was located in the rear stalls, underneath the circle. The cinema was in reverse, and patrons entered the auditorium from behind the screen. The decoration includes pilasters, a segment-arched panelled ceiling and a moulded proscenium arch with a central crest which is flanked by torches. The circle has a lattice-work plaster front.

Single photo enhanced with easyHDR 3.15.2: Adelphi 1920 10 18.jpg

It underwent some restoration in 1936 and a re-decoration in August 1939. It received some bomb damage during the second week of the blitz and was closed for around a month. It received further renovation in August 1946. It remained an independently operated cinema throughout its cinematic life and was usually tied in with the Coliseum Cinema on Spital Hill.

The Adelphi Picture Theatre closed on 28th October 1967 with Robert Vaughn in The Karate Killers and Glenn Ford in The Rounders. It became a bingo club, last operated by the independent Walkers Bingo. After this closed in around 1995 it became a nightclub and since March 2000 was converted into a music teaching centre. This closed in 2006, and the building stood unused, and by 2013, it was in use as a storage facility. It was announced in November 2022 that the city council were seeking to purchase the building to renovate and convert it into a community centre.

Since early 1996, the Adelphi Picture Theatre was designated a Grade II Listed building by Historic England.

Cinema Treasures

Just the other day I came across an old ticket stub issued by The Savoy in Heaton Moor.

They used a Automaticket machine, but with dead stock tickets.

Evolving from being gear and lever driven, to powered by electric motors, these ticketing machines served as somewhat of an industry standard for over eighty years.

While there are still a few of these machines in use, the theatre industry generally abandoned such ticketing systems, in favor of computerized ticketing, by the late 1980’s.

Cinelog

The striking art deco – sic. building later hosted Sheffield’s famous Gatecrasher club nights, among other events, and was also used as a music teaching centre.

It sat empty from 2006 until 2013 and has since been used only for storage.

Sheffielder

My dad was a regular at The Adelphi during the war years. He remembers that the showings were always like a theatre with two matinees during the week and two evening showings everyday unlike the continuous showing at other cinemas and a children’s matinees on a Saturday.

He and his friends had six seats booked on Q row for every Monday and Saturday night as more often than not the films ran for three nights Mon, Tues and Wed, then a new picture Thurs, Fri, and Sat – no show on a Sunday. Occasionally a good film, now known as a blockbuster, would run for longer; if this was the case they just put up with seeing it twice.

The cost of the film was 4d or 6d upstairs, the cinemas in town were dearer.

Called up in February 1944 he did not return to Attercliffe until his first leave from the army a week before VE day in 1945. He returned from Germany, said hello to his Mum and Dad, dropped off his kit bag then caught the tram the three stops to the Adelphi where he knew his friends would be. The smartly dressed commisioner, in blue with plenty of gold braid, standing outside immediately recognised him even in army uniform. He showed him in telling him the lads were all there. He crouched in the aisle next to his friends and caused quite a commotion once he was spotted – he has no memory of the film showing but great memories of the reunion to this day.

Sheffield History

It was bought by Sheffield City Council earlier this year, as part of the Attercliffe Levelling Up project, and has now gone on the market as the council seeks someone to revive the Grade II-listed building as a vibrant cultural hub.

Councillor Ben Miskell, chair of the council’s Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee, said:

We’re thrilled to announce the Adelphi Cinema building in Attercliffe is now on the market and we’re eager to hear from interested parties. The building forms one part of our ambitious plans for the area which will all come together to breathe new life into the community.

These were taken by me in September 2023.

The Adelphi has a Burton’s for company.

Photo: David Edge April 2024

AMC – The Point Milton Keynes

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602 Midsummer Blvd Milton Keynes MK9 3NB

Famous in the history of British cinema as being the first purpose built multiplex cinema to be built in the UK. The 10-screen AMC-The Point opened on 23rd November 1985 with a Royal Premiere of the Harrison Ford film Presumed Innocent which was attended by Sarah, Duchess of York.

Built for and operated by American Multi-Cinemas, it has a foyer section, designed in the shape of a pyramid, hence the name The Point. The supporting struts were originally edged in red neon. The structure containing the auditoriums is just a plain block. Also in the complex is a Gala Bingo Club located under the cinema foyer entrance, a nightclub and cafes and restaurants.

In December 1988, it was taken over by UCI and re-named. In April 2003 it was leased to easyCinema, operated by the budget airline easyJet, when a policy of taking bookings only online and charging a minimum admission, created interest, but turned out to be a failure. In May 2006 it was taken over by Odeon Cinemas Group. Seating capacities in the screens range from 248, down to 156.

The Odeon was closed on 26th February 2015 with Kingsman, The Last Service being the final film in one its auditoriums. There had been hope that the cinema would be given a Grade II Listed status due to its historical relevance as the UK’s first multiplex cinema, but it was turned down by English Heritage. It will be demolished and replaced by new shops and leisure facilities. The Gala Bingo Club – re-named Buzz Bingo Club from June 2018, was closed on March 21, 2020 due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. It was announced on 15th July 2020 that the closure would be permanent.

Milton Keynes now has a new 16-screen Odeon Stadium + IMAX, located at the MK Dons Stadium, which has an IMAX screen and two screens equipped with Atmos sound. It opened on 27th February, 2015.

Cinema Treasures

Designed by Building Design Partnership, the Point was reputedly inspired by the work of avant grade provocateurs Archigram and became an instant Milton Keynes landmark upon its opening in 1985. As well has being one of the UK’s first multiplex cinemas, the unconventional structure housed a games arcade, bingo hall and nightclub. These individual functions are externally expressed as stacked, mirrored boxes beneath the 70ft bright red steel pyramidal frame – illuminated at night as a space-age beacon across the low-rise city centre.

c20

An application as been submitted by developers GHL – Galliard Holdings Ltd, the intention is to demolish the famous pyramid structure and replace it with 487 new flats in tower blocks of up to 21 storeys high.

MK Citizen

There is a local grassroots campaign to save the Point – with its own Facebook page.

On the day of my visit April 10th 2024 – this is what it looks like.

I’ve known about The Point for as long as I can remember. It’s always been there. When I was a lot younger and we’d drive into MK at night, we’d always look out for the glowing red beacon in the shape of a pyramid on the horizon. It’s an iconic and even historic to Milton Keynes building, and it’s a shame to see that it’s just being left to become a shadow of its former self. I mean it surely wouldn’t cost much to put some led lights on it and light it up at night time again. So much money is wasted elsewhere in the city they should think about the upkeep of the actual landmarks they have.

Bobby D – Local Guide

Manchester Arterial 2024 – A57

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Having photographed the arterial roads of Manchester in 2014, I have resolved to return to the task in 2024.

Some things seem to have changed, some things seem to have stayed the same.

Manchester Arterial 2024 – A6

Posted on by modernmoocher

Having photographed the arterial roads of Manchester in 2014, I have resolved to return to the task in 2024.

Some things seem to have changed, some things seem to have stayed the same.

Manchester Arterial – A57

Posted on by modernmoocher

The A57 was nearly a coast to coast route. It passes through three major city centres (Liverpool, Manchester, and Sheffield – with elevated sections in each) and several smaller ones, multiplexes with the A6 and the A1, follows the banks of two canals and negotiates the remotest part of the Peak District. In one city it part of it is a tram route, whilst in another its former route is also a tram route. After all these adventures, it sadly gives up just 40 miles short of the east coast, Lincoln apparently proving too big an obstacle.

The A57 crosses the River Irwell at Regent Bridge before entering its moment of motorway glory as the A57(M) Mancunian Way skirting the south of Manchester’s city centre on an elevated section and crossing the A56 and A34. This includes a half-completed exit that goes the wrong way up Brook Street – a one way street. The original A57 ran further north through the city centre along Liverpool Road (now the A6143) and Whitworth Street – B6469 as far as the A6 London Road which marked the start of a multiplex.

At the end of Mancunian Way, we reach a TOTSO, straight on being the short unsigned A635(M) and thence the A635 – for Saddleworth Moor, Barnsley and Doncaster whilst the A57 turns south, briefly multiplexing with the A6, and then branching off along Hyde Road. This section of road was extensively cleared for the westward extension for the M67, and consequently has seen a lot of redevelopment.

Sabre Roads

In 2014, having taken early retirement from teaching photography, I embarked on a series of walks along the arterial roads of Manchester.

See also Bury New Road and Cheetham Hill Road and Rochdale Road and Oldham Road and Ashton New Road and Ashton Old Road.

Morecambe Walk

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To begin at the beginning – to begin at the Telephone Exchange.

A plethora of surface textures and a purposely restrained palette, well suited to the architecture of infrastructure.

Around the corner the Royal Mail Sorting Office.

Next door the Telephone Exchange, drawings of the building are dated around 1937 and are simply signed by the Ministry of Works, Preston.

Across the way this former Barclays Bank with its 70s extension, originally a branch of the Kendal Bank, Bank of Liverpool and also Martins.

The building of 1900 is Grade II listed.

Onwards along Central Drive to the Library.

The work of County Architect Roger Booth and his team, opened in 1967.

With thanks to the Library Staff.

Seen here in its original form, before the alterations were made.

Image – Red Rose Collections

The entrance to Morecambe’s Arndale Centre opposite the library is flanked by two shields, each with a crown and three lions. The shields were salvaged from Morecambe’s first police station which stood on Cheapside, demolished to make way for the new shopping centre. A similar shield as well as more elaborate heraldic beasts can be found over the doorway to Morecambe’s second police station at the corner of Kensington Road and Euston Road.

Morecambeology

Off down to the former Odeon Cinema 1937 architects – W Calder Robson and Harry W Weedon

Like many of the original Odeon Theatres built by Oscar Deutsch, the site chosen was a little out of the main town centre – where land prices were cheaper, and the Odeon Morecambe is a good example of this. It is located at the corner of Euston Road and Thornton Road in this Lancashire seaside town. The Odeon was opened on 2nd September 1937 with Sandy Powell in “It’s a Grand Old World”. It had seating provided for 1,084 in the stalls and 476 in the circle.

Taken over by the Classic Cinemas chain in December 1967, it was re-named Classic Cinema, and was closed on 28th February 1976 with Kenneth Williams in “Carry On Behind”.

The stunning Moderne style exterior much of which including the projectionists walkway is now much deteriorated.

Cinema Treasures

Next to the Police Station another Roger Booth building – recently seen on the small screen in The Bay.

Backtracking to take in the Crescent Café entrance.

Which became Hart’s Restaurant now trading as the Black Thai.

Into the town centre to look at the former Centenary House Co-op 1927.

Bought by the city council as part of the West-End Masterplan, the intention is to refurbish the building’s upper floors to provide affordable housing and accommodation for local arts businesses, retaining the Co-op late shop that occupies one-half of the ground floor.

Let’s take a look along the front – where we find a former Woolworths.

Along with other stores from the same period.

Alongside sits the former Littlewoods.

By 1939 there were 24 stores. A number of these were purpose-built for Littlewoods to designs by J S Quilter & Son. John Salmon Quilter – 1841-1907 was, in fact, long dead, but his architectural practice had been continued by his son Cecil Molyneux Quilter – 1879-1951. Quilter specialised in commercial architecture, notably public houses. He designed a new Blackpool store for Littlewoods, on the corner of Church Street and Corporation Street, which was faced in Empire stone. He also designed a store in Chester, and may have been responsible for the one in Morecambe. This faience-clad art deco building is the best surviving example of a pre-war Littlewoods store – indeed, it may be the best surviving Littlewoods of all time – even preserving diamond L motifs on the entrance lobby floors. These clearly copied Woolworth’s diamond W.

Building our past

Next to Brucianni’s, a gem of a coastal café and ice cream parlour – Grade II listed.

Finally to the Midland Hotel 1932-3 by Oliver Hill

Concrete and rendered brickwork, painted white. Curved plan, with convex side facing west towards the sea. Three storeys. Windows are steel-framed casements with rendered surrounds. Above each storey are projecting horizontal bands. The entrance front has a rounded left-hand corner, and a convex central staircase projection rising above roof level. This projection has a tall window of steel casements above the doorway, divided into three by mullions, both of which are capped by sea horses, painted red, which were carved by Eric Gill. Projecting at the right is a single-storey cafe of circular plan, now known as the Ravilious Restaurant. The west side has a single-storey projecting sun lounge, which is an addition, its windows replaced in PVC-coated steel. Between the solid centre and ends of the facade the 1st and 2nd floors have their walls recessed to form balconies.

Interior: above the cantilevered circular open-well staircase is a ceiling panel carved in low relief by Eric Gill and painted by Denis Tegetmeier. They were also responsible for the pictorial map of north-west England in what was originally the children’s room at the south end of the building. Also in this room is Eric Gill’s Portland stone panel, originally in the lounge, carved in low relief with a representation of Odysseus and Nausicaa. It was moved to its present position when internal walls were demolished during the 1970s. The cafe walls were originally painted with frescoes by Eric Ravilious, representing morning and evening in an idyllic seascape setting. These deteriorated rapidly because the plaster and paint used were incompatible and were obliterated within 2 years of completion, but were repainted in the late 1980s using photographic evidence.

Eric Gill

Tirzah Garwood and Eric Ravilious

Sadly we are no longer able to see the long gone Super Swimming Stadium.

Architect: Kenneth MB Cross and Cecil Sutton

The Super Swimming Stadium at Morecambe, Lancashire, was one of the grandest of the 1930s modernist seaside lidos. This massive structure measuring 396ft. by 110ft. was said to be the largest outdoor pool in Europe when it opened in 1936, accommodating some 1200 bathers and 3000 spectators. Unusually for an inter-war lido, it was designed not in-house by a Borough Engineer but by two architects, Kenneth MB Cross and Cecil Sutton, who styled it to harmonise with the Streamline Moderne of Oliver Hill’s adjacent Midland Hotel.

The stadium was closed down in 1975 on grounds of structural problems and demolished just a year later.

tameside moderne book

Posted on by modernmoocher

Available online here or call in the Modernist Shop on Port Street Manchester.

Tameside Moderne

By Steve Marland

A comprehensive guide to the Borough’s modern architecture.

Almost two years in the making.

Tameside east of Manchester – a volcanic explosion of concrete, glass, steel, brick and wood!

From sacred sites to suburban substations, a rollercoaster ride through provincial style.

  
Softcover, 84pages,
B&W
148 x 210xmm – landscape

£10 well spent – be quick these will fly!