I've just been to the "market"

[Acrylic-bob]

You have a point there Neil.

The writing has been on the wall for the town centre and the market for quite a few years. However, I do think that the Council could have been a little less greedy and a lot more pro-active in trying to encourage the use of the market. Similarly, the people of Accrington must also shoulder some of the blame. If they had not succumbed to the lure of the likes of ASDA et al, there would probably be a much more vibrant trading atmosphere in the town. But then, we must also remember who grants planning permission to stores like ASDA; permission has only recently been granted for them to extend still further their operation on Hyndburn Road. Who granted Macdonalds planning permission to desert the town centre and build a new outlet, also on Hynburn Road?

[chav1]

ime still gutted that they destroyed that mosaic on the end of the old fish market and made floor pictures out of it

shoulda saved it if u ask me

[shiny gem]

Originally Posted by chav1

ime still gutted that they destroyed that mosaic on the end of the old fish market and made floor pictures out of it

shoulda saved it if u ask me

omg they destroyed the mosaic???? when did they do that???

[Gayle]

The thing is that if you have an ASDA and the others out of town then you have to reinvent the town centre. This is possible - either the town centre can be full of small curio shops and independents, or it can be a mecca for interesting food, or it can grow and compete with the big superstores.

I shop in ASDA, I shop online and I travel to Manchester if I want something special. You can't blame the decline of a town on people following market forces. What you can blame the decline of the town on is not having a sustainable strategy. You can't halt the progress of the superstores or the internet so you have to develop different selling points.

[Gayle]

Sorry, I'm warming to a theme here.

The one way you can't compete is by having smaller versions of the big superstores in the town centre - JJB sports etc. Let's face it if you wanted some mass produced sports gear why would you travel into the town centre when you can head up to Guide and visit the massive store.

[dazzalam]

Not really a market thing, but has anyone tried walking into a shop and buying a fridge or other large white goods, even the big places Currys, dixons comet you cant go anywhere these days and buy one and take it away with you, i understand its about wharehouse space cost money, and we pass the saving on to the customer, yeah yeah yeah more like they just use your money to buy it from the manufacturer at a lot less than you paid and even get them to deliver, a week waiting time is no good if your appliance has broke, one place i did find was co-op harwood went in picked one paid dropped the seats on the car and took it away with me, much better

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Neil

Do you not think all town centres are on the decline? If you want electrical retailers you go to a big comet or currys. That is the same if you live in Accrington, Blackburn or Burnley. People use ASDA or Tesco for shopping instead of the market now. Many of us use ASDA or Tesco online so we can sit on out fat backsides and shop. Retail is moving out of towns and into retail parks. I don't think there is a way to reverse this.

Town centres have changed because of people's new shopping habits to an extent. Some towns and cities, with cleverer councils have survived, having provide a more exciting shopping experience than Accrington.

Independent shops have sadly decided to leave Accrington or close down altogether, the much loved bookshop Wardleworths being one. Towns like Clitheroe and Skipton, can still provide what we once had. The market is a shambles and I fel very sorry for the stall holders.

The council's answer to build more retail units, when we have so many empty ones, which can at best be used only by charity shops, was stupid in the extreme. The pipe dream that large multiples would be attracted to the town because of the availability of retail space, when there is already so much available, was just very poor planning. We should have concentrated on what we had, ie: a thriving and fairly unique market, full of character, not the silly vision to become like every other town centre the length and breadth of Britain.

On a more positive note I'd just like to say how hard the small independent retailers on Warner Street are trying to improve that part of town. Some of the window displays are very inventive, and I applaud their initiative and effort.

[cashman]

doubt very much if the specialist/independant shops will ever return to our town,mores the pity, worked on the market in early/mid 60s and it was a cracker, still have friends that own buisnesses there, but for how much longer who knows, its certainly priced a few out of buisness already, but how do you attract new blood? with the shambles they have made of our town.

[garinda]

With affordable rents and rates specialist retailers and independents could be enticed here, it's worked in other parts of the country, and we can certainly entice charity shops to open here because of reduced rates.

[lettie]

I have to admit that it is as rare as hen's teeth that I go into town to shop. I am only a 5 minute walk away, so it has nothing to do with the parking. We have no decent clothes shops in Accy, the Dorothy Perkins/Burtons is laughable and the other women's clothes shops in the Arndale sell nothing but cheap tat which is poorly stitched and will only survive a couple of washes. It is impossible to get good quality, stylish shoes in the size that you want, but very easy to pick up a pair of plastic foot rubbing shoes. The market has very little to offer and the pound/charity and card shops take up the bulk of the Accy shopping experience. I would have to say that Music Zone is probably the only halfway decent shop.

I tend to walk through town to get the Manchester bus. An improved, regular bus service costs £5 for a return trip without having to pay for petrol and parking. Shopper's paradise.

[andrewb]

The amount of pound shops or 'cheap prices cheap goods' shops has made the town centre decline. The positioning of the new market is rather silly also, I don't know what the council was thinking when they built the new building where JJB and Wilkinsons is situated, Wilkinson sell a lot of things the market holders do, all under one roof, which leads to much more competition, which is good in some cases.. but chainstores against private stall holders it's not ideal.
What they should have done, if they really wanted to throw money at something, is build a new outdoor market which focused on being the center of our town.

[garinda]

They could have included the Arndale clock into the outdoor market with a bit of foresight, and a little more professionalism, from the planning department, since it's apparently going begging.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Even Bury market isn't the place it once was, though it is a darn sight better than what is on offer at both Blackburn and Burnley. The market has a sad air about it.......I'm sure it could be better with a little planning. The Thursday and Sunday markets have more atmosphere.....and do seem to be busier.

[WillowTheWhisp]

On Saturdays the market used to be heaving but I've been there again today and again so many empty stalls. Saturday should be THE market day.

[garinda]

The outdoor market was much more vibrant and larger in it's last position.

It's now smaller with less room to move between the stalls, which like Willow said is full of empty stalls.

It's a crying shame.