Wigan Watch 13/07/23 Plans for cinema entertainment centre shock Town Centre Regeneration demolition

To go right to plans click numbers here... 10:27
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[@johncollier7744]

Reminds me of HMP Strangeways in Manchester .

[@michaelbooth206]

Having managed two shops for thirty five years in Standishgate and the Galleries central arcade I think this development looks dreadful.

[@ABCXYZ-vm5rv]

i remember when the old Wigan market was here until 1988.

[@dannypugh1621]

They knocked the old cinema down to build a failing shopping centre. Now they are knocking a shopping centre down to build an unwanted cinema.

[@HoratioChinn]

From Wigan Today "Coun. Laura Flynn said she hoped it meant Wiganers will not have to venture to Manchester or Liverpool for a fun night out. 'The level of detail shows the exciting prospect of what we can have in Wigan town centre,; she said. “I am personally excited about the karaoke room and zipwire." Lets hope her zipwire ends up down some disused mineshaft,.

[@Gracey64]

No free parking = no business. I can nip to the Middlebrook and park right outside the cinema if required.

[@ovobegzinoii51]

Actually cant wait for it to happen. Excellent video as always mate

[@andrewemmerson]

A Long Road to Recovery: EU and UK Cinema Attendance Up by 63% in 2022, Still Short of Pre-Pandemic Average. ticket sales for 2022 were 34.5% below the 2017-2019 average, accounting for an estimated loss of 338.9 million tickets. If the cinema is gambling on a revival, it might be several years yet...and it is a gamble.

[@reciprocating]

Mainly aluminium cladding so in 5 years when they realise it's a white elephant it won't take long to demolish it...

[@gkeaoyrge]

I do think some form of cinema in Wigan would be nice. Clearly a huge multiplex is no longer sustainable here but I think a much smaller maybe 3-screen cinema with more of an emphasis on experience and occasion would be successful, perhaps even have it locally owned too. Make it adaptable as an auditorium and have it available to hire out for awards/presentations for an additional revenue source. As for the market, I think one only needs to look at Warrington to see what can be achieved. A modern building with a good balance of eateries and stalls. Still has the feeling of a traditional market but brings it up to date. A few other decent bars and restaurants would be welcome but as you point out in the video, a large well-looked-after open space would be one the best and probably easiest things they could do. I also think there needs to be a complete crackdown on riffraff and anti-social behaviour. Drinking alcohol in the streets away from bars should be banned full stop in my opinion with enforceable fines. Anyone making excessive noise and intimidating people should be removed immedietely and not allowed back in the town centre for a fixed period. I think if the area was properly done up and made to feel pleasant and safe with good policing, that would naturally repel a lot of the mongs that hang around anyway.

[@PaulaXism]

Lets be brutally honest. Wigan after dark is not a town centre you want to be in.. Nowhere to safely park a car.. and no public transport after 10pm.. Until a few years ago I had a WN1 postcode and I didn't go out at night. Dark deserted and forbidding would be a decent description.

[@gkeaoyrge]

@@PaulaXism That may be the case at the moment, but things can change if the will and investment is there. Do I have faith in Wigan Council achieving this though? Not really.

[@alexs7605]

Think about it i can get on a bus for 2 quid and walk five mins from the bus station to a cinema that sounds great

[@turbotdi5190]

Dinner break 1 till 1.30 ...and breakfast 10 till 1030

[@HoratioChinn]

A cinema is too niche a building. Why are they building such a thing when I guess they don't yet have a cinema owner planning to run it. Entertainment with some sort of arena/auditorium/music/entertainment venue is a great opportunity and much more flexible. With an adjoining open space with cafes/bars/shops and open air eating it could attract people into the centre of the town.

[@FFLIVEROBLOX]

ye agreed they should scrap the cinema and have some sort of a concert hall instead which can host various live events

[@TheElderGamer]

We have that already, with free parking. Its called The Edge, behind Wigan Pier..

[@user-sc4jy2hk5e]

464 houses for the rich will sort that. WIGAN WILL BE GATED FROM ITS PEOPLE..MARK MY WORDS...ITS A SHT HOLE..THE WHOLE IF WIGAN AND SURROUNDINGS..PLOUGHING MONEY INTO THE MIDDLE leaving all other areas to deteriorate...or be totally gridlocked...

[@anth5122]

Those Bricks cost a fortune, I know the salesman who sold them

[@mariealty8934]

What a waste of good building and money 😢

[@user-sc4jy2hk5e]

Yip our money again being spent on what's not broken..

[@Osk.S57]

Sounds like whoever's building this got a job lot deal on bronze PVC

[@SRlikethetoothpaste]

My main concern with the new development is that the open square will become overrun by pigeons, just like the current square at the top of town, and become a no-go zone for pedestrians who don't wish to be surrounded by pestilence. Back in 2008 I contacted the council with my anti-pigeon concerns and, following a letter to The Evening Post and town centre poster campaign, both of which garnered substantial support from local residents, the council relented and brought in a sparrowhawk (with handler). The idea being that the common pigeon is the natural prey of the sparrowhawk, and its very presence is the square resulted in them fleeing the immediate area. Sadly, the council refused to fund the endeavour for more than a month and so, following four weeks of feather-free bliss (excluding those of the sparrowhawk) the flying rats returned. Rest assured, I shall be reminding the council of our previous exchanges prior to the opening of the new square in the hope that the relatively meagre expense of a resident sparrowhawk is factored into their costings.

[@TheElderGamer]

There was a plastic hawk, ot sure which one, on a wooden shelf at the top of the stairs next to my old shop. Don't think it fooled the pigeons though.

[@tombolton1528]

Apparently it’s supposed to be finished in 2026

[@TheElderGamer]

and scheduled for demolition in 2030 no doubt

[@JohnFitz-pf5lz]

Forget the bronze cladding, this is a white elephant. Councillor Flynn is quoted as saying “This is going to achieve the ambition of making Wigan a night out destination.” What about reviving the daytime economy? There's nothing in these plans for older folk to drag themselves into the town -remember older people pay the rates too.

[@PaulTalksGamesMags]

This looks awful! Far too big and will dwarf the town centre and lose a lot more identity.

[@TheElderGamer]

I was stunned and angry when I first saw it. More so as cinema has had its day... such a waste of a great opportunity.

[@PaulaXism]

@@TheElderGamer Carbuncle is an excellent word.. It should be used more often.. Add Gargantuan.. "A Gargantuan Carbuncle" .. Now that's almost as good as the old name for the Galleries "The worlds most expensive cut through" It's getting to the point where Wigan needs the Ministry of Works to come out with loads of tape and flashing lights and big signs "Danger - Hole in the World.

[@jblogs1000]

MORE waste of money a cinema that nobody wants why not have a silent movie cinema or vhs cinema or dvd cinema