[Archived] The Mall Extention

[AndyNeil]

I wasn't aware that people even took his comments seriously? There is trying to provoke debate, and then there is this poster. I used to read what he said, now I just glaze over the posts - as jim mk2 says "broken old record".

[Mattyblue]

The irony of jimmk2 calling anyone a 'broken old record' is not lost on me!

[AndyNeil]

maybe not, but you cant deny that the line taken by theno is well worn to say the least and he never seems to miss an opportunity to put the people he sees as below him or the town in general down?

He DOES have some valid points...

[SAS]

Obviously not an opinion shared by the number crunchers at Toys r Us SAS or we'd have one.

I'd guess that they would love to know how to justify the cost of staying at the Deepdale centre by creating similar queues for the remaining 10 months of the year rather than opening a new store 10 miles away in a town that is dying on it's feet through being both consumer and shopkeeper unfriendly.

The biter bit Paul. Preston's traffic problem is probably the price of success.

I think it might be more of a case of location and suitable premises. It would make a killing as it would attract the whole of east lancs. Especially in a town with a booming birth rate...

[Ewood Spark]

The biter bit Paul. Preston's traffic problem is probably the price of success.

The Twisted Logic of Theno ... No.567

So let me get this right ... traffic chaos in Preston is perceived as affirmation of positive market forces .... whereas traffic chaos in Blackburn is down to council incompetence. :!: Answers on a postcard please.

[thenodrog]

The Twisted Logic of Theno ... No.567

So let me get this right ... traffic chaos in Preston is perceived as affirmation of positive market forces .... whereas traffic chaos in Blackburn is down to council incompetence. :!: Answers on a postcard please.

Good grief!! So you think the 45 year progress of Blackburns incompleted inner ring road to date is something to brag about ES? Compare that to how long it took for the Preston by-pass to be completed. Can't you understand that people are voting with their feet and their wallets?

The Ribble is a handicap which will only be solved imo by a crossing of some sort on the west side of Preston. Blackburn doesn't have to overcome that.

BUT the salient point is that Preston have recognised this and also that motorists by and large have greater disposable income and need to be encouraged. They have targetted them by installing the excellent Park and Ride (sorry SAS I don't think it goes to Toys R Us) whilst Blackburn see's the progressive developments in Preston and simply respond by whining and moaning about them and in fact challenging them through the courts. All this whilst content to simply harvest increased income from retail rents and rates and hammers the motorist. 50's Dinosaurs the lot of em, more interested in damaging class struggle and social inadequacies than the economies of the real world in the 21st century.

Just a little story for you. I was in conversation a few years ago with a BBurn councillor who sat on the exec committee. I suggested that people who pay their council tax fully and on time should be awarded 2 free bus passes between 9.30 and 3.30 (buses are usually empty then btw) and a complimentary free parking disc to be used anywhere in Blackburn (other than private car parks of coures). My idea obviously being to increase shoppers whilst also freeing unecessary congestion to boot. He was horrified and said how much the council needed the income from parking. Chicken and egg thinking or what?

ES whilst I admire your dogged determination to flog this particular dead horse but you don't really have a leg to stand on. Preston isn't perfect by any means but it is out of sight of Blackburn.

[JAL]

I think it might be more of a case of location and suitable premises. It would make a killing as it would attract the whole of east lancs. Especially in a town with a booming birth rate...

The location for a new Toys 'r' us around here was probably going to have been at the proposed new Whitebirk retail park, or is it called Peel Park. This redevelopment and expansion of Peel Park was 'kyboshed' by both Accrington and I think Blackburn councils because of the possible negative impact it could have on boths town centres.

[JAL]

Just a little story for you. I was in conversation a few years ago with a BBurn councillor who sat on the exec committee. I suggested that people who pay their council tax fully and on time should be awarded 2 free bus passes between 9.30 and 3.30 (buses are usually empty then btw) and a complimentary free parking disc to be used anywhere in Blackburn (other than private car parks of coures). My idea obviously being to increase shoppers whilst also freeing unecessary congestion to boot. He was horrified and said how much the council needed the income from parking. Chicken and egg thinking or what?

ES whilst I admire your dogged determination to flog this particular dead horse but you don't really have a leg to stand on. Preston isn't perfect by any means but it is out of sight of Blackburn.

Can you not afford the parking fees in Blackburn Thenodrog ?

FFS at most its only £1 per hour parking in Blackburn.

[ABBEY]

My wife found herself in Blackburn today as she wanted something from John Lewis. She was completely unaware of the Mall extension and thought it a great improvement.

As for Deepdale always best to avoid at the weekends and around Christmas as the traffic is a nightmare.

john lewis in blackburn? never knew that ? whereabouts?

for shopping...trafford centre ...champions league

preston ...premier league

blackburn...league 2.

[Paul]

Debenhams. Whoops.

[Hughesy]

Pandora, H&M and the 'brew room' now also opened.

Bank & JD to follow

[SAS]

All these news shops we are getting are gonna make theno sick. These are the kind of shops that give Preston the superiority before the mall opened.

I say shut them down, open pound shops and put parking charges up!!

[Mattyblue]

All these news shops we are getting are gonna make theno sick. These are the kind of shops that give Preston the superiority before the mall opened.

I say shut them down, open pound shops and put parking charges up!!

I am happy about these developments, as I am the new market, but we are behind the curve- Tithebarn will take Preston way ahead of us. The issue is can we ensure that Blackburn is a) the best shopping experience in East Lancs and b. Actually gets people to shop in East Lancs at all when Preston is a short journey away.

That is the rub as Blackburn town centre has been abandoned by many of its residents at day and night.

[SAS]

Thats if prestons development happens. No funding is in place for it yet.

I personally have stopped going Manchester or Preston because these new shops are the ones I was going away for. I know a lot more people who are doing the same.

[Ewood Spark]

Good grief!! So you think the 45 year progress of Blackburns incompleted inner ring road to date is something to brag about ES?

From a motorists perspective the orbital route was completed when the Wainwright Bridge was opened over two years ago ... the remaining section

will do no more than facilitate the planned regeneration of the Freckleton St area (Ref :- Freckleton Street Masterplan)

Compare that to how long it took for the Preston by-pass to be completed.

Preston is allowed to bulldoze through its plans because it is the home of Lancashire County council ... an organization whose centralist policies ensure Preston is looked on favorably in most decisions. The best thing BwD ever did was to go it alone as a unitary authority ... and thereby attempt to stand-up to and shift the balance of power from Central Lancs.

.... Preston have recognised this and also that motorists by and large have greater disposable income and need to be encouraged

The Twisted Logic of Theno ... No.568

So a place which ... due to it's bottleneck geography... forces motorists to abandon their cars several miles from their destination and pay the princely sum of £2.50 (per person mind) to complete their journey on a funny little bus ...... is better than parking literally on top of your destination ... for as little as a £1.00 :!: On Sunday I had to go back to the car twice, loaded with shopping ... how exactly would that work on a funny little bus? As usual ...answers on a postcard.

.....whilst Blackburn see's the progressive developments in Preston and simply respond by whining and moaning about them and in fact challenging them through the courts.

I should bloody hope our elected members protested ... it doesn't take a genius to know that Tithebarn is completely unsustainable with Preston's population alone ... it requires to be the shopping destination for the whole of Lancashire ... at the expense of local traders who live in this borough and in all probability meaning that I would have to venture out of my four mile comfort zone to find a Marks & Sparks! As it turned out their protests were vindicated by the planning experts ... only to be overruled by Eric Pickles (what else would you expect from a near-Dingle Tory).

Just a little story for you. I was in ... blah ... blah ...blah

Since you are so keen on little stories ... here is one for you. On both my last two visits to town .. complete strangers have approached me .. asking directions to various outlets in the Mall ... the clear implication being that we are attracting first-time customers to shop in Blackburn ... which has to be a good thing.

Preston isn't perfect by any means but it is out of sight of Blackburn.

Your right ... thanks to the Houghton Ridge, we don't indeed have to look at it.

[Ewood Spark]

john lewis in blackburn? never knew that ? whereabouts?

for shopping...trafford centre ...champions league

Aye ... a day out opposite Dumplington sewage works surrounded by faux-marble pillars and plaster casts of greco-roman figurines ... class. All fur coat and no knickers. Funny thing is ... people with real class wouldn't be seen dead there.

I did go once ... hated the place ... and never found a reason to have to go back.

[Mattyblue]

I really do love your enthusiasm ES, and I agree that 'Lancashire' County Council's neglect of the majority of the rump that was left of the county post 74' was disgraceful and has much to answer for.

To be honest I am not sure what we are even discussing? Yes, Blackburn is attempting to improve itself after years of neglect and I applaud it, yet IT IS a long way behind Preston, on facillties, on transport links, on jobs, on higher education, on nightlife, on future prosepcts, not sure if you even accept that ES?

Do you also accept that a large chunk of the professional class of Blackburn have left in droves over the last 25 years? How does the town fight back from that? My belief is that Preston has long stopped being a town we can compete, though that is not necessarily a disaster, it is now our task to ensure Blackburn is the hub of East Lancs.

[thenodrog]

Aye ... a day out opposite Dumplington sewage works surrounded by faux-marble pillars and plaster casts of greco-roman figurines ... class. All fur coat and no knickers. Funny thing is ... people with real class wouldn't be seen dead there.I did go once ... hated the place ... and never found a reason to have to go back.

I wouldn't disagree with that ES. The only saving grace for the TC is the car parking and the M60 imo. However can you tell us all exactly what would attract people with 'real class' (your term not mine) from surrounding areas to Blackburn Mall? I doubt it's the much lauded Primark thats for sure.

Just as an aside where do you go to buy a suit? How about a good quality pair of shoes? If I'm to be enticed back to Blackburn I need to know these things.

[thenodrog]

From a motorists perspective the orbital route was completed when the Wainwright Bridge was opened over two years ago

Are you are having a laugh? It's always bunged up at the Montague St traffic lights!

btw I do understand that finally the go ahead has just been given to flatten that stupid building at the bottom of Montague St. I wonder if it will be done by 2018.... the 50th anniversary of the project.

Preston is allowed to bulldoze through its plans because it is the home of Lancashire County council ... an organization whose centralist policies ensure Preston is looked on favorably in most decisions. The best thing BwD ever did was to go it alone as a unitary authority ... and thereby attempt to stand-up to and shift the balance of power from Central Lancs.

So you think the Preston by-pass was a mistake? Following the example time scale of Blackburn Council's inner ring road the Preston by-pass would only just have opened!

The Twisted Logic of Theno ... No.568

So a place which ... due to it's bottleneck geography... forces motorists to abandon their cars several miles from their destination and pay the princely sum of £2.50 (per person mind) to complete their journey on a funny little bus ...... is better than parking literally on top of your destination ... for as little as a £1.00 :!: On Sunday I had to go back to the car twice, loaded with shopping ... how exactly would that work on a funny little bus? As usual ...answers on a postcard.

The funny little bus is only £2.50 BEFORE 9.30am

I should bloody hope our elected members protested ... it doesn't take a genius to know that Tithebarn is completely unsustainable with Preston's population alone ... it requires to be the shopping destination for the whole of Lancashire ... at the expense of local traders who live in this borough and in all probability meaning that I would have to venture out of my four mile comfort zone to find a Marks & Sparks! As it turned out their protests were vindicated by the planning experts ... only to be overruled by Eric Pickles (what else would you expect from a near-Dingle Tory).

Why this is bad? Also why the immature and irrelevent political jibe? Isn't Preston council itself Labour led?

Since you are so keen on little stories ... here is one for you. On both my last two visits to town .. complete strangers have approached me .. asking directions to various outlets in the Mall ... the clear implication being that we are attracting first-time customers to shop in Blackburn ... which has to be a good thing.

If the last paragraph is so bad then how can this be good? You are guilty of trying to run with the hare and hunting with the hounds ES.

Your right ... thanks to the Houghton Ridge, we don't indeed have to look at it.

BTW "Hoghton"

[ABBEY]

Aye ... a day out opposite Dumplington sewage works surrounded by faux-marble pillars and plaster casts of greco-roman figurines ... class. All fur coat and no knickers. Funny thing is ... people with real class wouldn't be seen dead there.

I did go once ... hated the place ... and never found a reason to have to go back.

I went in blackburn mall a couple of weeks ago.I wanted something from river island..guess what they didn't have it..I needed a book for my course..only wh smiths ..didn't have it...wanted a Disney present ni Disney ...wanted food..fk me millions pie shops...oh and as for all the marauding goths chavs and Asians...aye its class.

[adopted scouser]

Aye ... a day out opposite Dumplington sewage works surrounded by faux-marble pillars and plaster casts of greco-roman figurines ... class. All fur coat and no knickers. Funny thing is ... people with real class wouldn't be seen dead there.

Are you serious ? So I ask my daughter and my nieces from Darwen "Where would you like to look around the shops ? Blackburn's 'Mall' or the Trafford Centre?"

You really believe they'll go for Blackburn ? Honestly ?

[Mattyblue]

Are you serious ? So I ask my daughter and my nieces from Darwen "Where would you like to look around the shops ? Blackburn's 'Mall' or the Trafford Centre?"

You really believe they'll go for Blackburn ? Honestly ?

You've left youself open for a gag there AS!

'Darwen? I said people with class!'

[adopted scouser]

Don't let my sister hear you say that ! They live in a big pile above bold venture park !

Seriously though, young trendy types picking Blackburn shopping over the Trafford Centre ?

E.S. you been sniffing permanent markers again ?!

[tony gale's mic]

.oh and as for all the marauding goths chavs and Asians...aye its class.

Nice of you to lump the whole of the Asian community in with the chavs....

Still I'm sure a cultured, high class, intelligent gentleman like yourself must feel terribly inconvinienced by having to deal with the underclass..

[Ewood Spark]

I went in blackburn mall a couple of weeks ago.I wanted something from river island..guess what they didn't have it..I needed a book for my course..only wh smiths ..didn't have it...wanted a Disney present ni Disney ...wanted food..fk me millions pie shops...oh and as for all the marauding goths chavs and Asians...aye its class.

Ok you want to play silly burgers.

1) I am Christmas shopping and need to buy ten of the following for family and friends:-

Do I ....

a} Drive twenty-five miles to Dumplington and spend the day shopping in a soulless tack-fest of a building rubbing shoulders with recently moneyed chavs and celebrity wannabes?

b} Drive fifteen miles, park on a weather-lashed car park, and pay to catch a funny little bus to some strung-out shops?

c} Nip into town and head for the Tourist Information center?

2) I fancy a Sarsaparilla aperitif followed by a light lunch washed down with a fine Sumatran Blue coffee whilst reading the morning papers in a convivial atmosphere. Do I ....

a} Drive twenty-five miles to Dumplington and spend the day shopping in a soulless tack-fest of a building rubbing shoulders with recently moneyed chavs and celebrity wannabes?

b} Drive fifteen miles, park on a weather-lashed car park, and pay to catch a funny little bus to some strung-out shops?

c} Nip into town, head for Walsh's on the market and then proceed to the coffee Exchange on Fleming Square?

3) I want to buy some Mickey Mouse ears ... a copy of Mein Kampf , and blend in with the pig ignorant and casually racist. Do I ....

a} Drive twenty-five miles to Dumplington and spend the day shopping in a soulless tack-fest of a building rubbing shoulders with recently moneyed chavs and celebrity wannabes?

b} Drive fifteen miles, park on a weather-lashed car park, and pay to catch a funny little bus to some strung-out shops?

c} Nip into town.

If you correctly answered c, c, a ... Well done!