[Archived] Benefit tv

[JAL]

Blackburn is a dirty scruffy shithole these days with litter everywhere, overgrown cemetaries, dilapidated buildings, crumbling walls etc.......

Cant argue with that Thenodrog

[JAL]

Just shows that nobody cares about Blackburn town two prestigious schools and what does the town look like - embarrassing.

[Mike E]

Just shows that nobody cares about Blackburn town two prestigious schools and what does the town look like - embarrassing.

And one of those schools may well go down the pan before long. Thankfully I was there when it was good.

Tbf, it's more the towns inhabitants who looka bunch of scruffy buggers than the town itself. They're making an effort with the Mall and aren't we due to get Waterstones, Pizza Express, Cafe Rouge and Bella Italia in the next year or so?

[ABBEY]

Teaching a 5 year old how to light a can of Lynx...skint but have lap tops and ale.

[yoda]

Just shows that nobody cares about Blackburn town two prestigious schools and what does the town look like - embarrassing.

which are?

[thenodrog]

Credit where credit is due, in fairness the Mall is very good and the market as it always has adds much to the experience imo.

Unfortunately I don't know if the shoppers have enough to spend to support it all.

[T.J.Newton]

the mall(and the town centre in general) is becoming a real gem for this town, it has such a wide variety of shops with a good mix of high street chains and independents, no other place(not even Manchester) in the north has such a wide variety in such a small area

also despite all the moaning that goes on about parking I never have a problem finding a space(as long as your not expecting to find 1 the second you enter the car park) and the fees are reasonable,

just a shame I rarely have any spare money to go and spend there.

P.s. I do have one big gripe about the town centre though, I wish that somebody would bloody do something with the old cinema(which was formally the Apollo) Its such a gorgeous old building inside- http://www.taylorweaver.co.uk/PropertySheet.aspx?property=384 My wet dream would be for somebody to turn it into an independent cinema(similar to Manchester's cornerhouse) There's not enough things for adults to do in this town, most places are aimed at kids or families with kids.

[Tom]

Good memories of that cinema the main screen was a cracker with real personality.

I do like going to the vue cinema but they all lack character now

[T.J.Newton]

The vue is fine if you just want to watch the latest big releases and you can tolerate all the sickly sweet food smells wafting around whilst your watching the film.

[thenodrog]

P.s. I do have one big gripe about the town centre though, I wish that somebody would bloody do something with the old cinema(which was formally the Apollo) Its such a gorgeous old building inside- http://www.taylorweaver.co.uk/PropertySheet.aspx?property=384

That was the Essoldo in my day.

[T.J.Newton]

Unit 4 in mine

[Stuart]

Some great memories of Unit 4 and later the Apollo.

Not sure it will ever be a cinema again but what a place for live music for bands with smaller followings a la the Academy in Manchester. I guess it would take business from King George's?

Those rooms look like they are gagging for gigs. Maybe with improvements to the college it might bring back the student nightlife and, in turn, breathe life back into the town centre of an evening. We really are missing a trick.

[thenodrog]

Live gigs? It'd make a fantastic restaurant BUT if it has a future in the town then the old Cotton Exchange is destined to become either a Shisha lounge, yet another mosque or a bloody pound shop!

[yoda]

Live gigs? It'd make a fantastic restaurant BUT if it has a future in the town then the old Cotton Exchange is destined to become either a Shisha lounge, yet another mosque or a bloody pound shop!

No market for a restaurant in Blackburn town center otherwise the Italian in the basement would still be there, Beetlestone gave up after a while round the corner.,

Shisha lounge is probably the favorite closely followed by another green onion

[Stuart]

Live gigs? It'd make a fantastic restaurant BUT if it has a future in the town then the old Cotton Exchange is destined to become either a Shisha lounge, yet another mosque or a bloody pound shop!

Just look at the size of those halls. I bet the acoustics are great.

Sadly I'm inclined to agree. Not enough people to try to alter that course either.

As for the mix of shops in The Mall (I think TJ pointed out earlier), surely it's just a mix of clothing and mobile phone shops? There not even a record shop or DVD shop left (whilst, despite the digital age, these things are still available to order online). We have a "pretend Waterstones" which is basically an overpriced Bargain Books. There's barely any culture left. The market is about the only thing going for it. Although I did hear on the radio that the bogs above the market won some kind of award recently.

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/blackburndarwenhyndburnribble/10952918.Blackburn_loo_attendant_best_in_country/

[thenodrog]

No market for a restaurant in Blackburn town center otherwise the Italian in the basement would still be there, Beetlestone gave up after a while round the corner.,

Shisha lounge is probably the favorite closely followed by another green onion

That is effectively what I meant.

Tiggis was good in the early days and Beetlestones was unique in it's eccentricity*! Good food and good ambience and Geoffrey was a one off! Blackburn was the wrong town for a place like Beetlestones.... (btw I put Goodfellows in the same category).

btw I did hear on the grapevine that Geoffrey Beetlestones had passed away.

* Anybody rem the two gentlemen musicians in Dinner Jackets who were quite often playing in Beetlestones? They were remarkeable.

[T.J.Newton]

I think there's enough restaurants in the world already and normally id go to a restaurant as part of a night out, not for a night out(if you know what I mean!) usually before or after going to see a film or a gig, etc...

[thenodrog]

Really? Maybe in the world there is, but in Blackburn there aren't any.... unless you are happy to count Subway that is.

[T.J.Newton]

As for the mix of shops in The Mall (I think TJ pointed out earlier), surely it's just a mix of clothing and mobile phone shops? There not even a record shop or DVD shop left (whilst, despite the digital age, these things are still available to order online). We have a "pretend Waterstones" which is basically an overpriced Bargain Books. There's barely any culture left. The market is about the only thing going for it. Although I did hear on the radio that the bogs above the market won some kind of award recently.

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/blackburndarwenhyndburnribble/10952918.Blackburn_loo_attendant_best_in_country/

its because these things are available so cheaply online that there are no store that's just the way it is, there was a very good new dvd store in the mall that opened and closed within a year simply because they just cant compete with online store prices,

I agree with the pretend waterstones, It is pretty pathetic.

[yoda]

That is effectively what I meant.

Tiggis was good in the early days and Beetlestones was unique in it's eccentricity*! Good food and good ambience and Geoffrey was a one off! Blackburn was the wrong town for a place like Beetlestones.... (btw I put Goodfellows in the same category).

btw I did hear on the grapevine that Geoffrey Beetlestones had passed away.

* Anybody rem the two gentlemen musicians in Dinner Jackets who were quite often playing in Beetlestones? They were remarkeable.

His linkedln page seems to be still active

[Al]

I refuse to pay to park particularly on a street. If they want me to shop in their centre let me park for free.

[Mike E]

I refuse to pay to park particularly on a street. If they want me to shop in their centre let me park for free.

You can park free on council car parks (or will be able to shortly) between certain times, I believe.

[T.J.Newton]

I refuse to pay to park particularly on a street. If they want me to shop in their centre let me park for free.

if your that much of a cheapkate, then I doubt there missing your custom that much

I respect you sticking to your principles though, I have similar principles on other things that kind of sometimes cut my nose of to spite my face.

[adopted scouser]

But the food market puts Manchester Arndale's to shame.

Eh ?!

[yoda]

Eh ?!

maybe mixed up with the Trafford center