Bill Walker
Well-Known Member
I grew up in stalybridge and did my training as an engineer in the middle of the town for 5 years.
I remember in the late 60s and early 70s it was a bustling little town with lots of shoppers and although you wouldn't go to stalybridge to buy clothes or shoes for example (you would go to Ashton or Manchester for things like that) it was quite lively then.
I seem to remember when the council started charging people to park their cars was the beginning of the death of Stalybridge.
This was in the 70s and the shopkeepers rallied against it as people would not pay to Park but preferably go to Ashton.
The council wouldn't back down though.
Then eventually in the 80s I think it was Tesco arrived and that was that for many small traders.
The last time I went probably about 6 years ago, half the shops on Melbourne Street, the main shopping street, were boarded up, it was pissing down, nobody about and felt very depressing.
When I was a school kid they spent a fortune putting the canal through a dirty great pipe in the centre of town... then 20 years later they spent another fortune re-establishing the canal as a feature of the town.
I will never forgive them though demolishing Stalybridge Town Hall.
When the old Stalybridge council became enveloped into Tameside council that was the end, so as to speak, for Stalybridge.
I remember in the late 60s and early 70s it was a bustling little town with lots of shoppers and although you wouldn't go to stalybridge to buy clothes or shoes for example (you would go to Ashton or Manchester for things like that) it was quite lively then.
I seem to remember when the council started charging people to park their cars was the beginning of the death of Stalybridge.
This was in the 70s and the shopkeepers rallied against it as people would not pay to Park but preferably go to Ashton.
The council wouldn't back down though.
Then eventually in the 80s I think it was Tesco arrived and that was that for many small traders.
The last time I went probably about 6 years ago, half the shops on Melbourne Street, the main shopping street, were boarded up, it was pissing down, nobody about and felt very depressing.
When I was a school kid they spent a fortune putting the canal through a dirty great pipe in the centre of town... then 20 years later they spent another fortune re-establishing the canal as a feature of the town.
I will never forgive them though demolishing Stalybridge Town Hall.
When the old Stalybridge council became enveloped into Tameside council that was the end, so as to speak, for Stalybridge.
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