SHOPPING PRECINCTS.

I visited Tesco at Walkden and had a look round the shopping centre for the first time in ages, and what a disappointment it was!



​A huge cavernous area with about 10 shops and 5 market stalls; it was like an empty ghost town, cold and unwelcoming. It really needed an influx of retail outlets to liven the place up.

The structure and decoration were good; parking was plentiful but the place was soulless. Why doesn’t the council try to encourage Primark, Range or any of the High street clothing stores, Select, New Look and Next to take up residence? Surely there must be enough customers in the Walkden, Farnworth, Little Hulton and Worsley areas to justify their inclusion. They could even lower the leases to get the shops in.

If I was a resident in the area I would be onto my local councillor to do something to bring life back to the centre. It has so much wasted potential

I went on a Saturday and had lunch at the Lowry café. What a shame!

It was full of buckets from leaks falling from the glass roof. They had electric heaters, which tried to keep customers warm but it was a thankless job. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking the café owners, they really tried to deal with the situation in the best possible way.  

The food was god and the service from the friendly staff was excellent. It wasn’t their fault but - come on Salford Council or whoever owns the precinct - repair the ceiling!

There was a sorry attempt at providing an indoor market area which was disappointing; a few market stalls forlorn and unvisited in the time that I was there; where it should be thriving. Where are the market traders?

Would I visit the shopping centre again?  I don’t think so.

Thought for today:  When the going gets tough; the tough go shopping!

​P.S I hope that you like the image today as it is a painting done by my lovely husband.

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