I live in Preston, and hear people diss the town centre on a regular basis. But I grew up in Newcastle Under Lyme and Preston is a thriving metropolis compared to Castle and Hanley...
To be fair, its far from the worst lve seen. I remember Preston when it was thriving in the 80s and 90s before the internet killed off our towns/city centres. I just think the councils don't help with silly cycle lanes, bus gates and expensive parking. Cheers👍
I suppose you could be right it’s every town in the country. It’s strange when most of the list or the 50 worst towns in the country the hundred most rubbish shopping centres the bond number of crimes by the data how many million potholes how many million waiting list healthwise how many sleeping rough how many using Food banks? The list is analyst and it’s all crap. !
I'm Preston born and bred, but left many years ago with my job. We came back earlier this year and had a walk round, and like you, found the state of it depressing. My nearest city now, Nottingham, does have its empty shops, but nothing like this. How sad.
I’m from Preston and to be honest with you, it’s not that bad of a city compared to other cities and towns in the region. Preston is doing pretty well despite the empty shops. There is big plans, James for Preston, for example, all the of friargate and orchard street are getting a multimillion investment which will see the stretch of friargate from university to flag market being pedestrianised, which will also include Orchard Street. The red phone boxes which are grade listed all being removed and refurbished. The Guild not to sure about its future with more Prestonian saying it should be bulldozed. Several new skyscrapers are being built in Preston city centre in the coming years. All the Manchester Road is schedule for luxury apartments, including penthouses. The outskirts of Preston is seeing a major new housing Build which some luxury gated communities being constructed with an eye watering price tag over £1 million. Ashton Park is having a multimillion pound sports arena being built there. there’s also plans of introducing new electric buses into Preston buses fleet. So overall Preston is doing pretty well.
The state of Preston is probably no different to the rest of the UK and western world. Things have moved on shopping wise with the internet etc and it will never get back to the bustling days in the last century. I appreciate millions are being spent but l reckon in the wrong areas, for example all these silly cycle lanes that hardly anyone uses..not saying l know where it should be spent though🤣 We all have different opinions though and agree that Preston is far from the worst l have ever seen. Cheers for your comment👍
I spent 7 years studying and and working at Preston Polytechnic in the 70s and the town back then was a real buzz. Used to go to Squires night club near the market for a great night out. I visited from Australia in 2022 for the 1st time back since 1982 and it was a very sad sight. The area around the old Poly now a Uni looks nice with lots of activity with all the students.
I remember when Preston was buzzing and like you, went to Squires loads of times. They have spent loads around the Uni and the Adelphi pub area...it it wasn't for the students, it would be even worse. Cheers for your comment.👍
Everything's gone. Squires had a second club inside called quincys every Saturday people came from all over for the r&b and dance. It's all being built uni. It's done nothing for preston really. Just destroyed the great town preston was. Even the fishergate shopping centre being knocked down for what more tower blocks which will house students. At least there nearer to the train station at weekends for the train home. End of the week coperation streets busy with everyone walking towards the train station. The only money spent from the uni is food stores and takeaways. Go else were for everything else. The uni should of been built on the old Whittingham site. Restored the old buildings and built on the land. It had its own train station which could of been opened up and part funded by the uni. Got the longridge to preston line opened. Kept preston for all shopping area's
Don't forget preston used to have the UK snooker in the guild hall, it was a big thing here. It's a crying shame it's derelict , it just had a good atmosphere. Also Van Halen, Led Zep, Bowie, Queen, Stone Roses , Blondie, played there.
I left Preston in the 1980s and although renewing my season ticket every year for the North End and travelling in off the M6 have never been in the City centre until the other Saturday when I came in on the train. I was impressed...Fishergate clean and busy, covered market looks good, work being undertaken on the Harris, came back via new Uni buildings. Seems to me the place has been doing relatively well. And it has character.....need to go a long way to find a better sunken Victorian garden and better sweeping municipal park than Winkley Sq and Avenham. There's just some grim housing though....I was brough u off Ribbleton Lane and the all area just seems to have gone down the pan.
What money they do have to spend, seems to be squandered on daft things like cycle lanes that aren't used and new paving which is knackered after about 6 months. Cheers mate.
Its the way of the world and l am just as bad for buying stuff online. Towns and cities do make it difficult though with expensive parking, silly cycle lanes, bus lane cameras and bus gates etc. They need to make it easier to shop on the High Street. Cheers.
@@FoodTravelwithJames totally agree , but if you go to any retail park it’s heaving ! Now I wonder why?lol could it be free parking shopping and then having something to eat or drink? They must be crazy. Think of all the money lost in parking charges and parking fines. Now the town council I’ve got the red screwed on. Why don’t we charge the motorist through the nose? Make it nearly impossible to park at the town centre and then they won’t clutter it up and spend money and who cares if the shops are shut on empty, we still get our Business Rates . That’s a crazy world, isn’t it?
@@FoodTravelwithJames sad I it I lived in Preston in 1960 and 61 when I was 20 when there was seven cinemas the Harris Museum was in good condition. The shops were bustling. I remember going to the first disco probably outside London a great big market and all the pubs. I suppose it’s history now 60 years ago. Are used to walk down that long road where by English Electric and behind was the docks Penwortham train station where I worked all gone bittersweet memories living get a bed set, on Waterloo Road luckily there wasn’t the monstrosity of the Guildhall then . The life was pretty hard and wages seem very low and you had to watch the pennies. Sadly I missed Tom Finney. He just retired but I went to Deepdale. It doesn’t look like it’s improved. Much , they might be good at lots of things but we definitely not good at our planning. In fact we’re absolutely bloody awful. The number of sensors we are ruined in the last 60 years is beyond belief.
The Ring Road in Preston always makes me laugh. Theres no ring about it....it just cuts through and separates the town/city centre. Cheers for your comment....don't disagree with much in it and very interesting. Think Deepdale has improved though but lost its old charm....great floodlights which do add character. Cheers.
This is an unfairly jaundiced view of Preston, where I am based for work in the lovely (and rejuvenated) Winckley Square, which didn't get a mention. Your pan of Fishergate bemoaned a single empty shop - how does that compare to many? Within a stone's throw there is an upmarket jeweller and a busy M&S as well as an historic tearoom. The Harris Museum, which got a brief view and mention, is currently undergoing a major refurbishment and redevelopment, as you point out later. Your pan up to the market showed a huge crane but failed to mention the reconstruction going on where the old and tired market used to be. 10 minutes' walk from where you were, you could have brought views of Avenham Park by the River Ribble, which also has been rejuvenated in recent years and is a lovely place to relax and walk. You seem to be a glass half-empty person.
@@P1959H Not to worry, you have a different opinion and we will agree to disagree. I think, Preston like many other towns and cities around the country is a shadow of it's former self. Cheers for your comment.👍
Not impressed James with your negativity about a town/City that will always be a part of me. I was born & lived the early part of my life in Preston & it is so annoying to hear the amount of criticisms dished out on the place of my birth. Times change & not everything can be viewed through rose tinted lenses. It like many towns has been impacted by on line shopping so it is inevitable that shops will suffer. As a town centre it has been significantly revamped & with the gorgeous Harris museum being refurbished we will have a stellar iconic landmark in its full glory.
I live in Preston, and hear people diss the town centre on a regular basis. But I grew up in Newcastle Under Lyme and Preston is a thriving metropolis compared to Castle and Hanley...
To be fair, its far from the worst lve seen. I remember Preston when it was thriving in the 80s and 90s before the internet killed off our towns/city centres. I just think the councils don't help with silly cycle lanes, bus gates and expensive parking. Cheers👍
I suppose you could be right it’s every town in the country. It’s strange when most of the list or the 50 worst towns in the country the hundred most rubbish shopping centres the bond number of crimes by the data how many million potholes how many million waiting list healthwise how many sleeping rough how many using Food banks? The list is analyst and it’s all crap. !
i would rank preston as a struggling 6, compared to most towns.
I'm Preston born and bred, but left many years ago with my job. We came back earlier this year and had a walk round, and like you, found the state of it depressing. My nearest city now, Nottingham, does have its empty shops, but nothing like this. How sad.
@@PeterMolyneux-l2y I can remember Preston when it was bustling in the 80s and 90s....sad to see it today.
I’m from Preston and to be honest with you, it’s not that bad of a city compared to other cities and towns in the region. Preston is doing pretty well despite the empty shops. There is big plans, James for Preston, for example, all the of friargate and orchard street are getting a multimillion investment which will see the stretch of friargate from university to flag market being pedestrianised, which will also include Orchard Street. The red phone boxes which are grade listed all being removed and refurbished. The Guild not to sure about its future with more Prestonian saying it should be bulldozed. Several new skyscrapers are being built in Preston city centre in the coming years. All the Manchester Road is schedule for luxury apartments, including penthouses. The outskirts of Preston is seeing a major new housing Build which some luxury gated communities being constructed with an eye watering price tag over £1 million. Ashton Park is having a multimillion pound sports arena being built there. there’s also plans of introducing new electric buses into Preston buses fleet. So overall Preston is doing pretty well.
The state of Preston is probably no different to the rest of the UK and western world. Things have moved on shopping wise with the internet etc and it will never get back to the bustling days in the last century. I appreciate millions are being spent but l reckon in the wrong areas, for example all these silly cycle lanes that hardly anyone uses..not saying l know where it should be spent though🤣 We all have different opinions though and agree that Preston is far from the worst l have ever seen. Cheers for your comment👍
True anywhere better. Than Blackpool thou it is by the sea , stoke isn’t lol
when they cant even manage the current plan, - always with the new big plan right ?
lol
I spent 7 years studying and and working at Preston Polytechnic in the 70s and the town back then was a real buzz. Used to go to Squires night club near the market for a great night out. I visited from Australia in 2022 for the 1st time back since 1982 and it was a very sad sight. The area around the old Poly now a Uni looks nice with lots of activity with all the students.
I remember when Preston was buzzing and like you, went to Squires loads of times. They have spent loads around the Uni and the Adelphi pub area...it it wasn't for the students, it would be even worse. Cheers for your comment.👍
Everything's gone. Squires had a second club inside called quincys every Saturday people came from all over for the r&b and dance. It's all being built uni. It's done nothing for preston really. Just destroyed the great town preston was. Even the fishergate shopping centre being knocked down for what more tower blocks which will house students. At least there nearer to the train station at weekends for the train home. End of the week coperation streets busy with everyone walking towards the train station. The only money spent from the uni is food stores and takeaways. Go else were for everything else. The uni should of been built on the old Whittingham site. Restored the old buildings and built on the land. It had its own train station which could of been opened up and part funded by the uni. Got the longridge to preston line opened. Kept preston for all shopping area's
Don't forget preston used to have the UK snooker in the guild hall, it was a big thing here. It's a crying shame it's derelict , it just had a good atmosphere. Also Van Halen, Led Zep, Bowie, Queen, Stone Roses , Blondie, played there.
@@dt3460 yeah, some big acts and sporting events at the GH over the years...can't see any of them coming back. Cheers👍
I left Preston in the 1980s and although renewing my season ticket every year for the North End and travelling in off the M6 have never been in the City centre until the other Saturday when I came in on the train. I was impressed...Fishergate clean and busy, covered market looks good, work being undertaken on the Harris, came back via new Uni buildings. Seems to me the place has been doing relatively well. And it has character.....need to go a long way to find a better sunken Victorian garden and better sweeping municipal park than Winkley Sq and Avenham. There's just some grim housing though....I was brough u off Ribbleton Lane and the all area just seems to have gone down the pan.
Fair enough Clive. Always good to hear different opinions. Cheers for the comment.👍
My home town
Preston was a thriving town and due to government funding policies it, like most regional towns, has been completely hollowed out.
What money they do have to spend, seems to be squandered on daft things like cycle lanes that aren't used and new paving which is knackered after about 6 months. Cheers mate.
Destroyed by Amazon lol
Its the way of the world and l am just as bad for buying stuff online. Towns and cities do make it difficult though with expensive parking, silly cycle lanes, bus lane cameras and bus gates etc. They need to make it easier to shop on the High Street. Cheers.
@@FoodTravelwithJames totally agree , but if you go to any retail park it’s heaving ! Now I wonder why?lol could it be free parking shopping and then having something to eat or drink? They must be crazy. Think of all the money lost in parking charges and parking fines.
Now the town council I’ve got the red screwed on. Why don’t we charge the motorist through the nose? Make it nearly impossible to park at the town centre and then they won’t clutter it up and spend money and who cares if the shops are shut on empty, we still get our Business Rates . That’s a crazy world, isn’t it?
@@FoodTravelwithJames sad I it I lived in Preston in 1960 and 61 when I was 20 when there was seven cinemas the Harris Museum was in good condition. The shops were bustling. I remember going to the first disco probably outside London a great big market and all the pubs. I suppose it’s history now 60 years ago. Are used to walk down that long road where by English Electric and behind was the docks Penwortham train station where I worked all gone bittersweet memories living get a bed set, on Waterloo Road luckily there wasn’t the monstrosity of the Guildhall then . The life was pretty hard and wages seem very low and you had to watch the pennies. Sadly I missed Tom Finney. He just retired but I went to Deepdale. It doesn’t look like it’s improved. Much , they might be good at lots of things but we definitely not good at our planning. In fact we’re absolutely bloody awful. The number of sensors we are ruined in the last 60 years is beyond belief.
The Ring Road in Preston always makes me laugh. Theres no ring about it....it just cuts through and separates the town/city centre. Cheers for your comment....don't disagree with much in it and very interesting. Think Deepdale has improved though but lost its old charm....great floodlights which do add character. Cheers.
It's not "I'm stood", but "I'm standing".
This is an unfairly jaundiced view of Preston, where I am based for work in the lovely (and rejuvenated) Winckley Square, which didn't get a mention. Your pan of Fishergate bemoaned a single empty shop - how does that compare to many? Within a stone's throw there is an upmarket jeweller and a busy M&S as well as an historic tearoom. The Harris Museum, which got a brief view and mention, is currently undergoing a major refurbishment and redevelopment, as you point out later. Your pan up to the market showed a huge crane but failed to mention the reconstruction going on where the old and tired market used to be. 10 minutes' walk from where you were, you could have brought views of Avenham Park by the River Ribble, which also has been rejuvenated in recent years and is a lovely place to relax and walk. You seem to be a glass half-empty person.
@@P1959H Not to worry, you have a different opinion and we will agree to disagree. I think, Preston like many other towns and cities around the country is a shadow of it's former self. Cheers for your comment.👍
I live in Preston its a total dump it has a horrible town centre and looks so scruffy ! It needs a lot of money spending on it ☹️
I was born in Preston and completely agree Angie. Most places are the same and very sad to see. Cheers for your comment👍
@@FoodTravelwithJamesElton John did perform at the Guild Hall I was there I also David Bowie and other well known names .
Wow Elaine! Can't see many big names and stars rocking up in Preston these days. Cheers👍
2nd longest row of red phone boxes in uk
Great info Kevin. I wonder where the longest row of telephone boxes is.👍
Ruined absolutely ruined Preston 😢
Agree, most places the same....towns and cities just aren't the same anymore.
Not impressed James with your negativity about a town/City that will always be a part of me.
I was born & lived the early part of my life in Preston & it is so annoying to hear the amount of criticisms dished out on the place of my birth.
Times change & not everything can be viewed through rose tinted lenses.
It like many towns has been impacted by on line shopping so it is inevitable that shops will suffer.
As a town centre it has been significantly revamped & with the gorgeous Harris museum being refurbished we will have a stellar iconic landmark in its full glory.
Not to worry, life is all about having different opinions. Cheers👍
Agreed. It's fashionable to knock ANY place it seems.
Gabbotts food was brill 😊
@TracyGribben-o3j It really was Tracy....the barbeque chicken was especially tremendous.😂 Cheers.