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[fuertes]

I haven't lived in Altrincham for about five years. I come back reasonably often to watch Alty, to visit my folks etc, and will occasionally head towards the town to meet up with someone for a pint at Wetherspoons, go for a meal, whatever.

However, today was the first time I have walked around Altrincham Town Centre for about 18 months. I don't know whether it's due to this redevelopment being in progress, the recession or what, but I was struck by the number of boarded up shops and to be frank, much as it pains me to say it, the general crappy look of the town.

Is parking still ridiculously expensive, thereby driving shoppers away and into the arms of the Trafford Centre/Arndale Centre? Is there just no money about? It was absolutely horrible to look round the place.

The only thing that cheered me up was a couple of brilliant pan-pipers 

[Dougals Dad]

I haven't lived in Altrincham for about five years. I come back reasonably often to watch Alty, to visit my folks etc, and will occasionally head towards the town to meet up with someone for a pint at Wetherspoons, go for a meal, whatever.

However, today was the first time I have walked around Altrincham Town Centre for about 18 months. I don't know whether it's due to this redevelopment being in progress, the recession or what, but I was struck by the number of boarded up shops and to be frank, much as it pains me to say it, the general crappy look of the town.

Is parking still ridiculously expensive, thereby driving shoppers away and into the arms of the Trafford Centre/Arndale Centre? Is there just no money about? It was absolutely horrible to look round the place.

The only thing that cheered me up was a couple of brilliant pan-pipers 

Alty town centre was on R5Live the other night when they had a phone in about clampers and rediculous parking fines. A chap had left his car in a car park that closed for the evening. The signs to say when the car park closes and the amount to pay to free your car were well hidden.

It is a shame for such a historic town centre, expecially if it wants to compete with the Trafford Centre etc.

PS Don't be Frank - that means you will only turn up to ML when the TV cameras are there!

[baldrick]

I heard the rents being charged for shops are way too high. Alty is the only place i have ever seen a McDonald's close down. Even Pizza Hut has moved. Something is seriously wrong.

[Ballers]

Is parking still ridiculously expensive, thereby driving shoppers away and into the arms of the Trafford Centre/Arndale centre?

In a nutshell, Yip!

You can't park anywhere near Alty TC  now, barely any of the surrounding roads. It's actually bloody easier to get to  Trafford Centre etc.

If the council cared they'd sort it but they won't.

[fuertes]

Is parking still ridiculously expensive, thereby driving shoppers away and into the arms of the Trafford Centre/Arndale centre?

In a nutshell, Yip!

You can't park anywhere near Alty TC  now, barely any of the surrounding roads. It's actually bloody easier to get to  Trafford Centre etc.

If the council cared they'd sort it but they won't.

But why don't they care? Isn't Trafford under Tory control? I'd have thought Altrincham is their 'heartland', why are they seemingly killing the town? It's all the more stupid since they seem to be making some effort to redevelop the precinct, but in conjunction with that policy they're not letting anyone park nearby 

[Dougals Dad]

Is parking still ridiculously expensive, thereby driving shoppers away and into the arms of the Trafford Centre/Arndale centre?

In a nutshell, Yip!

You can't park anywhere near Alty TC  now, barely any of the surrounding roads. It's actually bloody easier to get to  Trafford Centre etc.

If the council cared they'd sort it but they won't.

But why don't they care? Isn't Trafford under Tory control? I'd have thought Altrincham is their 'heartland', why are they seemingly killing the town? It's all the more stupid since they seem to be making some effort to redevelop the precinct, but in conjunction with that policy they're not letting anyone park nearby 

Aren't they increasing the size of the multi storey?

Makes you wonder if they don't want to upset Tesco or the owners of the Trafford Centre

[hsmith1]

fuertes.
I have just got back to devon from visit to my father and i walked around Alty with my wife Monday and we wondered the same.Alty looks like a bit of a one horse town and the horse left sunday.It did look worse before they redeveloped the bottom end of george street.Parking cost us £2.00 in the high rise carpark at the back of george street.

[bigcol]

Ditto everything that has been said. I left Alty in 94 and am amazed how poor the town center is now. I took my wife to shoe her my hometown and she asked if Tumbleweed was council sponsored.

[blackpoolalty]

I work for Iceland and one of my mates is a store manager. He has moved to Stretford as the woman manageress there is going to be taking over an Iceland in Altrincham.

Must be some sort of plans in the pipeline as our MD only spends money flying the managers to Florida for a convention  

... next up will be bargain buys, primark, new look etc

It really has changed form when I was a lad, I remember C&A and that good old record shop called 4play (oo err missus)

[Dougals Dad]

I work for Iceland and one of my mates is a store manager. He has moved to Stretford as the woman manageress there is going to be taking over an Iceland in Altrincham.

Must be some sort of plans in the pipeline as our MD only spends money flying the managers to Florida for a convention  

... next up will be bargain buys, primark, new look etc

It really has changed form when I was a lad, I remember C&A and that good old record shop called 4play (oo err missus)

I remember the days of Swales record shop, Monkey Tree and that shop near Grafton Mall that sold all sorts of tat and gifty things and I remember The Red Balloon. I remember Ben's 50p store next to the post office - and I remember the post office. Even Walton's model shop appears to have shrunk!

[Ashley Alty]

Do you remember that shop next to White & Swales record shop that sold only aprons?  I could never work out how that shop stayed open.  Then there was Hawkers, Fryers Wools, Animal Magic, Axe and Cleaver pub and my mum used to buy my clothes from the Ladybird shop near the bus station.  We did our shoppng in the Maypole next to the Brickies.....

[Dougals Dad]

Do you remember that shop next to White & Swales record shop that sold only aprons?  I could never work out how that shop stayed open.  Then there was Hawkers, Fryers Wools, Animal Magic, Axe and Cleaver pub and my mum used to buy my clothes from the Ladybird shop near the bus station.  We did our shoppng in the Maypole next to the Brickies.....

Showing your age there: I remember all but Hawkers. I can remember when the library was near the Old Market Place and I remembe Timothy Whites and I remember WH Smiths being on Stamford New Road. There used to be an excellent tobaconist there too that sold Lindt chocolate before it was widely available.

[Jenga]

Altrincham £2.00 Car Park
Trafford Centre Free

As for doing up the precinct that is a good point, who is go "up altrincham" on a saturday shopping when you cant park.

Alty has also been killed due to the Pubs and Bars getting riff raff in. This certainly killed it for a night out. I would not dream of going to alty for night out now.

Remember all those shops mentioned above, Taylor and Cross, Shearings, and whatever happened to woolworths lol

[Dougals Dad]

Has Taylor & Cross gone?

And what was that Pharmacy on Stamford New Road?

Does anyone remember the old bus station, one of those good old fashioned ones where the buses run over pedestrians when reversing! I don't remember the old bus station smelling of pish (as we call it up here). Although I believe it was the first in the country, the bus rail interchange is a smelly mess that destroyed the frontage of the railway station.

I have old photos of Alty in the downstairs bog (J's mum wouldn't allow them anywhere else!) from the early 20th century which shows so many of the old buildings and George Heslop!

[joe]

Alty town centre has officially died! All decent pubs have gone now too.