THE DEMOLITION OF CHURCH STREET ECCLES BEGINS

As we reported in August this year, that Church Street, Eccles was to undergo a massive transformation with the demolition of shops on the right hand side, from The Scope Charity Shop, taking in The Top House pub and Booths Store.

Yesterday the demolition began as the properties were first removed of slates, windows and fittings leaving them bare shells of what were once, busy shops that still hold many memories for so many people.

It's always sad to see a pub close and even more painful to see it demolished, the Railway Inn or The Top House as it was nicknamed which was first licenced in the 1860s was a favourite of mine, always known as being an Irish pub, with live music at weekends when it was the tiny two roomed pub, run by John Collins and his wife Bridie and later by Paul Quinn, such a shame.

Booths Store of Fryers Store which it was known as originally was a huge shop, selling furniture, carpets, home fittings, beds, curtains, carpets, lamps and was the biggest shop in the area for these, I always thought it was a bit pricey but by all accounts good quality merchandise, sadly soon to be another memory as the bulldozers have moved in.

As for the future? replaced with interlinking blocks of four, six and 23... yes that's correct, 23 storey buildings consisting of 272, one, two and three bedroomed apartments.

A blot on the landscape or the way ahead? I would have much preferred them to stay open, but I have no idea if they were running at a huge loss, which I suspect, or the owners were happy to see them go, it's too late for tears now, as I have told by the contractors that they will all be demolished and the site flattened within the next 14 days.

Lets see what the future brings.