Down To The Park: Walkden Gardens, Sale

The start of a new series that looks at Greater Manchester’s parks and gardens

At this moment in time, this pandemic is (hopefully) coming to an end. We are still encouraged to practice social distancing and try not to use public transport for non-essential travel. The message of “Hands, Faces, Space, and Fresh Air” and the lighter nights make trips to the park most favourable.

Retail Comings and Goings in Tameside, May 2021: The Ashton Review of Shops

This month’s reopened window on the shop windows

For the third time this year, our window on the Tameside shop windows has been delayed. Once again we have deferred this month’s edition to tie in with this coming Monday’s events. Confused? Well you shouldn’t be, because on Monday 17 May 2021, our pubs and cafés will be fully opened. Hurrah for being able to eat and drink inside again.

Greater Manchester’s Yellow Buses Through The Ages

From Bee Line Buzz Company to the Rochdale Runners

As we know that Greater Manchester’s franchised buses will be in yellow and black, it is worth noting that yellow buses are far from novel in our City Region. Historically, they have orange and white, white, orange and brown, and several other colours before then. None of them being in yellow till The Bee Line Buzz Company came on to the scene.

The Future’s Yellow: 2024 Start for Greater Manchester’s Publicly Controlled Buses

Bus Franchising Scheme to begin a year earlier than expected

Greater Manchester’s Bus Franchising Scheme is set to start a year earlier than anticipated. With the pandemic, it was envisaged that franchised operations would begin in Sub-Area A in 2023, with Sub-Areas B and C following suit in 2024 and 2025. This morning [10 May 2021], it was announced that a fully franchised bus network will be in operation by 2024.

Interim Report, March 1979: A Beat of the M60 Music Review

Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan’s stunning album

It is a shame that so few great bands have named themselves after civic functions. The only one that springs to mind is The Chicago Transit Authority. They dropped the Transit Authority bit when they started climbing up the charts. After 1976’s If You Leave Me Now, their fame went stratospheric. I only wish I was a Child of the Seventies, who bided their time with Stalybridge Old Band and the as-yet-unrealised Chicago tribute act, SELNEC Southern.

Retail Comings and Goings in Tameside, April 2021: The Ashton Review of Shops

This month’s reopened window on the shop windows

For the second time this year, our window on the Tameside shop windows has been delayed. There is a good reason for this, we have deferred this month’s edition to tie in with this coming Monday’s events. Confused? Well you shouldn’t be, because on Monday 12 April 2021, non-essential retail premises will be reopening across the UK. Also our pubs and restaurants – well, the forecourts and gardens of our licensed premises – of those which have Beer Gardens.

New Ski Resort Set to Bolster Tameside Tourism

EXCLUSIVE: Multi-Million Private Sector capital scheme to transform Mossley and Saddleworth

The pandemic has been disastrous for our hospitality industry. Pubs have been closed for over a year with some facing depubification. With Brexit in full swing and many countries off limits to Britons thanks to COVID-19, the British tourism industry have changed the definition of Stay At Home. Instead of taking that holiday in Portugal, Spain or Turkey, they have chosen to Big-Up Britain.

What Colour for Greater Manchester’s Buses

Is the future orange and white or pink with yellow spots?

Unless we know different by the end of May, we shall be bracing ourselves for a new era of franchised bus operations by 2025. There will be endless chat on social media and blogs as to what bus routes will change, the fares, the cost of running the whole thing, and fun things like the livery.

Franchised Buses Get The Green Light

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham goes for Bus Franchising Scheme

Nearly four years after he was elected as Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham stuck to his pledge to reform Greater Manchester’s buses. Following a second consultation, he made his announcement at 1440 beside Stand E of Ashton-under-Lyne Interchange. The Free Trade Experiment with Greater Manchester’s buses will be consigned to history in four years time.

Droylsden Library Move Back On Track

Brownfield funding source sees return of plans to move Droylsden library to Guardsmen Tony Downes House

Back in 2015, Tameside MBC began a consultation to move Droylsden Library from its existing premises to the ground floor of Guardsmen Tony Downes House. As I attended a creative writing group there (and fell in love with the library), I chose to fill in the consultation.

What I loved about Droylsden’s library was its inter-war modernist exterior. I loved the airiness at street level and the non-fiction section and study area lower down. What I was less impressed with (by 2015 standards) was its approach to all parts of the library for wheelchair users. The lift to its three floors is only suitable for carrying books instead of readers.