Farewell to Chris’s Café: The Ashton Review of Shops Extra

Chris and Costa leave Ashton-under-Lyne after nearly 40 years

After 39 years of trading, Chris’s Café closed its door on the 04 August 2018. Situated on Bow Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, the café was a popular haunt with many shoppers. Its position opposite the open market was good for passing trade.

Retail Comings and Goings in Tameside, August 2018: The Ashton Review of Shops

August’s window on the shop windows

• Bridge Beers’ Summertime Success;
• Poundworld’s demise confirmed;
• All the usual comings and goings in the Tameside area.

Changing Hands: The Commercial Hotel, Manchester Road, Mossley. Image by Mikey, 2012 (Creative Commons License: Attribution-Some Rights Reserved).

What will the previous month be remembered for in future years? England reaching the Semi Finals of the World Cup? The moorland fires which affected half of Tameside’s residents? The warm weather? The first and third points may have brought riches to our publicans but a fair number of pubs are changing hands or disappearing.

Poundworld Store Closures: The Ashton Review of Shops Extra

Details of Poundworld store closures in and around Tameside

Staying put: Rochdale’s branch of Poundworld, not one of the 25 stores which are closing on Sunday 15 July.

In our last edition of The Ashton Review of Shops there was reference to Poundworld’s troubles and as to which branches are closing.

Retail Comings and Goings in Tameside, July 2018: The Ashton Review of Shops

July’s window on the shop windows

• Poundworld in administration;
• New coffee shop coming to Hyde;
• All the usual comings and goings in the Tameside area.

Going: Poundworld’s retail empire, well represented in the Tameside area.

This month’s weather has been glorious for shopping. Especially open-air shopping centres and open markets. Sadly, the same couldn’t have been said of recent reports; particularly the demise of Poundworld and The House of Fraser’s rationalisation. In our borough, more the former.

Retail Comings and Goings in Tameside, June 2018: The Ashton Review of Shops

June’s window on the shop windows

• Mo’s life celebrated by community singing group;
• The Cotton Bale reopens;
• All the usual comings and goings in the Tameside area.

The Whit Walks on Trinity Street, Stalybridge.

Last month’s sunny weather brought a much needed smile to our faces, as seen in our picture of the Whit Walks in Stalybridge. On the flip side it has also been a time for reflection; not only for the 22 people who died in the Manchester Arena terror attack, but also a well known local figure.

Retail Comings and Goings in Tameside, May 2018: The Ashton Review of Shops

May’s window on the shop windows

• Stalybridge grieves for well loved greengrocer;
• Tameside at sharp end of latest bank closures;
• Sainsburys swoop for ASDA;
• Two new Micro Pubs;
• All the usual comings and goings in the Tameside area.

Spring should be well and truly on its way. We should be thinking about better weather, cherry blossom. Sadly in the last month, there has been little to cheer about.

Retail Comings and Goings in Tameside, April 2018: The Ashton Review of Shops

April’s window on the shop windows

In about ten years time from Smabs Sputzer’s [2012] image, this scene will change dramatically. Since then, the TAC building has been demolished with its replacement due to be finished by the end of this year. Plus you can see Ashton’s IKEA store from the International Space Station.

• Mettricks to leave Stalybridge;
• State of local economy inspires aspirant councillors;
• Claire’s Accessories, Bargain Booze and Select Fashion in trouble;
• Prince of Orange’s transformation completed;
• All the usual comings and goings in the Tameside area.

We hope you have had a Happy Easter. Hopefully, whilst you are reading this, you would have polished off your chocolate eggs, ate the last slice of Simnel Cake, or seen the Manchester Derby fixture.

Retail Comings and Goings in Tameside, March 2018: The Ashton Review of Shops

March’s window on the shop windows

Work in progress: the Joint Service Centre, Warrington Street, Ashton-under-Lyne. Since the demise of Carillion the contract has been transferred to Robertson.

• M&S closures in Denton and Stockport confirmed;
• Equestrianism supplies retailer moves to bigger out of town premises;
• All the usual comings and goings in the Tameside area.

With the worst excesses of The Beast From The East and Storm Emma, there’s every chance you may be reading this round-up at home. We don’t blame you, though yours truly was daft enough to venture out in these conditions.

Retail Comings and Goings in Tameside, February 2018: The Ashton Review of Shops

Our second window on the shop windows for 2018, and it doesn’t make for good reading in parts

A soggy Ashton-under-Lyne in January 2015, taken with a budget priced digital camera (of 1999 vintage).

• More store closures;
• Stalybridge to lose branch of Yorkshire Building Society;
• All the usual comings and goings in the Tameside area.

2018 is only 34 days old and has up to now been dominated by store closures and bank closures. Two of which in Stalybridge, one to follow in Denton, and one in Ashton-under-Lyne. A leading chain store is set to move out of town.