Pitt and Nelson

The redevelopment of the former pub goes on. This was the Pitt and Nelson / Bedroom. It closed a couple of years back and was left boarded up. Part of it is already a shop (the Xmas shop!) and now it looks like the rest of it is converted to a shop and ready to be let.

I remember when Ashton was the place to be on a Sunday night. The pavements were difficult to navigate with all the people visiting the numerous pubs. Now it’s very different. No one goes to Ashton for the pubs. They are mostly frequented by a few hardy locals only. Around half have close their doors for good.

Disused Vicarage

This is house in the grounds of St.Peters Church.

1 Stockport Road. It’s the disused vicarage.

There is a sign on it telling us that planning permission has been sought to extend it and turn it into offices. Well it’s better than leaving it derelict. Of course the style of the house never did fit in with the church. I’m surprised that planning permission was ever granted. Hopefully the people who are redeveloping it (St Peter Partnership) will do something to help it fit in with the old church. I wont hold my breath though.

Ashton-under-Lyne Stamford Park

Well I did visit Stanford Park but could find no trace of the monument in yesterday’s blog.

I did find some cactus plants in the conservatory.

On my recent return to Ashton after working away, the plants in my apartment were looking very sad (slightly dead) so I think cacti will be the plant of choice when I next go to the garden centre.

Small Monument revealed

While I was away, they cut all the bushes down around the Memorial Park. Hope they’re going to plant something else and not just concrete it over. Anyway with the bushes gone, a small monument has been revealed. So I strolled over to see what it was.

There is a plaque on it, a little hard to see now, but reads:

Replica of the Old Cross erected 1723 in St.Michaels Square the original of which is sited in Stanford Park.

Is it? Well I guess I’d better get over there take a look for myself.

Belle Vue Stock Cars

The Formula 1 Stock Cars rolled into Manchester’s Belle Vue yesterday.

Here’s a peek into the pits after heat 1.

Fellow Contractors

As promised, some of the guys I worked with at Aviva.

Chris, Grahame, Alan, Iona.

Norwich

My local in Norwich was this pub, The Gardeners.

But no one called it that, it was known to all as The Murderers. It has pictures of famous murderers from England and across the world up on the walls. Obviously this included Myra Hindley and Ian Brady.

When ever I go somewhere new, and they ask where I’m from, if I tell them Saddleworth (actually Grotton) they always say, oh the moors murderers. So I felt at home in this pub. Almost!

Couple of shots from the city centre.
 
 

Norwich

Well, a slow and hesitant return to the blog world.

The gods have been conspiring against me.

My broadband connection is still a month off being restored, so I’m using one of those very slow, intermittent, expensive mobile dongles.

My old laptop died a couple of days after getting home from my contract in Norwich. It did fall off the pannier on my bike while on the train back to Ashton, I thought I’d got away with it, but apparently I didn’t.

My new laptop is all well and good, but the old one died with my picture manipulating software still on it. And no, I don’t have it backed up. And also I cannot get back to the original copy as sadly that route was closed to me some years back.

Anyway, some snaps from my days in Norwich where I was working for Aviva.

This is where I stayed in Norwich, very handy as it was just across the road from work.

And this the grand front entrance to work - Aviva (Norwich Union as was).

The old Norwich Union clock.