Saturday 1 November 2014

That Blockbuster's shop on Barlow Moor Road

I am pleased that local artist Peter Topping has painted the old Blockbuster shop on Barlow Moor Road, because its days are numbered.

It is a building I have written about already and long after it has gone I daresay there will be more stories.*

And I know why.

Blockbusters will be a fond memory for many people as the place the family weekend began, starting with those early evening Friday visits.

And while one of us went off to get the takeaway the other chose the movie, did the deal on the kid’s films and came away with a mountain of popcorn, sweets and soft drinks.

But the building is often also confused with the cinema which was next door which opened in the 1930s.

Our building was once a “public market place” which closed sometime before 1939 and then reopened as "E.Boydell and Co. Ltd, painting and finishing department, agricultural machinery.”

And now its days are numbered because planning permission has been granted for the
“erection of three-storey mixed use building comprising 3no. retail units of (Class A1) retail space (762 square metres total) at ground floor with 12no. two bed apartments on above two floors following demolition of existing retail store”**

So that just leaves you to read the other stories on Chorlton Blockbusters, admire Mr Topping’s painting and perhaps wander down to view this little bit of our history before it goes.

Painting; Blockbusters, © 2014 Peter Topping,

Facebook; Paintings from Pictures,, Web: www.paintingsfrompictures.co.uk

Picture; my Blockbuster card, circa 2010, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

*Blockbusters, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Blockbusters

**Manchester City Council Planning Applications, 105734/FO/2014/S1 http://pa.manchester.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=N5T7KZBC6K000


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