Telling the story of Chorlton Precinct

I suppose it is a bit churlish to pick holes in Lee Grimsditch’s Manchester Evening News story on our own shopping precinct.*

Looking in to the Precinct, 1979

He did after all give me, my blog and one of my stories a mention in the article.

At which point modesty forbids me from saying any more other than to record he wrote “On the excellent Chorlton History blog, Andrew Simpson shares his memories of the precinct.”

But enough of that.  

Walking through, 1979

The piece contained a heap of old photographs of the Precinct taken from the Manchester Libraries’ digital archive, which instantly transported me back and chimed in with a series I took at the end of the decade.

No, what I found to disagree with was the heading describing the place as 'graffiti covered and unloved'.

No where can ever be free from Gary the 'Graffiti” or his pal Sella Spray Can, but over the 40 years I have shopped here I have never encountered much if any paint scribbling.  

At which point someone will send over a picture where the paint is still wet. 

That aside I think there are many who have and indeed still love the Precinct.  I grant that it is less busy than it was, and there is a design flaw in that none of the shops look out onto Barlow Moor Road, but then it was planned as an enclosed shopping alley.

Nor in the late 1960s could the planners, developers and city councillors have foreseen the arrival of the Trafford Centre which has drained retail areas of customers.

That said we still go to Tony Adams greengrocers which has done us a good deal on Christmas trees for over 35 years, call in at Frosty’s and been known to hunt the bargains in the supermarket and specialist shops. 

Gone to lunch, 2020

I am undecided at the new plans, not least because of the loss of some shops, and the difficulty some retailers will face during the redevelopment.

But the Precinct has served us well over the years.  

My first house here was decorated throughout in six months with wallpaper and paint from the wall paper shop, our kids would get treats from the newsagents when passing through while in those pre internet days, Boots was the go to place for sun tan lotion which always of course followed on from buying the holiday at the travel agents at the other end of the precinct.

All of which I have and still write about.**

Leaving me just to post again the poster advertising the exhibition from Saturday  which records the story of this shopping experience, with paintings from Peter Topping, photographs from Phil Portus and a few historical words from me.

One to do, 2023

So that is it.

Pictures; the Precinct in 1979 and 2020 from the collection of Andrew Simpson, and the exhibition poster, Cath Fernley, 2023

*How 'graffiti covered and unloved' Manchester shopping centre looked 50-years ago, Photographs show the now dated and unloved precinct just after it was built, Lee Grimsditch, Manchester Evening News, November 17th, 2023, https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/nostalgia/gallery/how-graffiti-covered-unloved-manchester-28115570?fbclid=IwAR1pHlHwbf7c6KN-LW1ZXZ1yBPvnmUAdoZjYu8nodq15KUhuPCPNN1lN-DY

**The Lost Chorlton pictures ......... no 12. ......... The Precinct ... 1979, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-lost-chorlton-pictures-no-12.html