Newsgallery
What shoppers on Broadway think of the town centre
Keith Thompson, 72, said: “I use my bus pass and go on to Manchester or Bury, there’s not a lot here that people want. “Morrisons will be a big loss and with the closure of M&S there needs to be a main shop that will bring people into the town. “People want to walk around and browse, to do that we need some decent shoe shops and clothes shops in the town.”1 of 7 
Rod Kenyon, 69, said: “It is depressing at the moment, I think it is going downhill. “Moving the bus station is a waste of time, the elderly will have to walk further now, and I think moving the market was a bad idea, it used to be lovely. “Accrington used to be one of the original market towns. It is really missing some good quality clothes shops, you have to travel for them nowadays.”2 of 7 
Margaret Pilkington, 67, said: “When Marks and Spencer goes that will be it, the heart has gone out of Accrington. “It has gone downhill over a number of years. Pedestrianising Broadway was a bad idea and shifting the bus station is bad, that will kill the market. Older people will not carry shopping that far.”3 of 7 ![]()
Valerie and Glynn Ormerod, both 68, recalled how shoppers could want for nothing when they were growing up in the town. Valerie said: “It is a shame really, especially with Marks and Spencer going. “I like Accrington though, the market has got good quality products and it is really good value. “It is not as busy as it was, online shopping has had a big impact I think.” Glynn added: “When we were growing up they had every variety of shop going, it has just been a slow decline, we just need a couple of bigger businesses to open to bring people in.”4 of 7 ![]()
Elsie Weir, who was shopping on Broadway with her husband Kenneth, said: “I think the town centre is going downhill, we don’t come that often anymore, Accrington just has the market.”5 of 7 ![]()
Kirsty Atheis, 23, who was browsing the Arndale with Jamie Ash-worth, 25, said: “When I was a kid I used to love coming to Accrington. There’s not enough shops now, it’s a bit rubbish. “You need to go out of town for the bigger shops.”6 of 7 ![]()
Stan Hall, 82, of Accrington recalled how town centres like Accrington used to have everything a shopper needed. He said: “They have not got enough shops for younger people. I think the days of high street shopping have gone. “Everyday shopping was a different thing fifty years ago, there used to be butchers, green grocers, post office – every-thing you needed. “There were also really nice sunken gardens before the Arndale and a lot of families used to enjoy it.”7 of 7
