A sad moment for Wigan town centre history as a famous but derelict landmark is demolished

There had been hopes the former Pennington’s furniture store on Millgate might be put to new use. But over the near 25 years since it closed, the building has fallen increasingly into disrepair, despite remedial work several years ago.

And this week the wrecking crew finally moved in and made quick work of the listed red brick structure, whose facade had been propped up by scaffolding for some time.

The property had, since Georgian times, been a family home. Over its front door was, famously, the face of a little girl of the house who tragically drowned in the River Douglas when its course used to run close to the bottom of Millgate.

It was Pennington’s from the early 1880s to 2001 when the family called it a day.

Soon afterwards its annexe was demolished but the original home retained, not least because it was Grade II listed.

As the Grand Arcade was being built there was much talk of its becoming a restaurant, but further phases of the shopping centre came to nothing and it began to decay.

Several businesses showed an interest in it but the large number of small rooms inside, coupled with the building’s general state put them all off.

And at the end of last year Wigan Council said it was having to demolish the place because of concerns over its structure.

In the end it met a similar fate to the old town hall on Rodney Street. There were efforts to save its listed facade by incorporating it into new buildings, but each application to redevelop the site never got off the ground and eventually it was demolished, the land now being used as a car park.

Wigan Council says it is not currently aware of future plans for the Pennington’s site.

One onlooker says: “It’s a shame. It was one of the last old buildings on Millgate and it would have been nice if it could have played a part in the town centre’s future somehow.

"But there was no point keeping it there as a sad eyesore forever.”