Wigan's railway arches to get another £130k upgrade
and live on Freeview channel 276
The appropriately named Arch Company will be investing over a £130,000 into the famous features in order, it says, “to preserve Britain’s infrastructure and put it to good use.”
The aim is to transform two more sections of the viaduct, located on Queen Street and supporting Wigan North Western Station, into useful a space for the local business community bringing it back from disuse and a state of disrepair.
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Hide AdThe restoration works will begin with Arch 6 – which has been shuttered and unoccupied for several years – and will be brought to standard with neighbouring arches by this summer with the expectation for it to be filled with retail works or a business type after completion.
Arch 7 – which until before the pandemic was the Nice and Naughty adult shop – is set to follow with work earmarked later in the year.
Some of the arches have long been occupied by businesses, others were sealed up.
A pivotal point came in 2014 with the opening of Wigan Central in the arch closest to Wallgate.
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Hide AdIts links with the nearby station and the fact that it fast earned a reputation for keep fine ales, suddenly made that part of town a hospitality destination for the first time in generations.
Other bars and eating establishments followed its lead by occupying more of the arches while Wigan Central expanded into the one next door.
This area of Wigan is seen as critical in the rebirth of the town.
It has taken so many knocks with the decline of retail in recent years while the council is keen not only to give the very heart of the town a new lease of life through its Galleries25 project but also join it up to redevelopment of Wigan Pier down Wallgate which is set to be complete by the late summer.
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Hide AdIn some ways the viaduct has been a barrier between the inner and outer town centre, and it is hoped that more footfall on the Queen Street side of it will soften it.
The Arch Company, which is one of the UK’s leading small business landlords, has committed the £130,000 to the Wigan works as part of its vision and investment plan called Project 1000.
It has the national aim of bringing 1,000 empty or derelict spaces back into use again across England and Wales by 2030. As well as transforming spaces in Wigan, the firm also has Windsor and Bristol in its immediate sights too.
Robert Roddy, Portfolio Asset Manager at The Arch Company said: “Our investment will help to bring a business space in the local community into use, with more to come.
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Hide Ad"We think Arch 6 has potential to become a great space to let – thanks to the excellent positioning of the arch, its proximity to the station, and setting amidst an established business community."
Project 1000 will create spaces for 1,000 businesses, supporting 5,000 jobs.