Porter Ponders Online introduction

I am back, but for those who don’t buy a physical paper, I’m new! So, to the online folks here is a brief explanation of who I am and what I ponder. My name is Tony Porter, I own and run a shop in Wigan town centre, now in the Grand Arcade, but was in The Galleries. It is called GAMESnMORE, I have a YouTube channel called TheElder Gamer and started a type of vlog called Wigan Watch over the redevelopment of the town centre and the actions of Wigan Council on the businesses in the Galleries and the Market, then I had an opportunity to start writing for the Wigan Post, now in The Observer, and am starting my forth year as a weekly columnist.

This time it is going online, I do not expect all to agree with everything I write, but I believe in what I say to the level that I have stood in the three previous Local Elections as an Independent candidate and coming behind Labour in all three, but ahead of the Lib Dems and Conservative, Pemberton ward. I criticize a great deal but offer alternative options rather than being a keyboard warrior who just moans. Wigan Council get some stick, but so do the Conservative Government and Labour leadership. I also support some things too, feel free to comment in the comments section if you agree or disagree with my writing, but also visit me in my shop for a chat, it often gets quite political. Introduction over time to Ponder.

These last few weeks have seen little work going on on the site of the old Galleries, market traders still have no idea when the new market will open, size or location of their stalls and most importantly costs. There has been a big hole dug, near the site of the old JDSports shop, allegedly, for time wasting, sorry I mean an archaeology dig. But my argument is that the new market is on the other side of Makinsons Arcade, so why can’t building work start there now?

Plus, though I am not an engineer, I think the remaining concrete structure will be getting damaged by all the water, it was designed to be indoors, it’s been exposed for months now, wont the rebar in the concrete be getting wet, maybe rusting, making the structure unsafe to build on? Add to this the open gap opposite Greggs of the, I am sure, listed building that was The Royal Bank of Scotland, it is very concerning.

Finally, we have been told a General Election is incoming, but, like last time, I feel we are stuck between who we think can make the least bad job in Government, last time Bumbling Boris or Far Left Corbyn. This time its Rishi Rich or Sir Kier U-turner. Last time I went Boris, so far this time I think its better the devil you know, but Labour might convince me before the big day. Neither I feel are going to make Britain Great Again, but which can cause the least damage.

I feel for Everton supporters who may be going the way the Tics did a couple of years ago, but it looks like things are settling down, however, ‘The Brick Community Stadium’ what is that about?