Wiganers have their say on Galleries masterplan - and not much of it is good

The £190m transformation was given the green light on Tuesday.

A hotel, 464 homes and a multimedia centre with a cinema, 10-lane bowling alley and indoor mini-golf are planned as part of the Galleries 25 project – a joint venture partnership between developers Cityheart and BCEGI UK.

A new market hall with stalls, shops and offices has also been proposed.

However many residents believe that this redevelopment won’t be the tonic Wigan needs - with some saying it needs more shops, even though the reason for Galleries 25 is because so many have gone.

“The old Wigan used to brilliant, it was always bustling and had a great atmosphere, but now they’ve built all these new buildings and they are all empty.

“There will be nothing to come into town for if they do away with the market. What is the need for a hotel or apartments, these apartments will be too expensive anyway.

“We know everthing changes but this change isn’t for the better. We don’t enjoy coming to Wigan anymore.”

One resident said: ”All the money spent on the Grand Arcade has been wasted.

“A lot of old shops that have traded in the Galleries for years are going to lose out and it’s wrecked it for me.

“People’s livelihoods will be ruined.”

Another resident said they would rather see a supermarket being built instead: “We have nowhere to shop in the town centre, they took Marks and Spencers off us. I’m a pensioner and have no transport so I am unable to go down to the retail park.

“You go in to the market and there is one butcher’s and one greengrocer’s and that’s it. They should’ve kept Morrisons as an open market.

“The council has failed to listen to people’s voices. What was the point of doing a petiton if they are not going to listen to what we have to say?”

Wiganers have also taken to social media to express their frustrations.

Claire Lee said: “464 new homes! The town’s traffic is bad enough as it is. I’m all for modernisation but this is ridiculous: a town centre hotel to match with the already empty ones full off vulnerable people.”

Jade Baron said: “190 million? They need to fix run-down council houses and invest in businesses already there. The Grand Arcade is half empty as is half of Wigan and yet you want to waste more money on this?”

Angela Gardener said: “Are they going to build a park and ride somewhere out of town as there doesn’t appear to be any mention of where all these apartment owners, shop workers, cinema goers and market traders are going to park let alone the shoppers themselves.”

However some people do see this as positive impact on the town centre.

Sharon Lythgoe said: “Great news. glad the area will be getting a revamp. Wigan desperately needs a decent cinema.”

Stacey Highton said: “Wigan is in need of a makeover. I think this will be a great addition to the town.”

Demolition work is expected to start on site by the new year, with its completion expected to be in 2025.

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