Tony Porter Ponders: it has been a 'good' summer, hasn't it?

I hope you enjoyed the last bank holiday until Boxing Day.

Already we are hurtling toward autumn and the dreaded winter.

But it has been a great summer, plenty of sunshine, though I see very little of it, dry, though gardeners would say a bit too dry, and obviously lots of progress in Wigan.

The market hall has been covered in a luxurious white cladding at the rear and the awesome brick frontage facing Greggs - what a view they get.

The hotel has shot up too, with it looking majestic and getting ready to house Fettlers.

The Planation Gates were “finished” though I am pretty sure not to the original spec promised years ago.

The land train is back and the Slug has also been “finished” and stands proudly blended into the surrounding ambiance of the Walled Garden.

Wigan Pier 2 is getting a brand-new roof and also, hang on, Wigan Pier 2 is having a new roof?

Haven’t various organisations paid millions to get the whole site ready to reopen in 2019?

Yes, we are a bit behind schedule, but this roof is not that old, why is it being replaced already?

Anyway, I will carry on with the good news.

King Street is finally getting some work restarted, though a recent second fire at Jaks was not ideal.

Talking of fires, The John Bull Chophouse fire has galvanised many in Wigan, organising fund-raising events including “BullStock” with more than a little help from Wigan Council, good on you.

Talking of which, the Mesnes Park tennis courts are almost finished and look like, well, summot from the 1970s, tarmac surface with spray paint lines. Money well spent in my opinion.

More actual good summer news is that Imagine That Wigan has been bursting at the seams since opening and will soon be offering a chance to have birthday parties there, see the website for all the details.

Stack will be open before Christmas and I see many folks working in there even when I leave work, often after half six.

As for myself, it has been crazy in my shop in The Grand Arcade, with record-breaking months all year with a monster August, this despite the heatwaves and World Cup.

My Facebook page Wigan Watch, Walks and Lost History Vlogs has hit 2,500 followers in a short space of time, only been pushing it since late spring, with bitesize videos around the borough and sometimes featuring local businesses.

Join me there, feel free to give your opinions on what is going on, many are doing already haha.

Wait, you are wondering when I will go Andy “bashing”, fear not here we go.

Our illustrious PM visited, on his first non-UK trip, Ukraine and met with President Zelenskyy, handing them the blueprints for our long-range missiles so that Ukraine can build their own.

Sounds ok, I have no problem with the missiles being sent there, but what if Ukraine is defeated or has a spy then Russia will have access to those blueprints.

Putin has threatened Britain but fear not Wigan is not in his sights, but Bolton is, along with many other military targets and manufacturing sites.