‘Vistas of dejection and misery in town’

THE Government awarded the city £56 million for ‘levelling up’ – whatever that means?

I am aware some of it will be allocated to developing the Crown Works in Longton.

May I suggest that before they start levelling up, they want to start knocking down?

Let’s start with Market Street. What was once a thriving part of Longton is now an absolute disgrace to this town and this city.

When we have local representatives who live only a few miles away from Market Street, perhaps they to need to go to Specsavers – one of the few shops still open there.

I worked in Market Street for a chartered accountancy firm in 1968 and the area, like all of Longton, was buzzing.

I also worked there again in 1977 for Pearl Assurance, and still it was benefitting from a vibrant workforce and a thriving community.

Naturally, with the demise of industry the whole town has suffered. Building Tesco, Next and Argos adjacent to the Strand did nothing for Market Street.

If it was not beyond the bounds of possibility or imagination, perhaps Mervyn Edwards could take our local dignitaries on a tour of Market Street.

If anyone walked left from under Longton Railway Bridge to the top of Market Street, they will be besieged by vistas of dejection and misery.

The old Woolworths is still visible, which must have closed some 20-plus years ago.

When some of my friends and/or clients come to visit the area, I am ashamed to say this is part of my city.

One walk along Market Street and you would think we are still building slums here.

Yes, let’s regale all the efforts to put Hanley on the map again with the Cultural Quarter etc, but unfortunately (or fortunately) we don’t all live in Hanley.

I urge all MPS to get your act together and do something while there are still a few shops there.

Alternatively, if councillor Abi Brown and MPS had their clinics in Market Street, they would soon do something about it.

BARRIE ROBERTS

MEIR PARK