Memories and mixed emotions as Pendle Rise shopping centre closes for demolition

Pendle Rise shopping centre in Nelson has closed its doors for the last time ahead of demolition, as part of the huge Nelson Town Deal regeneration scheme.

he mall and connecting buildings, including a former indoor market, are to be demolished with new, modern retail units and car parking planned to replace them.

Across Nelson, wider changes are being made to roads, junctions, crossings, cycle routes and public spaces, by organisations including Pendle Council and Lancashire County Council.

Pendle Rise first opened in the 1960s as an Arndale Centre and was at the centre of Nelson life for decades. Now, some residents want parts of it kept for the future, such as a floor mosaic depicting Admiral Nelson’s compass and a sculpture of his head.

BOUTIQUE VISITS

Mora Hitchcox, from Barrowford, worked for the Pioneer mouldings and Decorpart cosmetic packaging companies locally for many years.

She said: “I remember Pendle Rise in the heydays. It used to be a lot better than in recent times. I remember a boutique in the 1980s, a clothes and shoe shop. The boutique was called Eyecatcher. It  was connected to Elsa Hawke, who was married to the Nelson cricketer Neil Hawke. I used go on there at weekends. It was nice.

“It’s a shame that Pendle Rise is being knocked down. I thought couldn’t  they do it up and put new little shops inside? I used to go to the sweetshop in Pendle Rise and it’s moved round the corner to Scotland Road.

“The old market hall was good too. But that was shut a few years ago. Everything seems to have gone. I hope things move on. We need a proper town centre. Nelson has hardly any shops at the moment. We need a shoe shop and there’s only one café in the town centre, I think. I go to Morrisons but there’s not much else.”

Passer-by John Taylor said: “There used to be a gallery upstairs at Pendle Rise with shops and other areas. But this town has just become a ghost town. All we have really is McDonald’s.”

‘HAPPY MEMORIES’

Saima Farhan. from Nelson, was with daughter Zainab Mirza.

Saima said: “I have happy memories of Pendle Rise. It used to be full of life. I remember the Christmas lights there at this time of year. I used to shop here and so did my mother-in-law. Elderly people used to sit on the benches and chat together, and children played.

“In recent times, I went to Boots, which had everything and the staff were helpful. And we went to Specsavers, which has moved around to Manchester Road. Wilkinson was my favourite shop but it’s also gone. Gradually there were fewer shops here and it became a bit boring.

“I’d like Nelson to have a Primark again. We go to Burnley for shopping quite a lot. But I’m sure bringing something like Primark back to Nelson would help bring it back to life.  I’m quite excited about the changes in Nelson. I’m looking forward to seeing the new town centre once all the work is done.”

Zainab said: “The only time I ever came to Pendle Rise was to visit Specsavers.”

COMPUTERS, COMICS AND ARCADE GAMES

Brothers Kris and Oskar Zile are originally from Latvia and have worked in factories and kitchens in England over six years or so.

Kris said: “I think it’s good that they are demolishing Pendle Rise but Nelson needs new shops and cafés. The Beans and Buns coffee shop that was at Pendle Rise has gone and I’m not sure if it’s coming back in future?

Oskar said: “Greggs and Boots have gone too. We have to go to Burnley for some shopping at the moment, to buy things like computer keyboards, headphones or electrical equipment. We’ve got a Morrisons supermarket in Nelson so I’d prefer to get some different types of shops here in future, rather than another big food shop. A book shop would be good with comics too. A pub or café with arcade games would be cool.

Kris added: “Nelson needs more entertainment and leisure things, maybe a bit more sport too? It definitely needs more cafés. Some nice cafés or smaller pubs in the side streets?

“I also think language tutoring businesses would be good. We have some Latvian friends in Burnley, who are struggling to learn English, In Latvia, children at school learn Russian as their second language. Learning a third language, like English, is hard.”