Paisley

Alex Glass · Paisley

Heres one for HH

Paisley

White Cart River in foreground; old mill beside rapids on left. Paisley Abbey (twelfth century) top right; Town Hall centre. Open space resulting from recent clearance of decayed nineteenth-century tenements.

1958

Len Scaps

Looks as if Clanford the Ford dealers ( later Peoples, then Arnold Clark) were in Lonend even back then...

HollowHorn

Alex, looks as if your photo was taken from one of the upper stories of the Anchor Mill, now converted to private flats. The 'rapids' are actually known as 'The Hammills' The 'Old Mill' is now the Watermill Hotel.

Len, is that not Bridge St. instead of Lonend that we are looking at?

Here is a photo looking in the opposite direction from a later bridge below the Hammills (Watermill hotel to the right):
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/32/46177917_ec4a6f8eaf_b.jpg

The Watermill Hotel (Anchor Mill to the left):
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/29/46070364_1b06cd2576_b.jpg

And an excellent story about The Hammills, here:
http://www.paisley.org.uk/history/tailingthelinn.php

Alex Glass

Thanks for the info LS and HH

I know you would have more information HH.

Great photos

Len Scaps

neilmc

Barshaw Park, Paisley, 1980 (Canon AT1, Ilford HP5 film):-

Alex Glass

Yet another great photo Neil.

Thanks

Maybe some others will post some photos of Paisley.

neilmc

Cheers Alex. Here's a different angle on it, but my sister won't thank me for it!

In this view you can see the East lodge house and some more of Glasgow Road. In the distance is Bathgo Hill, part of Ralston Golf Course:-

Alex Glass

They are great time pieces Neil.

The old Adidas bag looks fantastic.

james73

Luxury flats to replace fire-hit historic building

THE fire-ravaged site of one of Paisley's most historic buildings is to be
turned into luxury flats.

The former Halftime School in Maxwellton Street has lain derelict for 10 years
after it was destroyed in a massive blaze.

It was operating as the Institute nightclub when it was gutted in a fire in
July 1997 and suffered further damage a year later in severe storms.

The building was hailed as one of Scotland's best designed schools when it
opened in 1886 but only the main entrance remains intact.
advertisement

Developers are planning to shore up its remains and build 40 flats behind the
B-listed facade.

Neige Developments has secured planning permission for 10 two-bedroom and 30
one-bedroom flats to be build over three storeys.

A report before Renfrewshire's planning board said: "The history of the site
has been lengthy.

"The objective had been to seek a full restoration of the building for residential
use but the applicant has advised such a project would not viable.

"The development is acceptable and it would ensure the front facade of this
important listed building is restored."

The Halftime School was commissioned by the Coats family to educate child mill
workers. Female workers would attend the school and work in the mills on alternate
days.

The Institute nightclub sustained more than £750,000 of damage in the 1997 blaze.

James H

Stuball

Ohhh nice.... thet took their time selling that off.

It was owned by Carnegies Leisure group. When I worked for them, I had to go round there a few times with the company joiners to close and re-lock the gates. On one occasion, we had to cut down a large sign someone had erected to advertise their gardening buisness.... bloody thing nearly killed us.

All the stonework lying around the building was numbered after the fire, with the intention of rebuilding it. Never happened though and was possibly an insurance job like a couple of other clubs. A certain company tradesmen did joke every so often that he was still waiting to get paid for that job

HollowHorn

Billy Smart's Circus 1960

james73

Paisley Canal 1975

James H

james73

Closing down

PLANS to regenerate Paisley town centre have suffered a major blow after three
stores shut down within days.

Staff at JJB Sports, The Rangers Shop, and Stead & Simpson were told their
branches were closing towards the end of last week.

More than a dozen prime sites on High Street and Moss Street now lie empty
despite a drive to attract new retailers.

Workers at the two sports shops have been told they will be relocated to
other stores while five staff at Stead & Simpson have been laid off after
the shoe chain was bought over by a rival firm.

It's understood town centre bosses are so worried about the number of To
Let signs springing up they are considering removing them altogether.

A Renfrewshire Council source said: "We are looking at other ways to advertise
the vacant units. We remain committed to regenerating the town centre and
we don't believe there is any need to panic."

James H

james73

Plan to revive town centre by returning cars to streets

CARS are to be offered better access to Paisley town centre after more than 10 years
of campaigning by struggling shop owners.

Roads surrounding the High Street, which have been limited to buses and taxis
for years, will be opened up as part of an action plan to attract more shoppers.

The proposals follow an 11-year battle to reopen the heart of the town to all
traffic after key through-routes were turned into one-way roads and bus lanes
when the High Street was pedestrianised in 1997.

Studies show that Braehead, with its free parking, has contributed to a 50% sales
slump in recent years.

Councillors will now be asked to back a series of traffic orders to open up all of
Causeyside Street, St Mirren Street and Gauze Street to drivers.

Council leader Derek Mackay said: "It is time to open Paisley back up to everyday
traffic. A ring road around the town centre was never going to help businesses
struggling to get by.

"I hope we can reverse damage caused by previous administrations."

The move follows a major study which was commissioned by the council's planning
and transport department into traffic patterns.

Other measures in the rescue package include introducing a separate bus lane on
Old Sneddon Street, near Paisley Gilmour Street Train Station, and the opening
up of Smithhills Street to cars in the evening.

James H

Len Scaps

Too little, too late. Paisley town centre has staggered from crisis to crisis for the last 15 years. Braehead was the final nail in it's coffin.

As an aside, I wonder if the Evening Times choose their reporters based
on their surnames?

cybers

It has never really affected me as i have an exemption but i have seen the problems it has caused.
Paisley town centre had to be one of the most vehicle unfriendly places in the west of scotland. Now lets sit back and see how long it takes the greens to start mumping and moaning about it or try and introduce a congestion charge.
As for the free parking at the braehead... there are plans for this to be changed same with livingston under a green tax proposal.

Len Scaps

cybers

james73

Town is set to get 4-star hotel

PLANS to create a luxury hotel, flats and offices on a riverbank in Paisley town
centre look set to be given the go-ahead today.

The £30million project will see a 139-bedroom hotel, 26 designer apartments
and 70,000sq ft of office space built next to the White Cart river.

The four-star hotel - which would be the first in the town - has been earmarked
for land close to Gilmour Street train station and will have a roof-top bar.

Builder McGarvey Construction Scotland isbehind plans to transform the vacant
site, which borders New Sneddon Street, Christie Lane, and Niddry Street.

The seven-storey complex will include a gym and conference facilities.

Councillors in Renfrewshire were to vote on the proposals today but planning
officials have already backed the project.

James H

Len Scaps

I know someone who'll be kicking himself, as he owned a bit of that site and sold it off recently for what now looks like not a lot of money

james73

Fans want rail station name for their team

FANS have got the ball rolling on a campaign to rename a train station so it
matches their football club.

St Mirren supporters want to change the name of Paisley St James
because it is the stop closest to their new stadium.

Under their proposal the stop, which lies a few hundred yards from the
ground being built on Greenhill Road, Ferguslie Park, would be called
Paisley St Mirren.

David MacDonald, 36,who runs fans' website www.blackandwhitearmy.com
said the railway station would become a "focal point" on match days.

The computer manager said: "The name of St Mirren will mean more to
the people of Paisley than St James.

"We have just started this campaign, but will be encouraging fans to write
to councillors and MSPs to ask for their support.

"The station would become a focal point for the fans of St Mirren travelling
to home games, as well as away fans on match days."

The campaign to rename the stop, which operates on the same line as
trains running from Glasgow Central and Paisley Gilmour Street, has
gained the backing of St Mirren FC and one of its former stars.

James H

Sir Roger DeLodgerley

You couldn't make it up! What next, a campaign to rename any reopened station at Ibrox as "Glasgow Rangers"?

Edward Fox

Splendid city! Inspired by the pattern on my cravat, I paid a visit to the recent Paisley gala day.

Some trifling snaps of the festivities in full flow :

And yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed such as this.

HollowHorn

Nice day for it.

cheesylion

EF, you've obviously taken your pics rather early, once the gala actually STARTED the weather was fine.

james73

Bumpy road in Paisley is second worst in UK

A STREET in Paisley has been named the second bumpiest in the UK in a
survey of the 10 worst roads.

A Glasgow street was sixth in a survey that put the city 181st out of 204
councils, with just 21% of roads problems fixed.

The survey rated Castle Street, Paisley, just behind a street in Leeds.

It claims the road has large stretches of surface missing, exposing older
cobblestones beneath, and complaints stretching back at least a year.

Gourock Street, off Pollokshaws Road in the South Side, is described as an
"uneven, potholed surface affecting more than half the width of the street"
with residents describing it as a "patchy repair job".

Continental Tyres carried out the poll with website FillThatHole.org.uk.

They judged the top 10 worst roads based on the time each had been in a
poor condition, how many times it had been reported to councils, potential
damage it could cause to vehicles, potential danger to road users and the
size of potholes in relation to road.

James H

HollowHorn

Canal Street Church, now Castlehead Church was built by Paisley weavers in 1791 . Among those buried in its churchyard were the poet Robert Tannahill and the maternal great-grandparents of U.S. President Ronald Reagan. The President visited the site during a brief trip to Scotland in 1991 .

james73

Ancient bridge in refit (Evening Times)

A HISTORIC bridge is to receive a £1.4million facelift.

Paisley's Abbey Bridge will be resurfaced and refurbished next year after
a study showed the 129-year-old crossing was in "very poor condition".

Contractors will spend around six months renewing steel girders,
replacing decorative panels and strengthening pavements.

It's hoped the project will be carried out in phases to ease the disruption
to traffic using the bridge, which crosses the White Cart Water and sits in
the shadow of Paisley Abbey.

Bob Darracott, Renfrewshire Council's director of planning and transport,
said: "The bridge is an essential element of the road network through
Paisley.

"Inspection of the steel girders below the carriageway revealed that, in
order to extend the life of this essential structure, measures would have
to be implemented to arrest the corrosion.

"The dilapidated cast iron parapets and fascia panels will be replaced with
identical components fabricated from a more robust iron."

Workmen will grit blast the bridge's steel support girders and apply
protective paint. A number of heavily corroded side panels have already
been removed ahead of the refurbishment.

James H

Edward Fox

Splendid news, simply splendid!

Whilst there are obviously many old Paisley relics in need of a facelift, it is greatly heartening to see the local burghers buckling down to the task at last.

Here we see the sturdy local workmen getting in a bit of ironwork restoration practice on the former Linwood car factory :

And here, the admirably inventive solution to the replacement of the former water fixture in the town square - distribution of the water.

Truly, their talents know no bounds.

HollowHorn

james73

£4m for historic building (Evening Times)

A DEVELOPER has snapped up a historic building in the heart of Paisley in a
multi-million pound deal.

Manchester-based Jaymar Estates has bought the five-storey Grade B-listed
property in Causeyside Street for £4.3million.

Tenants have been told existing leases will continue.

The principal occupier is job creation agency Scottish Enterprise which
rents 25,000sq ft of offices on the upper floors and one of four ground
level retail units.

David Johnstone of commercial property consultants King Sturge
represented the buyers.

He said: "Our clients were attracted to this investment opportunity as it
provides good quality income secured against strong covenants.

"The building itself provides good quality office accommodation within
Paisley town centre and, significantly for a town centre building, has an
excellent car parking provision."

News of the sale comes a week after the Evening Times ran a six-part
series on how the Renfrewshire town is turning around its fortunes with
multi-million regeneration plans.

We highlighted some of the most exciting projects in the town - such as St
Mirren's new football ground and the regeneration of the town centre.

James H

james73

Tesco kills Love Street store plan (Evening Times)

THE Love Street home of St Mirren is set to be sold for housing after Tesco
ditched plans to build a superstore on the site.

And the supermarket giant has confirmed the stadium will be sold to
developers if it secures permission to build a store in Renfrew Road in
Paisley.

The proposal would see a Tesco Extra built on industrial land off Wallneuk
Road.

The Buddies will sever their 114-year tie with the park in January and
move to a new stadium at Greenhill Road, as part of a £15m deal with
Tesco.

But it has shelved plans to develop Love Street and will apply for outline
planning permission for housing on the historic ground early next year.

Jennifer Duncan, Tesco corporate affairs manager, said: "Renfrew Road is
the preferred location in Paisley. The site is closer to the centre and would
help regenerate the town.

"We will be submitting two planning applications, one for the proposed
new store, and one for housing at Love Street."

Ironically, Saints had to fight to get planning permission for a
supermarket at Love Street.

The cash generated by selling the site directly for housing, thought to be
around £5million, would not have been enough to clear the club's debts
and fund the new stadium.

A series of public exhibitions about the Renfrew Road store, which could
create 600 jobs, will start tonight. Tesco officials will be on hand to answer
questions from the public at The Wynd Centre, in the town's School Wynd,
between 6pm and 9pm today, and 10am to 6pm, on Thursday and Friday.

Unless they draw a home tie in the Scottish Cup, Love Street will shut for
the final time after the SPL clash with Motherwell on January 3. Barr
Construction is entering the final phase of building work on a stadium in
Ferguslie.

It should host its first match when Kilmarnock arrive on January 31.

James H

james73

Town’s £30m arts plan (Evening Times)

Plans to spark a £30million cultural revolution in Paisley were officially
unveiled today.

The proposals will see three Victorian buildings transformed into an arts
hub.

Architectural firm Page/Park has drawn up plans to turn the existing
museum and library building into a culture centre, complete with modern
exhibition space and interactive family history exhibition.

Paisley Central Library will move to a wing of the town hall, which will
have a £7m facelift.

Under the plans, first reported by The Evening Times in March, a 175-seat
theatre, suitable for performance and cinema will also be built, as well as
a new concourse and a spine linking the site to the Paisley Observatory
for the first time.

Most of the money will be raised from grants, trusts and private finance.

James H

james73

Start of a new Love affair (Evening Times)

BUILDING work on St Mirren's new stadium has been completed as the club
prepares to kick off a new era.

Council chiefs are due to grant a safety certificate for the 8000-capacity
ground in Ferguslie.

Contractors Barr Construction will then hand over the keys in a fortnight's
time, pending approval from the SPL.

Police and fire chiefs have agreed to sign off the stadium in Greenhill
Road, less than half a mile from Love Street.

It will host its first match, a league clash against Kilmarnock, on January 31.

Mary Crearie, director of Renfrewshire Council's Housing and Property
Services, said: "Both Strathclyde Police and Strathclyde Fire and Rescue
are satisfied with the safety certificate."

The Saints will sever their 114-year tie with Love Street next month, as
part of a £15million deal with Tesco.

In October, the supermarket giant announced it would sell the site for
housing after ditching plans to a build a store.

James H

Alex Glass

Would have been worthwhile making a wee visit here to get some photos before they took away the stadium.

james73

cybers

Some older stuff from around Paisley around the 1990 mark. Lots of unknown places

Fjord

HH is your man for all things Paisley he was at the laying of the foundation stone.

Scary

Toledo Junction, jeez cybers ye stirred some memories there

Shuttle Street mibees ?

LowLight

First one is Church Hill I think. http://flickr.com/photos/gertie_du/396800324/

james73

Tesco superstore to go ahead at rundown centre (Evening Times)

TESCO is to flatten a notorious 1960s shopping centre and replace it with a
new superstore.

Planning permission has been granted, which marks the end of a 25-year
campaign to regenerate Linwood Shopping Centre in Renfrewshire.

More than 3000 people signed a petition urging the owners to sell the concrete
plaza, which was the backdrop to the infamous lavvyheid' TV advert for
s1jobs.com Campaigners have fought for years to attract new investment
to the site, where only a handful of the 40 shops are occupied.

Residents, community representatives and elected members worked with
Tesco on the proposals to replace the complex with a superstore, health
centre, town hall and other shops.

It's thought the new development will create around 300 jobs.

In stark contrast to the fierce opposition Tesco has faced over plans for a
Tesco Town' in Glasgow's West End, its representatives received a round
of applause as they arrived at a public meeting to discuss the plan last year.

Linwood councillor Anne Hall said: "There have been developers who
have not invested in the centre over the years.

"In the 13 years I've been a councillor, I know a huge amount of council
officers' time has been spent dealing with the shopping centre.

"It's great to see the hard work put in is finally coming to fruition now."

The new Tesco store will be split 50-50 between food and non-food, following
talks with planning officials, in a bid to prevent a huge slump in trade in
Johnstone and Paisley.

James H

harky2402

My mate was saying St Mirren were looking for a name for their new ground...

She came up with a cracking suggestion.... The METHADOME

james73

The Feegiedome was another I've heard.

James H

cybers

There was also the GYPOdome

AlanM

Fjord

Due to reasons out with my control I spent the best part of Xmas and New Year in Paisley.... never again!