Decline of Marple

Well, I've been told then haven't I?

My complaint is with Marple Town Centre itself not the whole area. Most of your other suggestions I have tried already and enjoyed, and I must say that, for food, the Lane Ends and Sportsman are undiscovered Gems. But these are in the outlying areas and not in Marple.

Last time I visited the Jolly Sailor, well before I moved to Marple, the drinks (?) were awful and there generally appeared to be some affection for drug culture!

I doubt if I'll be attending Kelly's Nightclub. I've been once with my younger Brother but I think at 33 I exceed the maximum age limit.

However, I too have also seen improvements on Market Street, some specialised shops have come and gone as is there nature, and we are fast becoming a Mecca for Fast Tanning. There's even been an attempt at pavement culture (The Cafe Bar), but I still feel there is something missing. Okay, living so close to Marple town centre I wouldn't like to see development on a massive scale like Didsbury, but you only have to visit somewhere similar, like Poynton, to see what a for a little variety can do. The fact is that I believe that the public should be encouraged to visit use Marple for more than just the Co-op.

Incidently, The Edge doesn't occupy the premises vacated by the Prickett Partnership - that's on the other wrong side of the road.

Regards,
ML

[Iona]

I agree whole heartedly with Admin - Marple isn't perfect but the last three years have seen improvements especially with the new 'cafe culture'.

Incidentally if the posters in the window are to be believed the old 'Hanburys' has been bought by 'Peacocks' who, as far as I am aware, are a clothing/ homeware store with outlets nationwide.

[admin]

As another SK6 resident I’m very disappointed to hear you think Marple is in decline, Mark. It’s not perfect, and certainly there are a few empty shops, but your perception of the last 3 years is completely at odds with mine. You seem to be suggesting that when you arrived in the town all the shops were occupied and it’s been steadily down hill ever since. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you’d visited Market Street 3 years ago you would have found the top end, near the Pineapple, was virtually derelict. Nearly every shop beyond Howard’s Men’s Wear was closed and boarded up. In less than 3 years this end of the street has been totally revitalised and now every premises has a business of some kind occupying it. Derby Way has also recovered in similar fashion following the failure of several shops in the last few years.

In the same period on Stockport Road near the Post Office there was a shop that was a total disgrace. It was a real eyesore and featured regularly in the letters page of local papers. Today it is a thriving tanning shop, not everyone’s cup of tea, but a major improvement nonetheless.

I accept that the closure of Hanbury’s is a bit of a set back, but if the rumours I hear are true, this will not be a problem for long and could be an improvement. That area of course has had a major face-lift since you moved here with the new paved area on the Hollins. It is also true that there are a number of empty premises near the cinema (how many towns the size of Marple have their own cinema?) but these have been empty for more than three years.

Now, as far as your comments about nightlife and entertainment are concerned, well it’s not Manchester, but to state that The Edge (a new restaurant opened within the last year, so hardly a demonstration of decline! ) Murillo’s and the Crown are the only places to go is ridiculous. It's also interesting to note that it was the retirement of a solicitor which freed up the premises now occupied by The Edge, one of your favorite places! We have many other good places to eat out. The Kineray is as good as any curry house in Rusholme and the Marple House just a few doors away is an excellent Chinese Restaurant. We have a fine Italian in La Romantica and many of our local pubs do very good value food. If you’re a meat eater, give the Lane Ends a try and you won’t be able to fault value for money. The Ringer’s, the George at Compstall, the Hare and Hounds (Dooley Lane and Mill Brow) and the Romper, to name just a few, all do very acceptable food and good beer too.

Incidentally, I would hazard a guess that you wouldn’t have used the Jolly or the Bowler in the last three years, even if you’d been able to. If they had been thriving businesses competing with the places you find acceptable, they wouldn’t have closed.

If you’re pining for some real late nightlife, then Kelly’s nightclub is just on your doorstep. If it keeps my two sprogs  (18 and 20) happy, then it must be pretty good, although I’d prefer a night in Mellor cemetery myself!

Maybe I have simple tastes, but I find I don’t need to go out of Marple for anything except work and I’d do something about that if I could!

I have been a resident of Marple now for 3 years after buying my first house here. Whilst I'm glad to have all the outstanding beauty of the surrounding countryside at weekends, I'm becoming increasing dismayed at the decline of central Marple itself - I should know as I'm an SK6 resident. There are several shop units now unoccupied; Hanbury's and those adjacent to the Cinema and I have recently discovered that, on retirement of one of it's Solicitors, the Prickett Partnership are now closing their premises in Marple too.

That's not all, what about nightime facilities? If Mark Whittaker's Marple pub guide is to be believed the Jolly Sailor and Bowling Green public houses are thriving businesses... for building developers maybe!
The nightlife in Marple is only salvaged by 2 or 3 establishments i.e. The Edge Restaurant, Murillo's and the Crown (the later being marred by recent events, stabbings, etc) but generally you'll find more life in Mellor Cemetary
so I'm finding that I increasing have to travel for a decent entertainment.