[Closed] So, tell me all about Accrington...

The countryside and some of the villages in Lancashire are absolutely gorgeous (and the riding is great) However most of the larger towns have been ruined by bent councillors bending over backwards to obtain the Asian vote, the result being no-go areas and ghettos being created in a lot of towns.
There are still a lot of unspoilt areas in Lancashire, although house prices are at a premium in most of them.

Is power kite flying allowed in Burnley?

I've been lodging in Colne for the last 3 years and quite like it.

The only thing wrong with Colne is that it desperately needs the M65 extending past it. It's a complete pain in the harris to get through at the best of times. I used to visit the Hyundai dealer there and it takes longer to get down Vivary Way than it does to actually get to Colne in the first place.

They've a board game shop too. (-: Didn't know about the veggie restaurant though, whereabouts is that?

ruined by bent councillors bending over backwards to obtain the Asian vote, the result being no-go areas and ghettos being created in a lot of towns.

How so?

Cougar, it's called Jim's Vegetarian Restaurant. It's on New Market Street (one of the crazy steep streets just off Albert Road in town centre), just past Boyce's Barrel and The Tapster's Promise.
I know what you mean about Vivary Way/North Valley Road, it's always ridiculously busy.

Gotcha. I'll have to check it out, ta.

one of the crazy steep streets just off Albert Road in town centre

Heh. A mate used to live in Colne, on an estate on the other side of Vivary Way. A few years ago in the height of summer I went to visit him for drinks one evening. "We'll walk into town," he said, "it's only a mile or so."

It was blisteringly hot ("cracking the flags") and what the bastard didn't tell me was it's a mile practically vertically upwards. By the time we'd got to the pub I was knackered and sweating like a small nun at a penguin shoot. I got to the bar and ordered two pints, by the time they'd pulled the second I'd finished the first.

However most of the larger towns have been ruined by bent councillors bending over backwards to obtain the Asian vote, the result being no-go areas and ghettos being created in a lot of towns.

Original home of Karrimor it it's hey day ie before Mike Ashely bought the brand.

Joe Brown Mk 2 - lusted after Haston Alpiniste

For the oldies - were you Karrimor or Berghaus? I felt dirty the first time I bought some Berghaus kit!!!

The key to pretty much anywhere in East Lancashire is avoid the town centres. I lived in waterfoot for 7 years which was fine and been in Weir above Bacup for the last 15. Rossendale is amazingly rural, you just don't realise driving through. Anyone with a bike quickly realises it's 70% moorland. Still got good access out and places like Rawtenstall are OK for reasonable eateries etc.

Is power kite flying allowed in Burnley?

I have no idea.
😐

And Karrimor, THM.
🙂

Nori bricks was one of Accy's claims to fame.

Took my mum out the other day, and we drove past a new pub called "The Brickworks." My mum asked if I'd ever been in, and I replied that I hadn't. Without missing a beat she said, "Nor I."

The apple doesn't fall so far from the tree I fear.

Quality Coucar.
I used to spend quite a lot of time in the karrimor factory shop in my youth. Really surprised when they went belly up

went to a rave in the karrimor factory back in the eighties , that was some night/day from what I can remember

That was the new Karrimor factory flashpaul in Clayton le Moors wasn't it?i was an apprentice electrician wiring it at the time.Working there on the friday then partying there on the saturday then working there again on the monday.

no wonder they went bust 🙂

@benw , yes the new one in Clayton , think the police turned up eventually on the Sunday , top weekend 😯

You can still just about get something in Todmorden for under £60k. I like the town and it has a station which is pretty central and connects with Manchester (30 mins) and Leeds (1 hr) and there are other towns along the line. It's just over an hour driving to Skipton - much longer by train.

Burnley is now connected directly to Manchester by train. It's something I wouldn't be without. Places like Bacup are difficult to get out of if you don't drive. I wouldn't want to be older without decent public transport. Or a decent health centre - Tod has one in the middle with facilities like x-ray so you can have a lot of minor stuff done without going to hospitals.

The only thing I know about Accrington is that I once had to spend an hour on the station platform. It wasn't the best hour of my life.

Good thread this.
🙂

Lived in Tod for 20 years and originally Manchester for 25 years before coming here, so it's interesting to hear what the natives think.

There's an awful lot of genuinely odd properties around too.
We looked at:

A recently abandoned cannabis farm (a beautiful old house) in Shawforth.

A scary, huge old terrace in Newchurch which overlooked the graveyard and stank of despair.

This bloke's old house above Waterfoot.
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And a wild west themed bar/bunkhouse/knocking shop? in Weir, amongst many, many others.

Yeah i loved those years,Sett End then off to party.

The problem is that a small distance can make a big difference. Haslingden best avoided, Helmshore very nice in places. Local knowledge is key

If there isn't a pub and a shop then avoid, also check the bus timetable. Has the local health centre been upgraded etc

Rossendale suffers from the lack of a trainline, that's never going to change, the Metrolink is already full to Bury so GMPTE will always kill any northwards expansion

What's wrong with Haslingden? I've heard this often but it looks OK and the people I've dealt with seem OK.
If anything they're likely to come up from the significantly more affluent Chester and kill you dead in Helmshore. Eek!