Garston News Views and Discussion

[ChrisGeorge]

Good news about the jobs, Kev, and the possible benefit the injection of investment will have in helping to refurbish Garston.

A couple of questions.

You show a photo of the Match Box -- but what exactly is it? A so far empty building, or does it house companies already?

Also what are those round silver structures on the front of the old matchworks? I don't recall them from before (from going by on the 80 bus to Speke years ago), so I assume they must be new.

Thanks

Chris

[Kev]

You show a photo of the Match Box -- but what exactly is it? A so far empty building, or does it house companies already?

It isn't complete yet Chris, it looked so nice yesterday, I couldn't resist!

Also what are those round silver structures on the front of the old matchworks? I don't recall them from before (from going by on the 80 bus to Speke years ago), so I assume they must be new.

Thanks

Chris

I assume they are stairways/ fire exit stairs or something similar. They were added when the most recent restoration took place, about 8 years ago?

[ChrisGeorge]

Thanks for clarifying those items, Kev. I have also done some sprucing up of the Bill Gates thread, editing the overall heading to make clear Bill Gates' connection to Liverpool, etc. Great to see these good things happening!

Chris

[BillS]

Interesting stuff. I used to live on Speke Rd right across from the Matchworks in the 60's and remember it well. We used to open a railing in the fence to get ont their football pitches at the back............they had goal posts , nets an all . Most of the time the security didnt bother us but occassionaly we'd get chased off by a huge bloke we called "Hoss" cos he sorta resembled Hoss of Bonaza fame. Long time ago now but its good to hear things are looking up again in Garston.

[Norm NZ]

Thanks to all! One day I'll get back there and see the new developments!
Cheers!

[Kev]

AN old colliery could hold the key to the multi-million pound regeneration of a struggling Liverpool community.

The council is putting the final touches to a deal to sell off former colliery Dingle Bank, a 10-acre site in Garston which it bought 10 years ago for less than £1m. (where is this land?)

The land could now be worth up to £10m, and the cash is earmarked for the area’s regeneration efforts, possibly including the long-awaited “cultural village” idea. The news was today welcomed by community leaders, who urged the council to press ahead with the plan.

Cllr Peter Millea, executive member for regeneration, said: “This land was primarily bought to help regenerate the Speke-Garston area.

“We are now sitting on land which cannot be used for anything else, we cannot just sell it off to fill a gap in the council’s budget. The money has to be reinvested in Garston.” Projects which the council is now considering for slices of the cash include the ongoing house-building scheme in Garston Under The Bridge.

Garston urban village hall, which runs community activities and sport classes, desperately needs funding.

The Garston cultural village plan, which aims to transform rundown shops in St Mary’s Road into premises for artists and creative designers, also needs support.

The project’s business plan is in the hands of council officials, but a recent bid for European money failed.

Cllr Millea said: “We support the concept, but it is a case of finding the resource to do it.

“St Mary’s Road has character and if we can retain it as much as possible by putting in artists and craft shops which sell as well as produce goods, it will help small businesses grow.”

nick.coligan@liverpool.com

[taffy]

AN old colliery could hold the key to the multi-million pound regeneration of a struggling Liverpool community.

The council is putting the final touches to a deal to sell off former colliery Dingle Bank, a 10-acre site in Garston which it bought 10 years ago for less than £1m. (where is this land?)
.”

nick.coligan@liverpool.com

There never was a colliery in Garston. Good old Nick Colligan has got it wrong again. What I think he's refering to is the raised railway embankment mound ( Dingle Bank) above Dale St. This was used to store/ shunt coal carrying railway wagons waiting to be sent to the coal tipping hoists in the Docks. Garston Docks were built as a major coal exporting port in the 1850s and undergoing a series of further expansions into the 20th C with the Stalbridge Docks

[Kev]

Where's that Taffy?

[PhilipG]

Match Works

This is the back of the building.
The drums house the toilets.
Ladies this half of a drum and Gents the other.
So well built that you can hear the other sex in their side.

I worked there a few years ago.
Most of the building is a call centre run by Vertex (part of United Utilities).
The main contract was with Vodafone.
However they moved most of the Vodafone account to Scotland where the staff were paid £1,000 a year less than Speke (as they called it, but it's actually in Garston).

Part of the building is occupied by the NHS.

[Jericho]

This is the back of the building.
The drums house the toilets.
Ladies this half of a drum and Gents the other.
So well built that you can hear the other sex in their side.

I worked there a few years ago.
Most of the building is a call centre run by Vertex (part of United Utilities).
The main contract was with Vodafone.
However they moved most of the Vodafone account to Scotland where the staff were paid £1,000 a year less than Speke (as they called it, but it's actually in Garston).

Part of the building is occupied by the NHS.

Interesting picture. Lots of loos! Don't think I have ever seen so many. The staff must spend a lot of their time p*ssing, that's all I can say.

[Kev]

The Garston Dingle was a valley that run down to the River Mersey past St Michael's church and the stream in the valley powered the old Garston Mill. So I think the Dingle Bank refered to in the Echo article actually refers to the raised embankment behind the recently demolished property opposite St Michael's Church. This includes the old mill site which is awaiting archeological excavation. This embankment was built to handle coal waggon sidings for the Garston Docks. Attached are a few photos of the area. The embankment is a fly tippers' paradise these days

Spot-on Taffy, thanks for the pics and info. I never knew that despite knocking around the area for years as a kid playing there. There was a little rd amongst that lot called Railway Street that was supposed to be the oldest rd/ street in Garston, can u confirm?

Cheers

[PhilipG]

Interesting picture. Lots of loos! Don't think I have ever seen so many. The staff must spend a lot of their time p*ssing, that's all I can say.

Jericho, I was impressed with your comment on the Bulger case, and said so.
Just so people don't think I'm taking sides, may I say that I'm not too impressed with the above comment.
That's all I can say.

[Jericho]

Jericho, I was impressed with your comment on the Bulger case, and said so.
Just so people don't think I'm taking sides, may I say that I'm not too impressed with the above comment.
That's all I can say.

LOL! That's fine - I'm not writing for your entertainment or erudition.

[Kev]

Oi! Back to Garston

[lindylou]

On the subject of Garston;

On our nostalgia trip there recently, we were wondering if there is still a Garston market ?? Used to be held on Tuesdays & Fridays ??