With all the current discussion going on about the redevelopment of Stretford town centre, it’s good timing that I came across some old negatives of mine, including these shots of Stretford Arndale from the late 80s / early 90s. As you can probably guess, I’m not really sure of the exact date, but it was around that time.

As a teenager, I was quite into my photography and these black and white photos would have been ones I processed myself at home. While they might not be the best of shots, they are a snapshot of when the Arndale was actually a thriving shopping centre. So thriving that they built the extension facing onto the car park. And look at those Christmas decorations, you don’t see that much effort nowadays!

We lived in Urmston at the time, which had a pretty limited selection of shops. So it was quite common to go to Stretford if you wanted more. Obviously, times have changed radically since then, with the Trafford Centre opening down the road, more and more retail parks be built and the advent of internet shopping. I’d imagine the majority of the shops occupying the centre at this time no longer exist.

I’m optimistic for the future of Stretford town centre, and hoping the proposed redevelopment will give us a town centre suitable for the 21st century. Though will Trafford Council ever sort out the A56? That’s another question.