Tuesday, 7 November 2023

Not Shoes But What? (Part 1)

Shoes Factory - Whose Future?

Church's have been renowned for top quality footwear in Northampton since footwear was ever fitted to feet. It is hight unlikely that fbb will ever wear Church's shoes.
Apparently you do get TWO shoes for the above price! The company is now owned by Prada, shoemakers to the Underworld according to a well known film!
And this man, Stephen Etheridge, is the boss of Church's.
The other piece of background to today's blog is that the factory is in St James' Northampton ...
... is right next door to the town's former bus depot. Once graced by Northampton's trams ...
... then Corporation buses ...
... and finally (and terminally) First Bus.
Sorry that the pictures are less than appropriate; but the Northampton Heritage people seem to have annexed any picture of the depot on-line see and "watermarked" it, thus making it unusable by anyone else. 
That seems and odd way for promoting your Heritage ideas and encouraging interest in your projects.

So we were all saddened to read this, way back in 2014!
Church's had plenty of positives to say.
And so we waited for the plans. 2015 came and went. 2016 came and went. In fact year after year came and went until 2023 came,

And nothing happened.

The site became more and more decayed, more and more depressing ...
... even more depressing than in the declining days of First Northampton.

The depot remained resolutely closed, bolted and barred; a huge site capable of storing and servicing a fleet of over 90 buses, all under cover.

But, at last, Church's have now announced their plans for this extensive site.

The company has offered it for sale!

Some development plan, eh, Mr Etheridge?

And who is front of the queue for buying it?

Of course, it just has to be cash-strapped West Northamptonshire Council.

Tomorrow w shall follow recent developments AND, thanks to on-line visitors (official and unofficial?) we can look round this once vibrant home to the omnibological pride of the town! and wonder about its sorry state.

Even the bannisters on the office staircase have gone.

Reminder:-

Puny Public Posting 
Provided by a Pathetic
Pedagogue Promoting a 
Powerful Prophet Plus
Pretty Pyrotechnics
The fbb's fellowship meeting was a thumbnail review of the life and work of the Prophet Jeremiah.

 The Tale Of The Sale blog : Wednesday 8th Nov 

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