My Home Town, parts are still looking good, but so sad that some of the Best Beautiful Historic Buildings have been destroyed, such as the Municipal Hall, the most stunning Buildings of my childhood. Thank goodness the Queens Garden is almost complete, except for the Bandstand, many memories of Sunday afternoons as a child listening to the brass band. The Gardens were packed, every benches were full of families. What a Wonderful time growing up there.

Castle, I'm afraid, has seen better days. I lived there from 1988 to 2007 and while back then it was certainly no paradise, the town centre had a reasonable amount of amenities. The High Street is particularly grim now, with about one third of the shop units vacant. Astley Walk (or York Place as it used to be) is due to be demolished soon, as was the Civic Centre across the road in Merrial Street. With that and the old flattened Sainsbury's site, it'll look like a lunar landscape. I reckon N-u-L Borough Council have given up on the place (not before building their new HQ behind Victoria Gardens, of course). Flowers and street art in underpasses are FAR cheaper than actual regeneration.

Greetings from Oz - this brings back memories.

You need to compare it to Nantwich just over the border in Cheshire. Castle set out to compete with Hanley instead of trying to copy Nantwich. All town centres are in decline apart from well to do places. The better off appear to like shops. My opticians is in Newcastle. But most of the time I only get as close as Sainsbury's.

I still see mr brassington out riding his bike must be in his 80s, Pretty sure his shop closed cause his son didn’t want to take over. Also that boots sign must have fallen off years ago now

Sad state

The S S S S all over the building are Ties to stop it falling apart. And its the Art if "SIAM" not SLAM

Gone from good to bad to worse