blogging about the area of Preston, Lancashire and there-abouts
Spud Bros have been putting the banter into the baked potato with novel fillings from their stall in an old Tram on the Preston Flag Market. Backed up by a successful 3 million following on TikTok and a good range of banter. Their pop up stall in Soho, London, made national news in The Times 18th April.
The new larger Preston stall has long queues and a planning application has been submitted for a larger but temporary set up on the Flag Market.
Photograph on Friday 25th April below.
Another walk in the centre of Preston.
A photo of the The Old Bull on Church Street. It was once Preston’s top inn and called the Bull & Royal. There is a well known painting in the Harris Museum & Art Gallery titled ‘The Preston By-Election of 1862’ which shows a large crowd standing outside the inn with Sir Thomas Hesketh standing on the balcony having won the seat. Well worth having a look when the Harris re-opens.
This part of Church Street had 2 cinemas. The Gaumont and The Ritz. They gradually changed, declined and rotted.
Crystal House, the site of the previous Town Hall, destroyed by fire in 1947. On March 17th, which is almost exactly 76 years ago.
The Obelisk on Preston Flag Market. Positioned in 1782 but removed in 1853 and placed in the grounds of a house in the village of Woodplumpton to the north of Preston. In 1979 Queen Elizabeth II unveiled it after it was returned on May 10th, 800yrs after Preston received a Royal Charter. 
Market Street as viewed from the Flag Market. Leading to the 2 impressive Victorian Covered Markets. On the corner of Market Street is the former Barclays Bank which was Martin’s Bank. 
The former Public Hall or Corn Exchange on Lune Street. 
Lune Street.
Re-cladding of The Premier Inn, all around this nicely present house round the corner from the former Public Hall.
Two food stops outside the Premier Inn.
This wooden building has been there a long time. Preston City Mission, Corporation Street. 
The entrance to the car park behind the railway station. An interesting route beneath the shops. 
Across Corporation Street. That section hasn’t changed much for decades. 
Fishergate from near the station
Preston Railway Station Butler Street entrance, looking towards the main central entrance and ticket office.
Preston Station main platforms, 3 and 4, for the West Coast Main Line between London and Glasgow. Birmingham and Edinburgh too.
Another walk in Preston. It was a lovely day and I’d bought a new camera at Wilkinson’s Cameras in St George’s Mall, Preston. A pocket camera with a small sensor but a big optical zoom.
Here we are under a blue sky on the main shopping street, Fishergate, looking at Bistro Pierre in the old Baptist Church.
Fishergate from near the Railway Station. 
The Harris front with its ornate apex.
Wide angle view of the Town Hall, Cenotaph, Harris building, Flag Market
The Booths bridge, 0nce the Main Shop of Booths Supermarket. Complete with waiters/waitresses in old fashioned clothes.
Zooming in on the Town Hall.
The Old Post Office behind the Cenotaph. The planned hotel isn’t yet taking shape.
Zooming in on the Miller Arcade.
Fishergate from the East end.
Miller Arcade on a sunny day. There used to be domes on the corners.
The former TSB now a Wetherspoons, The Twelve Tellers.
St John’s Minster or the Parish Church of Preston
Cardinal Newman College from St John’s. 
Arkwright House Preston. Where the inventor lived. At the back of St John’s.
An interesting terrace near the railway station.
Another walk around Preston. This time it’s on International Women’s Day 8th March 2023. It added some flavour when we reached Winckley Square as there had been a Blue Plaque mounted for Beatrice Todd, Suffragist. On the square was a display of wall boards and balloons for the 3 women of Preston who campaigned for women’s rights in the early 20th Century.
The wall boards, Left to Right. Beatrice Blackhirst 1866-1955, political and suffragist activist and Preston Soldiers and Sailors buffet. It’s hard to imagine she lived in Preston when I did, dying at 89. Edith Rigby 1872-1950, militant Suffragette Activist, living to the age of 78, I was in Preston then as well. Beatrice Todd 1876-1958, living to 82, political and suffragist activist and Preston Soldiers and Sailors buffet. They had long lives. Did they die with recognition in their time?
Just to the left of the wall boards is a balloon display. Purple for loyalty, white for purity, green for hope are the colours of the suffragette movement.
A Blue Plaque for Beatrice Todd was unveiled on the day.
A walk up Friargate, Preston’s second shopping street, with the well known angle on the Harris Building.
The Harris Building still under wrappers, due to re-open in 2024.
The Miller Arcade, one of the best buildings in Preston. Shops and cafes. A Rohan shop being it’s best offer we think.
The former National Westminster Bank, now Revolution with a reversed E.
