Sign of a 21st century Christmas

Like other supermarkets, Morrisons will be open on both Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

Under current UK law the only days that supermarkets are not allowed to open are Easter Sunday and Christmas Day.

Most of the smaller shops and market stalls we use will be closed until the 5th January.

Please visit Best of Hyde Daily Photo 2014 and vote for your favourites. Deadline for voting is 12 noon GMT on Monday 29th December 2014.

A contribution to signs, signs.

X is for Xmas Shopping in Morrisons

A contribution to ABC Wednesday and Wordless Wednesday.

As we reach the end of the year please visit Best of Hyde Daily Photo 2014 and vote for your favourites. Deadline for voting is 12 noon GMT on Monday 29th December 2014.

Weekend Reflections in Black & White: Peak Forest Canal near Aldi

This is the view from the other side of the bridge in Wednesday's post T is for Towpath. Note the towpath has changed sides.

The original version can be seen on Geograph.

A contribution to
The Weekend in Black and White;
Weekend Reflections;
Scenic Weekends.

Behind the Town Hall

The rear of the Town Hall viewed from the Asda car park.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

ABC Wednesday: H is for Hippodrome

The side of what was originally the Hippodrome.

It closed in the 1960s and the building was converted into a "Supermarket" though actually it was more like an "inside market" with various independent stalls on two storeys and included a very popular café which was located in the smaller building jutting out with four windows visible. Although this part is now accessed from Long Meadow car park via a fire escape there were originally steps inside leading to the café.

That closed in the 1990s and was vacant for a few years before opening as "Quality Save" but only the ground floor is used for retailing and is accessed from Clarendon Street.

The top storeys at this end are now occupied by Powerhouse Gym and accessed from Borough Arcade on the other side of the building.

For some more history and old photos see the Hydonian blog.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

Wilko and the Town Hall

Opposite the Town Hall used to be the Hyde Equitable Co-operative but it later became KwikSave and then Wilkinson's. Now the name has been shortened simply to Wilko.

A contribution to Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.

The view across Hyde Central

Looking across the platforms at Hyde Central Station.

Behind the fencing are the roofs of houses on Station Close.

The white building beyond is the Asda superstore.

In the distance are the war memorial on Werneth Low and the communication masts on Idle Hill.

A contribution to signs, signs and Good Fences.

Crossing the red line out of Asda

At the exits to the Asda supermarket are these signs saying "Trolleys will automatically stop if taken if taken beyond the red line".

I've always wondered what the mechanism was that prevented the trolleys from crossing the line, but I've never had the temerity to try and find out.

Most other supermarkets have their trolleys in chains and they can only be separated by the insertion of a returnable pound coin which encourages people not to go off with them, but Asda don't operate that system and you can pick one up without fumbling for change.

A contribution to signs, signs.

Places of Worship

The Asda store in Hyde viewed through the fence on Cross Street. The supermarket was built on the site of the former Greenfield Street School. Behind the trolley-park is the Jamia Mosque, whilst visible under the tree on the left is St George's church.

A contribution to Our World Tuesday.

Stop Smoking Bus

The "First Stop Health Bus" was parked on the Asda supermarket car park last week.

According to The First Stop Health Bus website it is a NHS Greater Manchester initiative which takes NHS services out of traditional settings and in to the heart of the community. It offers stop smoking advice and support via a range of methods as well as a range of health checks.

A contribution to Blue Monday.

Supermarket snow

I was asked recently if I'd taken any photos of the snow.

Well compared to the rest of the UK we've not had a huge amount of the white stuff. We thought the weekend was going to be rough and so cancelled our usual Saturday trip and I did an extra shop in town last Thursday.

In the event it wasn't too bad althought it was bitterly cold. A larger amount of snow fell Sunday night and we had a fair covering Monday morning. The main roads had been gritted and were moving well but the pavements were treacherous. A neighbour offered me a lift down to Morrisons.

Before shopping I took this quick photograph of the supermarket car park.

After shopping I took another quick photograph in the opposite direction which you can see on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to Our World Tuesday.

Blue Monday: Tesco Filling Station

This is the new 24hour Tesco filling station off Ashworth Lane, Hattersley.

The huge construction on the left is a multi-storey car park - see last Friday's post on Hyde DP Xtra. The actual supermarket is beyond the car park - see Friday Fences.

See how it looked four years ago.

Take a look at Ashworth Lane and the entrance on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to Blue Monday.

Friday Fences: Tesco Extra

This is looking up the pedestrian ramp from Stockport Road to the upper story of the new Tesco Extra at Hattersley. The main store is underneath but above is a café and non-food department as well as a presently hardly used two-storey car park.

Take a look at the empty car park on Hyde DP Xtra.

Over the road is McDonalds and the roundabout at the end of the M67.

For Friday Fences.

The View from Hyde Central Station

Looking over the town from Hyde Central station. On the left is the Town Hall. On the right is St George's Church at the top of Great Norbury Street. The dominant building with the white roof is the Asda supermarket.

A contribution to The Weekend in Black and White.

Weekend Reflections Over Yonder

Looking at the Peak Forest Canal from Manchester Road.

The path and bridleway on the right, signposted "Over Yonder" leads to the Tameside Animal Welfare shelter on Raglan Road where there used to be a bridge across the canal. That bridge has been closed for at least five years so the only through route now is along the towpath which is on the left next to the Aldi supermarket.

It looks a lot better than it did the last time I showed you this view in December 2010.

A contribution to Weekend Reflections.

Skywatch Friday: Tesco Construction at Hattersley

Tesco are building a new superstore on land off Ashworth Lane, Hattersley.

See how it looked here three years ago.

If you google for information on "Tesco at Hattersley" you will find there is a division of opinion between those who view the development as a dominant commercial giant getting its own way again to the detriment of smaller retailers and nearby town centres and those who see it as an opportunity to create jobs and revitalise a run-down community.

For more sky photographs visit Skywatch Friday.

ABC Wednesday: T is for Tesco

Tesco are building a superstore on land at Hattersley. The land used to be occupied by houses but these were demolished some years when the estate was re-generated.

Another photograph of the construction work can be found on Hyde DP Xtra.

More T posts can be found at ABC Wednesday.