A trio of cotton mills in the heart of Wigan which once housed more than 253,000 cotton spindles during its peak is to be completely restored into a new neighbourhood consisting of a food hall, taproom, office space, and apartments.
Once nicknamed ‘spindle town’ for its abundance of spinning mills where, in the late 1800s, almost half of Wigan’s population were employed at one of the town’s textile mills, the Eckersley Mill on Swan Meadow Road played a big part in the industrial heritage of Wigan.
Besides a brief period of time as a go-kart and paintball centre, the three mills, which date back to the late 1800s and now have Grade II-listed status, have mostly lay dormant since the 1970s.
But they are now set to be brought back to life - and it is hoped that, by this time next year, they will once again serve as a cultural beacon for the town. READ MORE: The Greater Manchester pub where 'swearing, music and digital devices' are BANNED is reopening As part of a huge £200m project from Wigan-based family-run developers Heaton Group, work is now underway on transforming the mills - which form part of a 17 acre site - into a place where residents and visitors can live, socialise, work and enjoy good food.
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