Preston lies on the North East coast and became England’s 50th city in the 50th year of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign.
The 19th century saw Preston change from a small market town to a large industrial
town with many cotton mills being built. In 1830 the town had thirty-one mills and
these employed over 6,500 people. The industry started to decline in the 1950’s and 1960’s and by the 1980’s even the docks had closed.
The parents of the infamous “Butch Cassidy” came from Preston but were subjected to persecution because of their Mormon faith and emigrated to the U.S.A. Although always portrayed as an American “Butch Cassidy” spoke with a broad Lancashire accent.
Still remaining are some beautiful examples of old architecture in Preston including, The Town Hall, St. Johns Minster (the former corn exchange), The Miller Arcade and the Georgian buildings in Winkley Square, and the building regarded as the best by many is the Harris Building.
St. Walburgers Church has the tallest church tower, at 94mtrs, in England.
There is plenty to do and see in Preston along with the architecture there are six museums, some depicting life during the height of the cotton industry. There are two cinema complexes and theatres. Preston has nine parks giving the area plenty of green open space.
Just north of the River Ribble is the Marina, this has a coffee shop, boat sales, chandlery and offers training courses. If a bit more exercise is required there is a tenpin bowling alley and plenty of places can be found to enjoy a cycle ride.
Preston has one of the first teams to become members of the Football League. The National Football Museum is situated at Deepdale Football Ground and has free entry.
The Preston Arena is used for cycle racing and the Preston Mountaineering club has been running for seventy years.
The city’s biggest employer is the University of Central Lancashire. Others include the Defence contractor, BAE Systems and Inbev, a multinational group of breweries. Alstom Transports have their main spare part depot in the city and Plumbs Ltd, which is a family run business founded in the 1950’s, employs around 300 at this site. The Carphone Warehouse moved into Tulketh Mill, a listed building that has been redeveloped and houses about 800 employees as a call centre for Talk Talk. Opal Telecom also has space in the building.
Preston is quite accessible by road using the M61 or M65 and M55 or from Preston Railway Station fast trains run to Euston and the South East and Glasgow in the north, other trains run to more local northern towns.
There are plenty of properties for rent in Preston with average prices of £445 for a l bed flat, £555 for a 2 bed flat, £530 for a 2 bed house and £615 for a 3 bed house.
Preston has a good nightlife with restaurants in Friargate and pubs including Weatherspoons, O’Neils and It’s a Scream.
Music venues are to be found in Church Street and Glovers Court with music from the 80’s, dance and R+B plus cocktails and beers and spirits in such places as Browns, Loft, Hush and Academy.
Nightclubs include Tokyo Jo’s, Squires and Roper Hall and Warehouse are the student clubs.
Shopping is great in Preston with an indoor market (open six days a week) and an outdoor market on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, both selling a huge variety of goods.
There are two major shopping centres, Fishergate Centre with a large Debenhams, Primark, TK Maxx, Argos and T.J.Hughes. The centre is due to have a £37m extension in 2007.
The Mall, undergoing redevelopment, is a popular central shopping mall.
The Miller Arcade, originally public baths, is now a listed building housing specialist shops.
Fishergate and Friargate are also shopping streets with bars and restaurants with plenty more down the smaller side streets.
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