Perhaps we should have renovated and converted what we had, like many of our friends on the Continent have (and in other towns, here). We possibly wouldn't be surrounded by the concrete, steel and glass expressions of architectural arrogance we have now. How long does it take modern materials, subject to our weather and environmental conditions, to look cheap and shabby? One sometimes wonders if the great and good visionaries who claim to run our towns are ashamed of our industrial and commercial past. Remove all evidence of it on good Stalinist principles?

   Stockport town centre will always be a disgrace, no matter how much money they throw at it. Thankfully we have lovely places such as Marple and Bramhall to make up for it.