Christchurch High Street is probably not that different to many around
the Country other than it is ours and is an extension to the other beautiful
areas described in this web site. Unlike many other High Streets in the
Country ours has not been destroyed by 'Consultants' who specialise is
changing our old town centres into 1960's pig's ear's in an attempt to
popularise the decaying communities failing due to the over enthusiastic
development of out of town shopping malls. Well the truth is someone has
had a go and we have Saxon Square which is not all bad but not what a boy
remembers.
The High Street retains much of its recent history including the reintroduction
of the Monday Market, there are all the usual banks, a pub, library, the
tourist board and of course a chippy.
On the right of the middle photograph is what remains of the old town hall,
behind it sits Saxon Square. To the left our library set back behind the
bus stops, the tourist centre is also on the left in the area of the Regents
Centre.
Beyond the flag in the top picture is the HSBC and down the alley from
there the Bank car park and the Wishing Well cafe. At the end of the road
the undergrowth hides the by-pass roundabout. To the right just before
the roundabout is the Dragon Chinese takeaway and beyond that Bath Travel,
not only specialising in foreign travel but also local excursions.
Behind the roundabout is our night club, for those that enjoy such things
and a step beyond that the Chinese restaurant, Lychee. The Lychee does
a magnificent Sunday buffet lunch, eat all you like for something like
£7 or 8 a head and its very very good food.
In the middle photograph the Union Jack is above the towns chippy, worth
a visit when you are in town. Opposite is our latest Cafe and a very good
leather shop. The Ship Inn is about halfway down the High Street on the
right hand side and serves excellent food with special deals for the over
65's.
Just beyond The Ship Inn is Millham Street and my route of that name. To the left and just past the library is the
alley to Driut Gardens, a quite place to eat those chips. Either side of
the Regents Centre, the cinema in my youth, is an alley way taking you
back to Wick Lane car park, 50p for 2 hours and one of 3 places to park
when you visit Christchurch town centre.
The bottom photograph shows Bargates the area beyond the by-pass, several
interesting shops, the local angling shop and Castles our traditional ironmongers.b
