MILLIONS PUT INTO REVAMP

HISTORIC COTTON MILLS TO BE TRANSFORMED IN FOOD HALL, TAP ROOM AND APARTMENTS

- ADAM MAIDMENT

A TRIO of cotton mills which once housed more than 253,000 cotton spindles during their peak are 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 the town.

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 IIlisted status, have mostly lay dormant since the 1970s.