 The
Pakistani
Community Centre sits on Stockport Road close to the
corner with Kirkmanshulme Lane. The centre is
the venue for a variety of local community
events. In 2004 a Playscheme was established
in the building. In 2006 the playscheme was
inspected by OFSTED who said this about the program,
"(it is) .. situated in a large hall in
premises of the Pakistani Community Centre. There
is a large outdoor
play area. The playscheme serves the local
community and offers 50 places to children on a first come basis."
  This
corner
of Kirkmanshulme Lane and Stockport Road has changed
out of all recognition from the 1950s and 60s when I
walked by on my way to and from the picture houses
further down Stockport Road. In those days a
large building occupied the corner and ran along
Stockport Road. It was home to a variety of
shops including a fishmonger. I remember that
well because one year we went in there asking for
"bonfire wood" and we were delighted when they gave
us several wooden crates. Our parents were a
lot less excited when we went door to door trying to
find someone willing to store them until November.
The red arrow on the aerial photograph below, dated
1953, points to the shops.
 If you click on the link below you can see the shops in question. Stockport Road - Kirkmanshulme Lane - 1958 Before
the
shops though, a public house sat on the
corner. Reflecting the nearby zoo and
amusement park, it was called the Belle Vue Gardens
pub.
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