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Other Attractions

Goole Town skyscape from the Water Tower

Obviously there is not enough space on the web to list all the things of interest in the town. Here are the highlights that should be on any itinerary.

• The Water Towers - The Salt and Pepper Pots, both of which dominate the skyline. When it was built, the water tower was one of the largest in the country.
• Victoria Pleasure Grounds - The home of Goole Town AFC and the Athletics Club. The ground is still run down compared to many years ago, but it was recently improved to meet the stringent requirements of the Northern Counties League (ie. so that nobody can see the match for free and the entrance does not turn into a giant puddle whenever it rains).
• Leisure Centre - A modern leisure centre and swimming pool built in the heart of the company town. The glass ceiling crashed into the pool when it was first opened, but it's fine now (honest).
• Greenawn Corner - The top end of Boothferry Road that greets new visitors for the first time. Here is the old Goole Grammar and Bartholomew Schools.
• West Park - The largest park in Goole. Go here for Goole Town Gala, walking the dog, bowls, basketball and tennis.
• The Riverbanks - No visit to Goole would be complete without seeing the river. If you're feeling adventurous, then walk all the way to Hook, passing the cemetery and the railway bridge. Otherwise walk onto the banks anywhere of Hook Road and admire the views. You will usually see ships turning around in the river as the make their way into the locks.
• Old Goole - The part of town the other side of the river. This area has been hit the hardest by the closure of the shipbuilding yard and general decline of the town.
• St John's Parish Church - This large church dominates the skyline for miles around and is the oldest church in town. It is situated on the edge of the docks and was built when Goole consisted of just the block of houses off Aire Street.
• Cemetery - This large cemetery is the best place to track down your ancestors, and contains the mass grave of the World War I zeppelin attack. There are nice views of the railway bridge from here.
• The Monkey Bridge - The bridge with nice views of the water towers and the docks. It was traditional to go here as kids and throw sweet wrappers on passing trains. The bridge has been recently replaced and has lost all of its old character.
• Town Centre - Goole, like most other small market towns, has several shops in the centre of town which cater for the locals' needs. Although most people go to the larger surrounding towns nowadays, the town centre has seen a recent resurgence, with the pedestrianisation of Boothferry Road between the railway and the Clock Tower and a new shopping centre built on the old railway goods yard.
• Aire Street - One of the main streets when the company town was formed. Note the rounded corners on the buildings and the three pubs down the street. The original slum houses were knocked down and the land turned into a supermarket.
• Goole Museum - Situated above the library, next to the Clock Tower, this is the best source of local history information.
• Sobriety Centre - A recent waterways museum opened in the middle of the docks. You can take a canal boat ride from here, or use it as a base to see the coal hoists and other parts of the docks.

• Lower Boothferry Road - Timms Flour Mill - A busy flourmill working in the town centre. If you look carefully you can still see the old windmill in the heart of the factory. Famous for its red trucks seen all over Yorkshire.
• Lower Boothferry Road - Trinity Church - A pleasant church which used to display a huge nativity crib by the road each Christmas. This stopped a few years ago after people kept vandalising the donkeys.
• Lower Boothferry Road - The Cosy Carlton - One of the three old cinemas in Goole. There used to be a small sweetshop to the right. The whole complex is now a Walker's Bingo Hall.

• Upper Boothferry Road - The town centre is now fully pedestrianised and it works well. One a sunny day, you can sit at a cafe bar, have a coffee and listen to the odd busker.
• Upper Boothferry Road - The Old Goole Times - Now a charity shop, but you can still see the ornate artwork and the inscriptions on the front.
• Upper Boothferry Road - Belgravia - A small side street of the main road. The first part to be pedestrianised and acts as a short-cut to the docks.

• Pasture Road - Goole's second shopping street. No longer leads to any pastures but to various small shops instead.
• Pasture Road - The Charter Club - The new name for the British Legion Club.
• Pasture Road - Goole Baths Hall - The Baths are no longer here as it was replaced by a modern office block and shops several years ago. However you can stand here and reminisce about past swimming galas, wrestling matches and dances.

• Aire Street - The main street in the company town. It was once a large, wide street full of shops and a market, although it is more sedate today.
• Aire Street - Wm. Lows - The corner of Aire Street and North Street. This piece of land had lots of original Company Town houses, but they were demolished many years ago. It was then transformed into a BMX racing track before becoming a supermarket.
• Aire Street - Adam Street Garage - Although you may not be interested in having your car repaired, it is listed here because it was an old theatre in the original town. Inside you can see the old balconies.

• Centenary Road - Built in 1926 hence the name.
• Poet's Corner - The name given to a block of streets off Centenary Road which are named after famous British poets. These streets are called Tennyson Street, Spenser Street, Gray Street, Byron Street and Milton Street.
• Eastgate Flats - Goole's only attempt at social engineering.

• Transport Bottlenecks - There are two ways to get stuck in Goole. If a ship needs to enter West Dock or South Dock, then one of the bridges on Bridge Street is open for about five minutes. If South Dock Bridge is open then Old Goole is cut off from traffic (although pedestrians can walk over the dock). If the Dutch River Bridge is open, then Old Goole is cut off unless you take a 20-mile detour towards Scunthorpe.
  
  The other way to get stuck is when the level crossing opens. This cuts the town into two and can lead to large traffic congestion. There is a perfectly good bypass, but people would rather sit nose-to-tail and pollute the pedestrians.