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Stretford is an urban area to the south-west of Manchester in the north-west of England. It is part of the metropolitan borough of Trafford, one of the boroughs of the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester. Before the administrative reforms of 1974, it was a municipal borough of Lancashire.
Geography
The town of Stretford neighbours Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Urmston, Old Trafford, Salford and Sale, and lies on the Bridgewater Canal.
Politics and Administration
Stretford is part of the Trafford borough, which stretches from Old Trafford in the north to Altrincham in the south. In 2004 the Conservative Party won back Trafford to a fanfare that they were making a comeback in the cities. Stretford's MP is currently Beverley Hughes, MP, in the constituency of Stretford and Urmston. Stretford is home to Trafford Council Town Hall and the Greater Manchester Police Headquarters.
Amenities
Shopping
The main shopping centre in the town is 'Stretford Mall' in the centre of Stretford. Stretford Mall was previously called 'Stretford Arndale' (the first Arndale centre in the North West), the name was changed in late 2003 to accommodate the change which is seeing new developments inside.Sport
Outside the town centre towards Old Trafford is a sports centre (Stretford Leisure Centre) which features two indoor swimming pools, a gym and several other sporting facilities.Parks
Heading towards Chorlton but staying within the borders of Stretford is Longford Park, once the home of John Rylands. Its hall was demolished in the 1990's after an unsuccessful attempt to save it from demolition. Longford Park is one of the most pleasant parks in Trafford, and includes a zoo, botanical garden, bowling greens, children's play areas. Next to the park is Stretford Stadium - the home of athletics in Trafford. Longford Park is also the finishing point of the annual town pageant.Redevelopment
Plans are on-going to redevelop the Bridgewater Canal area as "Stretford Marina", with apartment blocks and a public house.
Transport
Transport links are very good; buses are as common as many other areas of Manchester. Stretford also has its own Metrolink tram station on the Altrincham line and to Manchester city centre. The town has good access to the motorway network, being located next to junction 7 of the M60, and the A56 gives easy access to Sale, Altrincham as well as to Manchester city centre in the other direction. Cycle paths exist as part of the Trafford cycle initiative. The Bridgewater Canal runs through Stretford (parallel to the tram tracks), and is navigable by pleasure craft.
Technology
The Stretford Process was invented by Tom Nicklin of the North Western Gas Board in the early 1960's. This process cleaned up sour gas by removing the Hydrogen Sulphide. It was licensed by NWGB and then British Gas and plants built worldwide. The first USA plant in Long Beach is commemorated by a plaque outside the refinery near the Queen Mary ans Spruce Goose. There was also a plant at the infamous British Steel site that hosted the legendary "Battle of Orgreave" during the miners' strike.
Culture
Sport
Stretford has a long association with Manchester United Football Club, which calls one end of its Old Trafford ground the Stretford End.Lancashire County Cricket Club also has its 'Old Trafford' ground on Talbot Road, Stretford.
Music
Stretford was also the home town of the pop singer Morrissey (born at Park Hospital, Davyhulme - now known as Trafford General Hospital which is acknowledged as the first NHS hospital in the UK) who shot to fame as frontman of 80's rock group The Smiths. Other people who were born in the town include Jay Kay and Ian Curtis of Joy Division.At Great Stone Road, the current B&Q store was once the Hardrock/village rock venue which during the seventies hosted most of the decade's major artists in their prime, including Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, Bob Marley, Elton John and Deep Purple.
Tv/Movie Stars
Ian McShane was a pupil at Stretford Grammar school in the town.
External links
"Stretford"