Bleak vision comes true for Goodyear in stark image created by photographer
A deserted Goodyear site – a shadow of its glory days when it employed thousands of people and was the lifeblood of the city.
This prophetic picture – showing a crumbling factory with the iconic blue chimney the last clue to the site's once great past – was created nine years ago.
Former worker Mike Pearce, who created it, said it reflected his and colleagues feelings about the future of the site back in 2008.
Roll forward nearly a decade and their worst fears have been realised.
The iconic factory closed on December 20 last year after 89 years.
The 200ft chimney has long since vanished from the Wolverhampton skyline.
And just 37 people still work at the site to prepare for final closure, which will take place in June this year.
Mr Pearce, aged 57, created the images by first taking photographs of the plant and enhancing them using photoshop.
Mike, from Cannock, said: "I took the photos initially when the Building 44 was knocked down in 2008.
"The building was known for making commercial tyres. As soon as it came down, I think people began to get a feeling that it would close eventually.
"I was a key operator at the firm for 28 years.
"There were around 5,000 working at the plant when I started.
"When I left, it was around 300 people. I think these images seem to speak to people of that impact really."
Now, Mike is a real estate photographer.
Mr Pearce's former colleague Wayne Devaney, 54, of Wednesfield, has now put the images on social media to reflect on the plant's closure.
Mr Devaney said: "Mike really seemed to reflect what we were all thinking at that time. I tweeted them in the hope it would make people think about Goodyear again."
