Oldham LGBT pub says construction impact ‘worse than Covid’

Customers at George Tavern are said to feel confined by the hoarding panels across from the pub, with landlady Terri Fox saying the impact on her business has been "worse than Covid".

While the council has paid for signs on the end of the construction boards which surround the site, Ms Fox has said they are ‘quite pathetic,’ with passing trade going from ‘steady’ to ‘zero’.

Weekend trade has also suffered ‘terribly,’ according to the landlady.

Council leader Amanda Chadderton called the establishment “a pillar of the LGBTQ+ community in Oldham” and said the council would be happy to discuss any further support it could offer.

The hoarding has been moved closer to the pub (Image: Terri Fox)

Ms Fox said: “We’ve got no passing trade whatsoever and I’ve got this for two-and-a-half years, from what I’ve been told.

“I think it’s an absolute disgrace, to be honest. We’ve been pushed into a corner and nobody cares – the noise is absolutely unbearable.

“I do swallow the fact that progress is progress and something needed to happen, but it’s as if we don’t exist – they forget that we actually live here as well.”

The pub is a regular feature of Oldham Pride celebrations, with last year’s parade route finishing at stalls and a stage set up on George Street, following a three-year break due to the pandemic.

Oldham Pride parade finished outside the establishment (Image: Jack Fifield, Newsquest)

Now customers have called the current situation ‘disgusting’, according to Ms Fox.

The landlady continued: “Because the hoarding goes around the building now you’ve got to walk behind the building sort of to get to the front door of the pub.

“A coach party of people came, drove up the street and assumed the building was closed and drove away. It looks like the building is closed down because it’s inside all this building work.”

Customers have also raised concerns about safety.

The area in front of the bar used to be open and pedestrianised (Image: Jack Fifield, Newsquest)

Ms Fox said: “Even though it’s winter because people smoke they don’t want to sit outside because they feel confined.

“People are saying they don’t feel as safe with this because it’s so closed in, and come summer when everybody does sit outside, nobody wants to sit outside the front because it’s just horrendous, you feel like you’re in a corridor – it’s like having a building wall against you.

“We were suffering after Covid just trying to get businesses back on to their feet, and then they start this immediately and don’t at least come and say to us we will proffer you an amount of money to compensate you for the fact you’ve had Covid and now you’ve had this.

“I would actually say this is having a worse impact on us than Covid did. At least when Covid restrictions were released and we could all sit down the pub was full. This, no – this is absolutely dreadful.”

The hoarding used to be further away from the pub, as pictured here (Image: Jack Fifield, Newsquest)

“It’s as if they want us to close down. We are the only LGBT bar in this town and the only safe haven for LGBT people to go without leaving Oldham and going into Manchester,” Terri added.

Council leader responds

Cllr Chadderton said: “I’m sorry to hear of the issues Terri is facing, the last thing we would ever want is for the George Tavern to close as it’s a pillar of the LGBTQ+ community in Oldham.

“Our staff have been in touch with Terri numerous times to see if we can help out while the regeneration work at Spindles work is ongoing.

“We’ve worked with Terri and installed bespoke artwork and messaging on the hoardings close to the pub making it clear that it’s open as usual.

“Our town centre team are more than happy to meet up again with Terri to discuss the situation and see if there is any further support we can offer.”

“We are building a town centre for the future and the works taking place near the George Tavern are part of our wider plans to build a better Oldham where more people want to live, work, and raise a family.”

“The works will ultimately bring more people into the town centre and create a better economy for businesses, residents and visitors.”