Mixed response to newly revealed Oldham Town Centre plans

Responses were of mixed, with many saying they were concerned about what shops would be available, the future of Tommyfield Market and whether all the changes were necessary. 

Not all views were negative though, with others stating they thought the town already looked better and that they were excited for a more modern-looking centre.

Oldham Council and Muse have joined in a 15-year partnership to regenerate the town centre and revealed their plans last week.

They held the first of their joint drop-in sessions on Monday (July 29), making themselves available for people to come and ask the questions they want answered. 

The next drop in session can be found on the dedicated webpage, Oldham Town Living.

In what the council say is a 'positive change for the town', thousands of new homes are set to be built in the next 15 years across five 'character areas' in the town centre.

The five areas are made up of the 'civic and residential quarter', which contains the civic centre, former Magistrates Court and Tommyfield market, 'the retail core', with Spindles shopping centre at its heart, 'a cultural and creative quarter', characterised around the Town Hall and a 'eastern edge and Oldham Mumps' and 'Western edge and educational quarter'.

The five character areas outlined (Image: Oldham Council/ Muse)

On Monday, as the drop in session was taking place, the people of Oldham expressed their mixed responses to the outlined proposals.

Sue Lee told The Oldham Times: "They're doing all these gardens and all these places to sit, but there's nothing to do."

The 76-year-old added: "There's no shops for people and ladies my age. We're not all lovers of Primark, there are plenty of shops for younger people.

"For ladies my age we have to go out of town to shop- it's like they've said 'Oh come to Oldham and sit and watch and look at some rocks' but we need shops."

Ms Lee was also unhappy with changes made to smooth cobbles which Oldham Council has done outside Spindles Shopping Centre in an effort to make the town more accessible. 

She said: "When I was young we used to go out on them in our heels, and they're not easy to walk on but how much money are they spending on that?"

CGI interpretations of a park to be built in the centre (Image: Oldham Council/ Muse)

This view was not shared by Shamsa Hussain, however, who said: "I like that the council has come inside Spindles and I love what they're doing with changing the bricks on the pavement outside Spindles because it's a lot more modern and it looks nicer.

"It's a lot less hazardous as well before people seemed to trip over a lot, especially kids but now it's much better."

For several people they cited the market and its future as source of worry as well as declining night economy options. 

Sheila Cheetham said: "They've absolutely ruined this town.

"We used to have a brilliant market but they've absolutely ruined it. 

The new space where Oldham market will be (Image: Oldham Council/ Muse)

"When I was about 16 I worked in the bandage factory and I used to finish work and go over to Finnigans to buy myself something to go out in on the Friday, you can't do that anymore because there's nothing good."

Not all outlooks on the town were negative, with one man, who didn't want to be named, saying that he thought a better looking town would make it more attractive to bigger brands, and that shops will be "naturally attracted" to a town where more people live.

Jessica Rothwell covers all things Oldham, if you have a story you'd like to speak about email: jessica.rothwell@newsquest.co.uk