Putting all eggs in £100m basket
IN reply to the recent news story about the new developments for the Rochdale town centre area.
When the market stalls do go up in the nice open spaces near the two river openings all that work will be for nothing when all the vehicles start going on to the new paving and damaging them all.
Then all the litter and packaging etc, scattered all over the place, it will not look as pretty then!
Not to say removing the nice view when you are walking towards The Walk.
As a large open space and the occasional events you could hold on there I think it is much better leaving it as an open space with the views looking towards The Town Hall and The Walk area.
I think the market should move back to the Exchange where there are still stalls, giving the shops in The Exchange a fighting chance, including other shops on Yorkshire Street.
The Wheatsheaf has also got open spaces on both floors to put other stalls and will help the shops to have a fighting chance and share the footfall.
When Marks and Spencers moves out of Yorkshire Street it is possible to have an indoor market there or use it to have other sorts of events or stalls in there for specialist markets on occasions.
Anitiques and craft fairs, for example, held on a Sunday when other shops are open.
I am no businessman but just thought of it as an idea.
Yes what about help in promoting Drake Street with all its history, which the council appear to be ignoring, putting all their eggs in one basket and hoping that the £100 million pounds will save Rochdale town centre.
The area is much wider and you have to think about the wider pictures.
If you let other areas like Yorkshire Street and Drake Street fall down and leave it to go worse then it is all for nothing.
If entering Drake Street, which most commuters do, and see areas like that run down then first impressions will not be that good will they before you get to the new shopping development. Kenneth Hall Fairway Milnrow
OUR TOWN HAS LOST ITS PRIDE
WHAT has become of Rochdale, a once great and proud town?
I say great and proud but to find those two words in context to Rochdale you have to go back at least 40 years.
It is now a haven for Beggars and Asylum Seekers.
Yorkshire Street is now a disgrace with five or six beggars there every day, making Rochdale look like a Third World town.
Richard Farnell, council leader and his ilk at 1 Riverside - I won’t even call them a council - need to get a grip with this problem.
All he goes on about is the new development opposite Riverside.
One thing Mr Farnell, the new development will provide plenty of new pitches for a new generation of beggars. Tony Doyle Wardle Road
TIME TO BE POSITIVE
AM I the only one who hopes last week’s TV programme on child grooming, which focused on Rochdale once again, will be the last?
Of course the issue is abhorrent and needs investigating so lessons can be learnt and the same mistakes never repeated, but the coverage is depressingly similar: Rochdale’s full of pedophiles and nothing’s being done to stop it!
Maybe I missed it, but I’ve not heard mention of how hard all the partner agencies have worked since the issue was put in the spotlight.
The work the Sunlight team have done in this area has been nationally recognised and we now show other councils how to work together to tackle the problem head on.
I love and support Rochdale. I talk it up at every opportunity. I just hope others can start doing the same. Anne Williams Wardle Road Rochdale
GIVE EVIDENCE TO POLICE
IF Sara Rowbotham has any evidence that, ‘young white boys were abused in Rochdale in the same manner as young white girls,’ she should hand it to the police and not trail the story through the press (8 July).
We have just got rid of one politician who tried to make a career out of similar claims and assertions which later were found to be without foundation.
We don’t need another. Les May Crescent Road