Rising star’s taking
Reports on how Rochdale’s much-maligned town
decades have now been given a major vote of confidence.
Rochdale is in the running to win the ‘rising star’ award in the government’s Great British High Street Awards 2019.
It is one of only 28 high streets across the country to be short listed, and the only one in Greater Manchester.
The awards recognise ‘up and coming local communities who are on their way to transforming for the future’.
The town’s submission was organised by Rochdale’s new Business Improvement District (BID).
These are the reasons it gave about why it is confident about the future of Rochdale town centre.
●●ROCHDALE Riverside
THE £80m retail and leisure development will bring Next, M&S, JD Sports, Boots and River Island and the six-screen Reel Cinema to the town centre when it opens next spring.
Recently announced additions also include H&M and Hollywood Bowl’s new mini golf concept, Puttstars.
●●MAJOR town centre events
LAST weekend’s Feelgood Festival, headlined by The Coral and featuring a a bill packed with established and emerging acts, brought crowds to the town centre, alongside regular favourites like Street Eat and the Rochdale Literature and Ideas festival.
Later this month, a major street art festival, supported by the council, will take place for the first time, with international mural artists painting walls across the town centre and holding art workshops for the public over Bank Holiday weekend.
Councillor John Blundell, cabinet member for regeneration at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “There’s no doubt that Rochdale has undergone a massive transformation in recent years and I’m over the moon that these huge changes have been recognised at a national level.
“The reason our high street is on the up is because we’ve not focused solely on retail.
“Successful high streets are about having the right mix and we’ve got it all here; major high street chains coming in through Rochdale Riverside, thriving independent businesses, a packed events programme, beautiful public areas like the reopened river and a major heritage offer, which we’re actively developing.”
●●NEW independents
A number of new independent businesses have also popped up in recent years, supported by the council’s business rates sale and small business start-up grant, including bar and restaurant, the Medicine Tap, coffee bar and lunch venue, Roasted and Toasted, café and coffee shop, Petit Café, and high quality men’s outfitter, Buckley Menswear, which has been shortlisted for a Drapers award for best new retailer 2019.
Rochdale MP, Tony Lloyd, said: “I’m incredibly proud that we’ve received this recognition for Rochdale town centre, particularly considering what a difficult time it is for high streets up and down the country.
“Although the council can’t control what happens on the high street, here in Rochdale, the council, working with RDA and the BID, has used the power it does have to effect positive change where it can, be it through the business rates sale or the ever expanding events calendar.
“Although an awful lot has already been done in Rochdale, there are lots more changes to come and I look forward to seeing our high street get better and better.”
●●RESTORATION projects
OTHER projects highlighted in the bid include the £16m restoration of Rochdale Town Hall and Town Hall Square and the Heritage Action Zone project to restore the historic buildings around the Drake Street area.
BID manager, Paul Ambrose, said: “We’re incredibly proud to have been shortlisted and to get that national recognition, but nothing stands