New Tommyfield Market site impresses traders

Traders from Tommyfield Market joined Oldham Council Leader, Cllr Arooj Shah, to celebrate a major milestone on the development of the market's new home.

The steel frame, which will form the new market hall, is now being put in place on Parliament Square.

Members of the Tommyfield Traders' Association visited the site to sign their names on one of the steel beams and see the work taking place on Oldham's brand-new market.

Cllr Shah, who is also Cabinet Member for Reform and Regeneration, said: "I'm so happy to be able to join our fantastic Tommyfield traders and, together, mark this next step in the creation of our all-new market hall.

"We're making great progress and it's really starting to come together, alongside all the other fantastic redevelopments taking place in and around Spindles and Parliament Square.

"Within the Spindles shopping centre itself, new offices on the upper levels are now almost complete, while on the Parliament Square site, progress is quickly being made on the new market, events space and archives.

"Then, just a stone's throw away, we have the refurbishment of the Old Library, the creation of our new theatre and the ongoing improvements to our streets and public areas to make them easier to get around and more enjoyable places to spend time.

"There's so much to look forward to and I can't wait to see the new market open its doors."

The redevelopment is being carried out by Willmott Dixon, who gave the group a guided tour of the construction site.

Rick Whitmore, owner of Meat in the Middle butchers, said: "It’s looking really impressive.

"I’m excited about the entrance coming in from Spindles and going down through the market.

"I think it will be superb when it’s all built."

Ray Aslam, owner of sweet shop Kandy Kingdom, said: "It’s exciting and it’s started to kick in now.

"Now we’ve had a look round we can plan how we’re going to set up and design our stalls.”

Claire Robinson, who runs florist Blooming Dales, said: “It was really good to have a look round and see how things are progressing.

"It was a really nice idea for the Council Leader to let us all sign a steel beam that is going to be here forever.

"It’s coming along nicely and we’re really excited about the move."

In addition to the new home for Tommyfield Market, the Spindles redevelopment includes a new events space, new archives and brand-new offices for Oldham Council staff, as well as a co-working space for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Council staff moving into the Spindles will free up the Civic Centre site for redevelopment, as part of the new partnership with Muse, to build 2,000 homes in the town centre with work starting soon.

Access Oldham will also be moving into Spindles, providing a more central location for residents to access vital services such as council tax, housing benefits and financial services.

Opposite the new market will also be the revamped Egyptian Room, with a street food-style food court, and the Cultural Quarter right around the corner, with the restored Old Library and new theatre.

Oldham's town centre regeneration will unlock hundreds of millions of pounds in investment, as well as 1,000 new jobs and 100 new apprenticeships.

To find out more, visit: www.oldham.gov.uk/regen

Meanwhile, in a separate development today (Friday), Oldham Council has become a member of the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter, marking a recognised commitment to providing good working practices for staff.

The Charter is a voluntary membership and assessment scheme which aims to raise employment standards across Greater Manchester.

By becoming a member, the Council has made a pledge to provide all employees with a positive and supportive working environment.

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