Royton: ‘It’s a great night out - until it all kicks off’

Royton has become a ‘place to be’.

The small town, just over two miles from Oldham, was once home to little more than a few isolated sports bars.

Now a burgeoning nightlife scene is drawing weekend crowds.

Artisan breweries, bougie cafe-bars and nightclubs are tucked between the tired facades of charity shops and bargain stores.

On weekend evenings, the town’s quiet high street comes to life.

“Oh, it’s definitely a good party,” one Royton resident confirms to the LDRS in the town’s market square, before popping hurriedly into PoundBakery.

But the change has brought unintended consequences.

Reports of violent scuffles outside Royton’s pubs have become increasingly frequent.

A few weeks ago, a violent altercation took place between a man and woman, and later a security guard, outside late night bar Bono.

Police are also investigating claims that only a few weeks earlier, a man was ‘glassed over the head’ outside the same bar.

Locals, including councillors and a spokesperson for Bono, have called for a greater police presence in the town.

And online, residents express fears that the town’s nightlife bubble is becoming ‘out of control’.

Yet on the ground in Royton, support for the flourishing new scene is everywhere.

“I love it,” Debbie, 61, tells the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The ex-Londoner has lived down the road in Oldham for 35 years but has only recently started coming to Royton.

Now she’s a bonafide regular.

“Me and my friends might go into Oldham for something to eat and then come back to Royton to finish the night off,” Debbie said.

“We’d rather be around here than in Oldham town centre.”

Her favourite haunt is Rumours, a veteran Royton pub.

“Because the locals just take you in. Everyone recognises me there – not sure why,” she laughs, later admitting she ‘always ends the night on the dance floor’.

“It’s more the older generations that hang out there,” her friend Lisa, 53, added.

“It feels safe.”

Both feel Royton’s growing reputation for pub brawls is unfair.

“Though I’m usually watching Corrie in front of the TV by ten,” Debbie admitted.

“When the youngsters come out, we tend to go home.

"Not because we’re worried about trouble, just because we’re at that age.”

The town seems to attract all ages.

Annaleiz, a 21-year-old who works at a local cafe, said: “You can definitely go for a good night here.

"Though I still wouldn’t choose Royton over Manchester.

“It definitely feels like it’s changing.

"I don’t think everyone would say for the better.

"We’re younger so we think it’s great, but I think some of the older generation are less keen.”

Annaleiz was also quick to defend the town’s new bars.

“I don’t think it’s fair to blame the bars,” Annaleiz said.

“They can’t help what happens outside their doors.

"You can’t blame them because people want to fight.”

She believes it’s the late stragglers who tend to cause the trouble.

“I don’t stay til closing time so I’m never there for any of the drama.”

The young barista also added there was a bit of ‘generational divide’ in venues.

Youngsters tended to prefer places like Bono and Arumba, while older generations tended to go elsewhere.

And she wasn’t the only resident who felt there were ‘unspoken rules’ to Royton nightlife.

“I prefer going out on a Friday night. It’s more my kind of age group,” local mum Patra, 53, said.

“Saturday night is very young. Very young.

"I work in a sixth form – and they’re that kind of age.

"If I go out on Saturday’s, I’m meeting my students.

“Friday night is more for older people and couples.”

The sixth form teacher who has lived locally for more than 25 years, said the town was a great night out – until things ‘kicked off’.

The last time she went out on a Saturday, she claims she saw a fight break out inside one of the town’s ‘calmer’ bars.

“This man decided to just go off on one,” she said.

“It was with a lady and it wasn’t very pleasant. It literally came out of nowhere.

“It has put the fear in me.

"I would be very reluctant to go out on a Saturday night again.

"I don’t want to go out and think ‘am I looking at somebody wrong’ – it’s so busy as well, you’re worried you might bump into somebody.

"You just don’t know what people’s reactions are going to be.”

Leslie-Lee, 58, also thinks the nightlife has ‘brought a lot of trouble’ with it.

But unlike those calling for tougher licensing restrictions on local bars, she believes it’s simply ‘a necessary evil’ while giving the town the boost it really needs.

She said: “I do think it comes with the territory.

"It’s good that Royton is becoming a busier place.

"That creates jobs. It’s two sides of the coin.”

And she added that the improving local economy has encouraged day-time trade too, with more cafes and restaurants gradually starting to open up.

But local councillor Lewis Quigg believes more should be done to keep the rowdier nights in the town centre in check.

Following the recent incidents he took to social media to call on the council and GMP to ‘get a grip’.

After reportedly liaising with GMP, he later added: “We have instructed the prevention hub to commence a deep dive into this and other incidents with a view to liaising with the licensing department at Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council.

“We have also commenced deployment of some overlap shift officers on a Friday and Saturday evening to areas other than Oldham town centre to police the night time economies in other areas of the borough, with Royton being one of them.

“We have commissioned a piece of work that will capture all the activity that is done in and around Royton precinct.

"So you will be seeing an increased presence, although this will obviously be dictated by the level of demand ongoing at that time across Oldham.”

A GMP spokesperson confirmed: “We are continuing to work closely with licensed premises and venues in Oldham to ensure people can enjoy the night time economy, safely.

“Additional officers will be deployed to the town centre during the weekend and busy periods to offer a visible reassurance and to engage with local businesses as we continue to tackle anti-social and criminal behaviour.”

The Council also confirmed they were ‘working together with GMP’ to gather information and tackle crime and disorder issues.

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