Questions remain on M&S

An artist’s impression of the Marks and Spencer store

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IF you wandered through the Civic Centre today whistling a certain classic Johnny Nash reggae tune, then it's a fair bet you would get some very stern looks from top council bosses as they contemplate a weekend pondering what exactly to do next.

For in the words of the chorus "There are more questions than answers" and those with the responsibility to lead Oldham forward ­- both elected and chief officers ­- have to come up with workable solutions .... and soon!

Critical

While the end of the M&S dream at Prince's Gate was as swift as a telephone call, many had been predicting the demise of the plans since the restructuring of the retail business was announced that will ultimately lead to 60 fewer stores around the country.

We all knew that M&S had screwed Oldham down on the incentives to actually come to the town and many were critical of those efforts to improve the eastern gateway. Some openly wanted it to fail. Gee, thanks.

Right up to the end, council leader Jean Stretton and her team were hanging on to the hope that the development plans would somehow survive the M&S cuts and deliver a vital corner of the regeneration agenda.

She had no choice but keep to the script that the scheme was "on track" when she answered questions from the doubters at the most recent council meeting two weeks earlier. But even optimistic Jean couldn't do it with too much conviction.

Maybe we had all become intoxicated by the smell of new paint and the glamour of shiny glass and metal that had seen us all carried along on a wave of positivity that washed over the town as the old town hall cinema finally opened its doors for business.

This was, finally, the start of the rebirth of Oldham as a 21st-century town centre.

After all the years of waiting for the latest designs to leap off the drawing board had actually manifested themselves as bricks, mortar glass and bright lights.

It had been a long and at times expensive wait to see the ruins of the old civic building come to life.

This was to be the cornerstone on which other major developments would follow and we would soar. We all heard the words.

Would the ambitious plans for a new Oldham Coliseum theatre to stand proud next to the revamped multi-million pound Heritage Centre (old library) be next as we awaited the two-storey car park to be completed across from the Mumps tram stop to kick-start Prince's Gate?

Well, the workmen were just putting the finishing touches to the white lines on the new car park floor.

We had snow on the Friday, high winds and driving rain on the Monday and then the proverbial thunderbolt struck on the Wednesday.

And so the questions begin... what compensation will the council receive from M&S for their exit from Prince's Gate?

Can a big-name retailer be found to anchor the Prince's Gate development after M&S jumped ship?

If retail is a non-starter at Prince's Gate, will other schemes such as leisure or housing be considered?

What will happen to the new two-storey car park?

Will the council still be able to find a use for the prime-spot old NatWest bank at Mumps?

Faint-hearted
Is the superstore still coming to the Roscoe Mill/RSPCA site ­- currently being used as a holding yard for the thousands of blocks still to be laid in Parliament Square?

Where are we with the development of a hotel and the much-awaited refurbishment of the Queen Elizabeth II Hall - another central development for Oldham regeneration?

There will be more... but these and many others will be occupying the thoughts. A situation not for the faint-hearted.

And as the aforementioned Johnny Nash tune fades away.... "the more I find out - the less I know".