Watch us grow!

Blooming marvellous . . . (front, from left) Carol Brown, service director for parks and Street Scene; Councillor Jackie Stanton and Paul Hughes, from Zutti Co

North-West champs say watch us grow

OLDHAM has been crowned Best Town Centre in the 2009 North-West in Bloom competition — and already has designs on next year’s title.

The win is a major triumph for the borough, in its first entry into the contest in six years.

“Bloom and Grow” — the borough’s entry — was also the valiant runner-up in the prestigious Best City category, which towns can enter based on population requirements. Chester came out on top.

Delighted councillors and parks bosses headed to Southport to collect the awards on Friday.

Deputy council leader Jackie Stanton said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to learn that Oldham has won the Best Town Centre award. I’d like to thank the huge number of people who all played their part in ‘Bloom and Grow’. That ranges from Oldham Council’s own Street Scene and parks staff to the numerous local businesses, community groups, schools and residents who all pitched in to put Oldham back on the map.

“This was our first entry into North-West in Bloom since 2003 and we’re back with a bang.

“To have won something here is the icing on the cake after having already received such a positive response from the public.

“Residents told us they were delighted to see areas like Yorkshire Street, High Street and the old town hall all brightened up and given back some civic pride.”

Bloom and Grow was launched in May, with Oldham’s campaign focussing on the imaginative seasonal planting of flowers, shrubs and trees to re-invigorate the town centre.

A floral book display took centre stage in Market Place, a splash of colour and greenery was added outside the old town hall and a shop was set up in the market hall to offer expert horticultural advice to shoppers.

Local businesses including Sainsbury’s pitched in and paired up with BSK Landscapes to inject a warm glow of summer cheer with flowers planted on roundabouts and the approach to stores.

A panel of North-West in Bloom judges visited Oldham in July as part of their assessment of more than 100 regional entries in a range of categories.

Councillor Stanton added: “Bloom and Grow is all part of our drive to make Oldham a cleaner and greener place to live and work — and it will return again in 2010. We’re already planning ahead with a view to taking the judging route into other parts of the borough.”