Shoppers welcome return of TJs store

Mayor Councillor Ateeque Ur-Rehman cuts the ribbon to open the new TJ Hughes store, with (from left) Clitheroe town crier Roland Hailwood, Mayoress Councillor Yasmin Toor, Jason Harmer, head of

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Excited shoppers queued outside ahead of the reopening of the much-awaited TJ Hughes discount chain’s new store at Spindles Town Square yesterday.

Four years after it originally closed, the shop was officially reopened by Oldham’s Mayor and Mayoress, Councillor Ateeque Ur-Rehman and Councillor Yasmin Toor - with help from town crier Roland Hailwood. The department store has returned to its former site opposite the Old Town Hall Odeon cinema development.

The shop will offer a variety of goods including ladies and men’s fashion, beauty and toiletries, electricals, home furnishings and toys. It will also include a cafe on the lower ground floor.

Councillor Ur-Rehman said: “I’m excited to have this opportunity to reopen this store - the turnout is evidence that people were waiting for it to return.”

Helena Powell and Christine Gerrard were among the first to arrive outside the store ahead of its opening.

Helena (48), from Lees, said: “I missed it when it closed. I always liked their bargains. You could get everything under one roof. The staff were always nice.”

Joining the queue were mother and daughter Teresa Maher and Linda Cook, who were also happy to see TJs return.

Teresa (55), a care manager from Watersheddings, said: “I was quite disappointed when it shut down. It’s nice to have it reopen. You could always get good bargains. I’m hoping to get a look at their perfumes and make up.”

Vera Howarth (78) said: “I don’t think it should have closed down. They have had nothing since to replace it.”