Mary Portas Competition to Revitalise the High Street

Mary Portas and the Local Government Minister have launched a competition to award a share of £1million to help turn around their “unloved and unused” high streets.

See http://www.maryportas.com/news/2012/02/04/bid-to-become-a-portas-pi....

How would you improve Oldham Town Centre?

Tags: high, mary, portas, street

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Gee (Moderator) on February 16, 2012 at 17:48

More to the point, does anyone know if Oldham is entering?

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Permalink Reply by Deborah Wroe on February 17, 2012 at 9:42

Nope, but I can confirm Rochdale is

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Permalink Reply by Ian Dunkerley (Moderator) on February 17, 2012 at 13:41

Oldham Council are looking into the possibility of entering and would welcome ideas from OBN Members

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Permalink Reply by Thomas Yates (OBN Co-Founder) on February 17, 2012 at 14:00

I will have a think and read over it properly and try and think of a few ideas.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Gee (Moderator) on February 17, 2012 at 14:04

Fantastic. Not sure how much help I would be, but I think we should support this in any way that we can. I shall put my thinking cap on.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Kay on February 21, 2012 at 12:02

Well there is a pub near the market that seems to run 24/7 karaoke. I walked passed there yesterday (Monday) at about 1pm and there was an amplified voice spewing out "Sweet Caroline" and pissed people spilling out in to the street. The immediate destruction of this pub would improve the town tenfold, I don't like karaoke at the best of times!

Seriously though, the fact Oldham has an active and reasonably popular Market is fantastic. Hardly anywhere does these days. If they could some how emphasise or expand the Market and make it more of a feature then I am sure it would make the town more popular for shopping???

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Permalink Reply by Deborah Wroe on February 21, 2012 at 13:20

Sounds like we have the venue for the next OBN social ;-)

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Permalink Reply by John Eccles on March 31, 2012 at 11:05

Oldham have entered the competition.

The Students from the Media Department made a short film for the Council last week and the deadline for the bid was 30th March. The Video is here on Youtube http://youtu.be/3lSV1GRYh3c.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Gee (Moderator) on April 1, 2012 at 20:47

Mary Portas tweeted on Friday that there had been over 350 entries and counting. It just shows there is an appetite for change.

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Permalink Reply by Deborah Wroe on April 2, 2012 at 9:42

Wow, Oldham kept that quiet

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Permalink Reply by samantha mills on April 5, 2012 at 12:16

The difference to the centre now, from when I was an art student in 1989 at Oldham College, to working in retail early 1990s is shocking! Maybe it is due to the generation that buy online?