Two thirds of these former shops, stores, offices, workshops and warehouses have become empty since the start of the recession and show how sick the borough has become.
A current report reveals that Oldham is unlikely to recover from the 2,000 job cuts suffered since 2009 until at least 2018. Hundreds more jobs are also expected to be lost over the next five years as public sector cuts begin to bite.
The high number of vacant properties concerns Coun Barbara Brownridge, Oldham council’s deputy cabinet member for degeneration, who has promised to do all she can to assist growth. That won't be very much then.
Coun Brownbread said: "Oldham is a place people and businesses can and should invest in. The trouble is empty properties do not give that impression." That's right they give the impression people and businesses can't and won't.
She prattled on, "We are limited to what we can do with properties that aren’t publicly owned." As opposed to the miracles we've worked with those that are. "We can go around the back so to speak, developing a strategy of engagement, (is this not a crime under the sexual offences act?), showing the benefits Metrolink and high speed broadband will bring." Go on name them then, especially the lure of high speed broadband as opposed to slow speed trams. "We can also raise the town’s profile to encourage investment and entrepreneurs." Anyone care to hazard a guess how much raising will be required? We reckon this mob of know-nowts would struggle from now to doomsday to raise the towns profile to zero.
According to OMBC the vacant properties include 382 stores, 108 offices, 76 workshops, 68 shops, 53 warehouses, 12 pubs and four former banks.
The town centre has the highest number of empty premises with 225
Fifteen of the 770 have laid empty since 1995. It'll need some profile raising to fill premises empty sixteen years!
Property expert Ian Hill , director of Ryder and Dutton in Oldham, said a lack of lending is holding back a will for business to take on vacant premises. He said: "There is a lot of desire in Oldham to do something with these vacant properties, (most of 'em involving matches and petrol), but the potential buyers tell us they are fed up with being rejected by the banks, and they’ve given up." And people think the banks are stupid? Would you lend money on a start-up business in Oldham?
Meanwhile in an alternate universe, Mike Flanagan, manager of Spindles and Town Square shopping centres and away with the fairies, said there is some room for optimism in a stable retail sector. S-T-A-B-L-E!! Three of your biggest names have just bolted from the fucking stable. They have off-fucked fer Gawds's sake.
Whilst big names like HMV, the Disney Store and, within weeks, JJB leave the town, he is buoyant about the future. Much like the Titanic was buoyant. Until someone asked for ice!
He said: "We are definitely holding our own considering the economic climate. If things in Oldham centre don't pick up soon sunshine, all that will remain for you to do will be stand around holding YOUR own.
"The reality is that we have a number of vacancies and the owners and their agents are working hard to fill them. HMV, Disney & JJB? Hard acts to follow there. How many jewellery stores will it take to make good the shortfall? Here's an idea knock all the interior walls down and create the world's largest 'Pound Store'. Folks would come from yards around. 'Pan-Galactic Pound Shop', there's a target to aim for.
"If negotiations with some of the big name retailers we are talking to come off, we could have some exciting additions in the near future," he mumbled, constrained by the tightness of the straitjacket. Which big name retailers would want to gamble on spending thousands opening up in a town with 770 empty premises, 225 of them in what is left of the town centre? Do tell us!
Anyhow when the MissingLink eventually chugs into Oldham nobody will want to go to the poxy shopping centres like Bury, Manchester, Ashton, Bolton. Will they? Problem solved!
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