Oldham Council has shared updates on a series of major developments that will shape the future of the town centre.

The announcements, which form part of the Building a Better Oldham programme, were made at the Oldham Town Centre Forum. It was exclusively revealed on the night that there will be brand new names for the three key parts of the town centre regeneration.

The transformation of Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre is underway and will be renamed as ‘The Spindles’ to reflect the town’s heritage and its multi-functional use as a dynamic space that blends shopping, business, and community activity.

A major milestone in this project is the relocation of the indoor market to The Spindles. The new shopping area will be named ‘The Market’. It will have two levels – a lower level opening onto Parliament Square, and an upper level linked to Spindles, all designed to create a seamless shopping experience blending traditional market offerings with modern retail.

The Council are now working to support the stallholders as they are fitting out their new stalls – the Market is now expected to open in September.

A new event space situated above the market will be named ‘The Loom’, hosting a wide range of events all year round. The Loom will hold up to 1,000 people standing, around 700 seated and 500 people for dining. It can be sub-divided as needed to host smaller or separate events and is expected to open in November.

The Loom, The Market, and The Spindles are tribute to Oldham’s rich cotton heritage. Each name has been chosen to reflect a different thread of the town’s story, united by the industry that once made Oldham the cotton spinning capital of the world.

Amongst the announcements, it was also confirmed that Queen Elizabeth Hall will remain open until January 2026, ensuring that this year’s Christmas pantomime, Beauty and the Beast, produced by Anton Benson, can go ahead as planned.

Cllr Arooj Shah, Leader of Oldham Council, said: “As someone who knows and loves this town, I’m really proud to share these next steps in our journey and it was such a pleasure sharing the details at our first Town Centre Forum.”

“The new names, The Loom, The Market and The Spindles, have been chosen to reflect who we are and where we’re going.

“This really is exciting times for our beloved borough. We’re creating a town centre that feels like home and one we can all be proud of – where people want to live, work and raise their families.”

To help enhance the visual appeal of key areas within Oldham Town Centre and support independent businesses, a brand-new Shop Front Grant Scheme was also launched at the forum.

The scheme’s aim is to improve the character and vibrancy, and overall experience for visitors and shoppers, by encouraging physical improvements to independent business shop fronts in key parts of the town centre.

Grants will cover up to 75% of eligible costs, up to a maximum grant of £10,000 for standard shop fronts and £20,000 for double-fronted premises (subject to assessment).

The grant is match-funded and the business or property owner must contribute at least 25% of the total project cost.

For more information about any of the town centre regeneration, visit www.oldham.gov.uk/regen

Words:
Bradley Lengden
Published on:
Tue 24 Jun 2025