Town Centre News

Rochdale Town Centre Management Column - March 2010

Posted on 18/03/2010

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It’s that time of year when we can all start to breathe a sigh of relief and feel that the long winter may be behind us. I think that we will all agree that the last twelve months have been extremely difficult financially. The town has started to pick up with a good increase in footfall since Christmas in particular and several stores are reporting an increase in trade from the previous year. So it’s the start of positive times for Rochdale!

If you haven’t already had your say at the consultation for the new Rochdale town centre please make sure you do so by visiting www.rochdaletowncentreopportunity.co.uk. It’s really important that you say what you want for Rochdale and that your views are heard.

If you’re a facebook user, please become a fan of our new ‘Rochdale Town Centre’ page. All you need to do is search ‘Rochdale Town Centre’ and you’ll be able to keep up with all the latest news and events around the town.

Rochdale Town Centre Management have signed up to Earth hour. This means that on 8.30pm on Saturday 27th March we’ll pledging to turn off our lights for one hour. If you want to join to and show your support to, take responsibility, get involved and lead the way towards a sustainable future visit www.earthhour.org. Iconic buildings and landmarks from Europe to Asia to the Americas will stand in darkness on this day. We think it would be great if Rochdale could do the same.

Seeing as spring is in the air it signifies the start of our annual car boot sales from which all proceeds raised are reinvested into the town centre activities i.e. events etc. Listed below are the dates for the car boot sales and I hope that you can join us and dust off some of your clutter which may well make you a fortune!

Car Boot Sales

The town centre car boots return the Town Hall Square for 2010

• Mon 5th April
• Sun 25th April
• Mon 3rd May
• Sun 16th May
• Mon 31st May
• Sun 13th June
• Sun 27th June
• Sun 11th July
• Sun 25th July
• Sun 22nd Aug
• Mon 30th Aug
• Sun 26th Sept

You do not need to book to bring a vehicle to the car boot sale, simply turn up on the day. Traders should arrive and set-up from 7am, and the car boot sale will run from 8am until 1pm.

Cost
Car = £12
Van = £20

For more information please contact Rochdale Town Centre Management on 01706 926676.
Following on from last months column where Lyn Plant from Norden won our New Year, New You competition, we have stayed in the same vein and want to tell you about a Rochdale gym situated just out of the town centre at Sandbrook Park.

Fitness First

New General Manager Richard McGrory was excited about moving to one of Fitness First top club’s in the North of England. Fitness First Rochdale prides itself in the delivery of its Fitness product, having won for the last three years the National New You Awards. The fantastic body first package that allows the real life person to be taken on a rewarding and emotional journey to achieve their desired goals in eights weeks. The gym environment is a thriving social community of people from all walks of life with the aim of having a healthier lifestyle. Consequently the gym is all about real people and real life stories. Dean Wharmby is one of the six personal trainers that have made a significant difference to the people’s lives within the community of Rochdale. He has worked at Fitness First Rochdale for the last four years and in that time he has helped transform the lives of hundreds of his clients. He has worked with clients who suffer from cancer of the colon, tumours, personal tragedy and rheumatoid arthritis, helping them to get back on the road to recovery and lead a normal life. Why not pop in the gym and have a chat and see what Fitness First can do for you? You never know your true potential and could be a champion in your own right!

And that leads me straight into another health remedy (music for the soul!) on offer in Rochdale town centre, the little known gem at:…

(TOLPAC) St Mary's in the Baum

Yes we’ve recently been alerted to the fact we have a hidden gem of a weekly music programme here on our doorstep every Wednesday lunchtime. The Toad Lane Performing Arts Centre (TOLPAC) at St Mary's in the Baum church has some serious musical talent each week. It is all classical and is organized by Dr Joe Dawson. It is £3 on the door each week and the audience are treated to an hour of incredible music from 12.30pm until 1.30pm.

Coming soon:
Wed April 14th – Edward Rigg Piano
Wed April 21st - Janet Lancaster mezzo soprano Arnold Papworth piano
Wed Apr 28th - Suzanne Clare clarinet Russell Lomas piano

I gather that you would expect to pay a lot of money and probably have to travel into Manchester to hear this kind of talent, if we didn't have it each week right here in Rochdale town centre. Show your support and come along and have a listen!

Another important factor in the town centre is of course jobs and training and we are lucky to have Major Recruitment.

Major Recruitment

Major Recruitment, the Rochdale town centre based Employment Agency are pleased to announce the launch of a new Recruitment Service for the local business community. Major Search and Selection will focus on Management and Senior roles across the region and offer permanent placements for all industries at a senior and business leadership level. Group Operations Director Darren Hawkins said “We are pleased to be able to deliver a traditionally City based recruitment technique on a more local level, concentrating on the sourcing, screening and selection of key business positions.” He went on to add that “Major seeks introductions at the highest level in order to find our clients the best quality and talented management from the market rather then solely from just those that are on the market”. The service is offered confidentially, including out of office hours contacts and meetings available. The actual ‘hunt’ for talent can be tailored to suit a variety of industries, scales of search and time frames. For a confidential discussion to find out more contact Majors Principal Consultant: Colin Woolford on 01706 655 577 or 07747112 346, www.major-recruitment.co.uk.

And finally the Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre celebrates its 20 year trading in 2010 and has a fabulous competition for you!

Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre

The Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre is offering a fantastic prize of £500 to spend any shop in the Wheatsheaf. Treat yourself to a celebrity style fashion-makeover with one of their many leading national retailers, such as TG Hughes, New Look or Argos or try one of the independent shops for something a little more unusual – whatever it is you‘re after, the prize of £500 to spend within the centre will surely make your day, week and month a whole lot brighter in the gloom of winter and help freshen up that wardrobe for Spring 2010! All you need to do is email suzy@rochdaletcm.co.uk by Thursday 1st April 2010 and answer the following question 'Name one of the leading national retailers in the Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre'. The winner will be drawn on Friday 2nd April at the Rochdale Hornet’s game.