The Oldham Conspiracy

Although I call this a conspiracy, that may be the wrong word, but something is certainly questionable regards the following information and the motives behind something that has been happening for years. Lets go through a timeline. Stage 1 They killed our market. For those too young to remember, the Tommyfield Market was world famous; it was one of the largest and busiest outside markets in Europe and was a subject of historical pride. Few would believe now that they used to have coach trips to Oldham market from as far away as Wales!

Contrary to what 'the powers that be' will tell you, about changing attitudes and demographics and a whole other number of buzzwords that apparently only affected Oldham and not the markets of nearby towns, the Council didn't want the market to survive. It made very little effort to encourage the traders by lowering extortionate rents etc, and suggestions by traders fell on deaf ears. Let us not forget, these were people who's livelihoods depended on the market succeeding, instead the Council preferred to throw money into projects like wind chiming water fountains that cost thousands (twice) but never worked! Meanwhile, neighbouring markets flourished whilst the market, which covered roughly the area in the next photo, was levelled in favour of a car park!

Stage 2 The metro comes to town! Oh, hang on, no it didn't, it came to a place roughly half a mile down the road from the town centre! Does that seem odd? Bare with me - it gets odder! The then council leader, an artist still known as 'Dim Jim', draws up big plans for a hotel in the actual town centre and a revamp of the Queen Elizabeth Hall that gets cancelled and they decide the civic centre will be demolished. Next, in the Mumps area, an M&S, and a super new gateway to Oldham, half a mile from the town centre up a big brew! Those ego projects failed, and the civic centre wasn't now going to be demolished. His successor to the throne of incompetence, bare faced liar Sean Fielding, comes along with a new downmarket version, with a Lidl, and another idea for a hotel with some other bits and bats, and that failed too. You could be forgiven for thinking this is a script from the 3 Stooges, and it does get a little confusing, so lets hear it from the horses mouths...

Stage 3

The current Leader of Oldham Council, Sean Fielding, only weeks after pleading poverty and asking for voluntary redundancies whilst recruiting major actors to make covid compliance videos on behalf of the council, AND taking on two expensive press officers for the council at approx. 100,000 pound salaries, then buys a failing shopping centre called "The Spindles" for 9.5 million pounds before taxes. This is just before two of it's major retailers go under due to the pandemic. He then says he plans to move the majority of the council into this shopping centre, as well as keeping it as a shopping centre (with almost no tenants) Think about that... There has to be a Tardis quality to Spindles that only Sean Fielding is aware of to accomplish that. So you have to ask, does this mean the Civic centre demolition will be back on the cards? Do you see it yet? Over a period of years there appears to be a number of actions and attempted actions (failures) that all appear to be repeatedly trying to move Oldham's town centre to Mumps instead of it's historic home. Throughout history, high ground has always been valued over low ground, hence why greedy councils would rather build affordable housing <cough> on nice rolling hills with scenic views than on already available land in dips that were occupied by long since demolished mills.

Stage 4 The site adjacent to the old Tommyfield Market was the Oldham Sports centre, now demolished and replaced by... another car park? next to the car park that used to be Tommyfield Market? Does it make sense to remove amenities and shopping areas, thus reducing the need for car parking, but make more car parking? Does it make more sense to slowly erode the buildings and facilities that live on prime land, then simply flatten and tarmac them, hence avoiding the expense of building and then demolishing structures when your master plan to pool adjacent acquisitions together reaches fruition? People of a suspicious nature could be forgiven for thinking that for a long time, the plan has been to move the town centre in it's entirety to mumps, and build a shedload of more lucrative housing on the site of the town's heart? Kind of makes you wonder if the Oldham bus station is due another move doesn't it? Watch this space!