Oldham Council awards £266k shop front grants

Oldham Council has handed out £266,000 to 25 traders so they can repaint, repair or completely refit their shop fronts. The money, drawn from Greater Manchester's Local Growth and Place fund, is aimed at making the stretch from Union Street to George Street feel cleaner and busier.

The list of recipients runs from family-run florists and newsagents to health clinics and charities. Pennine Mencap, which supports adults with learning disabilities from its base at Rhodes Bank Chambers, will use its share to brighten the entrance that doubles as a community meeting spot.

Council leader Arooj Shah met grant holders in the town centre on Thursday. She said the grants are part of a wider effort to give local independents the confidence to invest at a time when footfall is still returning to pre-pandemic levels.

Work must focus on the four named streets, but traders are free to choose new signage, lighting, security shutters or disabled access improvements. The council hopes the knock-on effect will be longer visits and higher spending once the makeovers are complete.

No deadline for finishing the work has been announced, and the council has not said whether a second round of funding is planned.