Foundations have been laid for Oldham's new £2m outdoor market on George Square behind Spindles shopping centre. The project will relocate traders from Tommyfield Market car park to a site between the police station and shopping centre. Funded by £1m government grant and £1m council capital spend, the works are expected to complete before year-end, though delays have pushed back the timeline from the original late 2025 target. The new market could also serve as an outdoor venue for cultural events. The project is part of a wider £430m regeneration including 2,000 new homes through a 15-year partnership with Muse developers.
Plans to convert the former Barclays bank on Market Street in Oldham town centre into a casino have been approved. The Grade II listed building has been vacant since the branch closed in 2023. One objection raised concerns about 24-hour opening, noise, antisocial behaviour, and impact on the historic building's character. Planning officers found no policy basis to refuse the scheme despite three other adult gaming centres and four betting shops nearby. The casino will be operated by Merkur Slots and internal screening will be non-permanent to protect the building's historic fabric.
Oldham's Queen Elizabeth Hall is closing in 2026 after 40 years of hosting youth music performances, concerts, pantos, elections and community events. The venue, part of the Civic Centre built in 1962 and extended in 1977, was officially opened by the Queen Mother. Famous acts including Iron Maiden, Madness, The Kinks and Inspiral Carpets performed there. The hall hosted Oldham's Christmas and Easter pantomimes during the Coliseum Theatre's refurbishment, amateur boxing, snooker including Steve Davis's first televised maximum break in 1982, and served as the town's election count venue. Civic functions have moved to the JR Clynes building while The Loom, a new multi-purpose venue, has opened. Plans announced last year will demolish the brutalist building to make way for over 800 new homes as part of Oldham's regeneration plans.
A reviewer visited The Green Room cafe at Oldham's new market on opening Saturday, ordering a cheese and onion pie with chips and beans for £9.50. The cafe was busy with staff working hard, and the reviewer waited about five minutes for food after ordering. The pie filling was described as cheesy and peppery with nice texture, while the pastry was buttery despite looking underdone. Chips were crispy and flavourful, beans were hot. Portion size was large enough to leave some food. The reviewer plans to return and try other menu items including jacket potatoes and paninis.
Oldham Athletic owner Frank Rothwell spoke at First Choice Homes Oldham's Union Street offices last Thursday about his 15-year prostate cancer survival. He urged men with symptoms or family history to request PSA tests from doctors. The event, held during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, was organized by FCHO to educate staff about the disease, which affects around 64,000 UK men annually. Rothwell's charity work has raised £1.5 million. He was joined by Prostate Cancer Support chairman Phil Ormesher and volunteers Eric and Susan Richardson. FCHO chief executive Mark Gifford praised Rothwell's open and engaging discussion of this important health topic.
Hack Oldham, a social enterprise, has secured National Lottery Community Fund funding to offer a free six-month filmmaking course to 20 participants. The course, which normally costs money, will train attendees from beginner level to being able to make their own films. Participants will learn from industry professionals, produce two short films, and have their second film submitted to international film festivals. The course includes a travel allowance and will be held at Hack's Yorkshire Street location in Oldham town centre. Hack has previously produced short films and a feature-length film called 'Scream Queen' which is in post-production.
Oldham has been named Greater Manchester's Town of Culture for 2026-27, receiving a £50,000 grant for a year-long program of arts and cultural events. The announcement coincided with the opening of The Loom, a new indoor market and event space. Council leader Cllr Arooj Shah highlighted Oldham's multicultural heritage, industrial history, and famous residents including Professor Brian Cox and Mark Owen. While some residents welcomed the recognition, others questioned the 'town' designation and expressed skepticism about celebrating culture in a borough that has closed theatres and venues. The full program of events has yet to be announced.
Construction has officially started on the £32 million Prince's Gate housing development in Oldham town centre. The project will deliver 331 flats, including 75 affordable homes partly funded by council Right-to-Buy capital receipts. The development is backed by £31.5 million from GMCA's Good Growth Funding plus additional government funding. Phase 1 will deliver the 75 affordable homes, followed by Phase 2 with 256 build-to-rent homes. The council delegated contractor selection to senior officials rather than holding a public cabinet meeting. The development is part of wider town centre regeneration efforts to create a more vibrant and inclusive place for businesses and communities.
Oldham's new indoor market opened over the weekend alongside The Loom, a flexible event space that can accommodate up to 1,000 standing or 500 dining. The venue, named after Oldham's cotton-spinning heritage, features three bar areas, reception space, and conference facilities. It will host conferences, weddings, exhibitions, and concerts, replacing the Queen Elizabeth Hall which is set for demolition to make way for 800 new homes. Online bookings are now open, though no events are currently listed. The venue had its VIP launch on March 27 with a performance by Oldham Theatre Workshop.
Oldham's new market has opened in The Spindles shopping centre as part of a £450 million town centre regeneration programme. The market, which celebrates the town's heritage while creating a modern space for local traders, opened with a vibrant celebration featuring independent stalls, food businesses, and entertainment. Located next to the new event space The Loom and linking directly to Parliament Square, the market aims to establish Oldham as a destination for culture and community events. Council Leader Cllr Arooj Shah described the opening as a proud moment for the town, emphasizing investment in local businesses and the community's future.
Oldham's new indoor market opened on Saturday, March 28, attracting hundreds of shoppers to the two-level space connected to Spindles shopping centre and Parliament Square. The market features around 70 traders, including many from the former Tommyfield Market, which closed earlier this month. The first 100 visitors received goodie bags, and entertainment included a Taylor Swift tribute act, arcade games, and children's activities. Stallholders reported high footfall and positive feedback, though some shoppers found the space crowded. The market has entrances inside Spindles near H. Samuel and on Parliament Square opposite Molino Lounge.
The Loom, a new £450million town centre transformation venue, has officially opened in Oldham. The flexible event space can host up to 1,000 standing guests or 500 for dining, with configurations for conferences, weddings, exhibitions and performances. Located at Parliament Square next to The Spindles shopping centre and above the new Oldham Market, the venue pays homage to Oldham's cotton spinning heritage. Bookings are now available via The Spindles website.
The Department for Education has formally agreed Heads of Terms for the Eton Star Oldham school at the former Tommyfield Market site, with building work scheduled to begin next year. The partnership between Eton College and Star Academies aims to provide high-quality education for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in Oldham. Council leader Arooj Shah described the project as 'fantastic news' that will raise aspirations and open doors for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. The school will offer post-16 education optimised for disadvantaged students with academic talent, with a mission to help many secure places at world-class universities. The project has faced opposition from local councillors and the National Education Union, which called it a 'marketing ploy' that would harm existing sixth form provision.
A building at 31 King Street, Oldham collapsed on March 24, 2026, just three weeks after a council surveyor deemed it 'no immediate danger.' The building, owned by KKS Investors (Cllr Kamran Ghafoor and Sameer Zulqurnain), housed Euro King Mini Market and rental homes. Five people self-evacuated before a structural wall caved in at 12:30pm, with three injured and two hospitalised. Concerns were raised on March 1, but the surveyor referred the issue back to the landlord rather than declaring imminent danger. The owners claim they engaged a structural engineer on March 2 and submitted building notice on March 9, but no works were carried out before the collapse. Around 40 people required temporary accommodation. The council and Health and Safety Executive are investigating the cause.
Award-winning actor Julie Hesmondhalgh has joined Oldham Coliseum Theatre as guest curator, working alongside CEO Martina Murphy as the venue prepares to reopen at its Fairbottom Street home. Hesmondhalgh, who was Olivier Award-nominated this year for her role in James Graham's PUNCH, will help shape an opening season celebrating Oldham and championing northern voices. The theatre is currently being refurbished by Oldham Council as part of a broader plan to establish a cultural campus in the town centre. Hesmondhalgh played a key role in the campaign to save the Coliseum from permanent closure and will work with the Friends of the Coliseum to create theatre 'of and for the people of Oldham'.
Oldham's new indoor market, The Market, opens at 9am on Saturday, March 28, 2026, with a day of activities and entertainment. Tommyfield Market closed last week as traders prepared to move to the new space inside Spindles. Shoppers expressed mixed views about the new market, with concerns about accessibility, trader costs, and whether it will attract enough visitors. Some residents are curious to visit, while others worry about the distance from bus stops and whether it will replicate the outdoor market experience.
Oldham's Renew Paint Shop at Arkwright Street Recycling Centre sells leftover water-based paint for a minimum £3 donation per pot, with each container at least half full. Since opening in November 2024, the shop has redistributed 5,710 litres of reused paint - enough to cover half of Blackpool Tower. The initiative, run by Recycle for Greater Manchester and SUEZ, aims to reduce waste while providing affordable decorating options. Councillor Elaine Taylor praised residents for embracing reuse, noting the shop benefits both wallets and the environment. The shop operates daily from 9.30am to 12.30pm and 1pm to 6pm, with proceeds supporting local community projects through the Greater Manchester Mayor's Charity and Renew Community Fund.
Oldham Athletic Community Trust will host its second annual sleep out event at Boundary Park in 2026, following the success of the 2025 event. Participants will sleep outdoors on cardboard to experience street homelessness and raise funds for local charities tackling homelessness, food poverty, and hardship. The event costs £15 to register with a £50 minimum sponsorship target, and top fundraisers will receive prizes. Funds will support partners including NorthCare Charity. The trust aims to surpass last year's fundraising total while promoting its 'A Better Oldham' strategy to address borough inequalities.
Emergency services responded to a building collapse on King Street, Oldham at 12.40pm on March 24, 2026. Five people self-evacuated before fire crews arrived and were treated by paramedics, with two taken to hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service deployed four fire engines, an enhanced rescue unit, two dog units, and a drone from Lancashire Fire Service. A cordon remains in place as firefighters continue clearing the area and conducting searches alongside other emergency services. Cadent Gas isolated the gas supply to the affected property, impacting only that building. Council leader Arooj Shah described it as a 'serious and ongoing incident' and opened a rest centre for displaced residents.
Plans are advancing for three new tower blocks with 331 apartments at Prince's Gate in Oldham Mumps. The development includes 75 affordable homes funded partly by council Right-to-Buy receipts, plus shops and green spaces. Backed by £31.5m from GMCA's Good Growth Funding and government money, the council is finalising a grant agreement with developer Muse. Due to the pre-election period, final contractor decisions will be delegated to council executives rather than public cabinet meetings. The project follows two previous failed schemes after M&S and Lidl withdrew from building shops and a hotel on the site.