Members of the Tommyfield Traders' Association were recently joined by Cllr Arooj Shah, Leader of Oldham Council, for a tour and update of the new market and event space.
The visit marked the 'topping out' of the market, celebrating the completion of the steel frame and concrete work at the roof level.
Contractors Willmott Dixon showcased the work carried out so far and gave traders the chance to explore the space they will call their new home.
Speaking about the milestone, Cllr Arooj Shah, Leader of Oldham Council, said:
"The topping out of the new market and events space is a huge step forward for our dedicated market traders, and our ambitious town centre regeneration plans.
“This new market and event space will not only enhance the shopping experience in Oldham but will breath fresh energy into the town centre.
“We’ll be working with the market traders in the coming months and year to make sure they have a smooth transition into the new space.”
Joining Cllr Shah in celebration, members from the Tommyfield Traders' Association shared their thoughts on the progress.
Rick Whitworth, owner of Meat in the Middle Butchers, said:
"The visit to the site has been well impressive. It's come a long, long way, since the last time we came. I'm more excited than normal and I can't wait for next year now."
Ryan Aslam, owner of Kandy Kingdom, added:
"It's very exciting to see how it's come along, compared to the last time we visited. It's a bit of a challenge time, but we're hoping to meet this challenge with positivity.
The next stage of construction will be the outer front face of the building and the start of the fit out in the Market Hall – which traders will have a vital part in designing.
Chris Baker, Senior Operations Manager at Willmott Dixon, said:
“We’re proud to be delivering such a landmark and important project for the people of Oldham that really is creating opportunities and supporting local businesses.
“As progress continues, we’re proud to say that, to date alongside Oldham Council, we’re created 17 jobs, delivered more than 140 weeks of apprenticeships, and supported five Oldham College T-Level placements.
“We continue to work with local organisations to deliver employment opportunities, having invested £23.5m of our project spend so far with businesses based within 20 miles of the project as well as investing £180k with social enterprises.”
In addition to the new home for Tommyfield Market, the Spindles redevelopment includes a new events space, new archives and brand-new offices for 1,000 Oldham Council staff, as well as a co-working space for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Access Oldham will also be moving into Spindles, providing a more central location for residents to access vital services such as council tax, housing benefits and financial services.
The new market is expected to open in Spring 2025.
Opposite the new market will also be the revamped Egyptian Room, with a street food-style food court – contributing to Oldham’s evolving food and drink offer.
The Council also recently organised a special Evening and Night Time Economy Round Table to help revitalise Oldham town centre’s evening and night time economy.
Hosted by Greater Manchester’s Night Time Economy Adviser Sacha Lord on Friday 22 March, it brought partners together to discuss how they can work together to improve the current night-time offer.