All members of the High Street Foundation (new & old) are invited to the 1 Year Anniversary Event to be held on Wednesday 20 March, 5.30pm - 7.45pm, Number One Riverside.
ROCHDALE BOROUGH HIGH STREET FOUNDATION
ONE YEAR CELEBRATION EVENT
Wednesday 20 March, 5.30m - 8.00pm
Number One Riverside, RochdaleTown Centre
A G E N D A
5.30pm
Networking
Light refreshments will be served
30mins
6.00pm
Welcome
Paul Clark
5mins
6.05pm
Progress & Future Plans
Discussion / Q&A
Peter Rowlinson
Service Director, Planning & Regulation
25mins
6.30pm
Association for Towns & City Centre Management Presentation
Discussion / Q&A
Lisa Durkin
North WestTown Team Advisor, ATCM
10mins
6.40pm
Review of the Rochdale Day & Evening Action Plans
Discussion / Q&A
Debbie O’Brien
RochdaleTown Centre Manager
20mins
7.00pm
Rochdale Borough Community Safety Presentation
Jeanette Stayley
Community Safety Manager, Rochdale Council & John Taylor - GMP
The Rochdale Borough High Street Foundation held it's first planning workshop focusing on Middleton Town Centre this week. Over 35 local traders, business leaders community representatives and the MP for Middleton & Heywood - Jim Dobbin attended the workshop and put forward ideas to revitalise Middleton town centre including; holding regular events, opening pop up art & craft shops, trialing a twlight market, building on Middleton's wonderful heritage, developing an early evening economy, creating a mobile app for Middleton Town Centre and developing a town centre heritage trail.
A Town Team is being established to lead on the plans for Middleton town centre and a short-medium term action plan is being developed.
If you would like to get involved and support the Middleton Town Team please contact Frances Fielding on tel: 01706 926700 or email: frances.fielding@rochdale.gov.uk
The Rochdale Borough High Street Foundation organised a workshop to look specifically at Heywood Town Centre this Monday 11 February.
The event, at Heywood Sports Village, examined the positives and negatives of how Heywood is currently working and asked for ideas on stimulating more activities around the arts, music, heritage and enterprise of our town.
It featured presentations from various council officers, including Peter Rowlinson, the authority's head of planning.
Guests were then asked for their ideas on moving the town centre forward. Heywood was highlighted as the healthiest town in the Rochdale borough.
Other positives included the fact there are relatively few empty shops in the town, many well-established independent businesses, a strong community market and good leisure facilities.
Areas earmarked for development in the future included the East Lancashire Railway, the old Boots warehouse, Mossfield, the George Street area and Angel Meadow.
There was discussion about reasons for a general downturn in high streets around the country and strategies to reverse the trend.
The Rochdale Feel Good Festival will return this summer, with organisers promising another explosion of entertainment, food and culture. The festival, celebrating its sixth birthday, will include various warm up events prior to the main attractions in Rochdale town centre in August.
A high profile line-up of acts will be announced in the coming weeks. The festival will include live music across indoor venues and a main stage against the backdrop of Rochdale Town Hall. Celebrity chefs will host live cooking demonstrations throughout the event which will also include a food market, open air dining, family entertainment plus brand new attractions for 2013.
Debbie O’Brien, from Rochdale Town Centre Management, said the festival really does bring the feel good factor: “The Feel Good Festival is easily the most popular event we do, so I know this announcement will be welcomed by many thousands of residents and visitors. I would like to personally thank all those people who have taken the time to contact us and show their support … we have been overwhelmed by the positive feedback over the last few weeks. With the help of our partners I am determined to deliver another unmissable event.”
Councillor Peter Williams, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Customer Services, said: “Each year the festival grows in popularity, bringing more people of all ages into town every year and creating a real buzz. It is a fantastic showcase for the borough and something the council is pleased to support.”
Last year over 10,000 attended the two-day festival to see live performances from over 25 bands, vocalists and artists, whilst star chefs tempted tastebuds with their masterclasses. Previous acts have included the Fun Lovin’ Criminals, Martha and the Vandellas, Badly Drawn Boy and The Lightning Seeds. Celebrity chefs have included Gino D’Acampo, Ainsley Harriott, Andrew Nutter and Brian Turner.
Debbie O’Brien added:
“Once again Rochdale will be a hive of activity with the very best in live music, food, art and entertainment. It is also a great opportunity for local businesses to host their own event as part of the festival too, so I’m encouraging anyone with an idea to come forward now …this is your festival. It’s also an excellent sponsorship opportunity for businesses in the region, and we are talking to potential sponsors to help us make it another big success.”
