Oswaldtwistle Shops

[Romps]

you may have all your M's...........but you ain't got all your arbles!!

[sniggil52]

i have just read your list for shops on union rd and i am shocked that you have missed simpsons health store off it the shop has been open 3 years its no wonder shops dont do well in oswaldtwistle people walk around with there eyes shut

[garinda]

Good point.

They are always friendly and helpful when I've been in there.

[Ber999T]

When I left school I started to work at G W Farnworths Buchers on the corner of Trinity St and Union Rd (note it now a ladies clothes shop) and while I was there I used to take meat orders to Martins' Bakery, 2 Cafes (1 near to the car sales and the other near to the Golden Cross) a Chinesse take away (and they had a shop in Clayton as well) and a few other shops and I would have to walk past 3 other butchers between this shop and the Golden Cross and there were at least 2 more near to the Town Hall.

My oh my do I feel old now but that was 35 years ago

[Gayle]

Originally Posted by sniggil52

i have just read your list for shops on union rd and i am shocked that you have missed simpsons health store off it the shop has been open 3 years its no wonder shops dont do well in oswaldtwistle people walk around with there eyes shut

Sorry for the omission, it wasn't deliberate.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Ber999T

When I left school I started to work at G W Farnworths Buchers on the corner of Trinity St and Union Rd (note it now a ladies clothes shop) and while I was there I used to take meat orders to Martins' Bakery, 2 Cafes (1 near to the car sales and the other near to the Golden Cross) a Chinesse take away (and they had a shop in Clayton as well) and a few other shops and I would have to walk past 3 other butchers between this shop and the Golden Cross and there were at least 2 more near to the Town Hall.

My oh my do I feel old now but that was 35 years ago

Just pm'd you the details, but you probably saw the six year old Rindy, lol.

[Madhatter]

This is very interesting to me. Our council took the opposite approach and ploughed tax payers money into a scheme at considerable risk, to try to save our town, which sounds a bit like ossy. Atherstone is a small town with a pop of about 6 thousand, with a mancetter being a an older area that’s adjoining the main town adding it up to about 11 thousand, And a very close village of Witherley just over one field but in the county of Leicestershire. Atherstone has struggled for years but against all odds has always fought back. Never more so than in the last two years. We have a lot of history here, most of it has been stolen off us by neighbouring towns and villages. the centre of England is said to be here, the battle of Bosworth has been proven not to have been at Bosworth and was most likely here, as was the last battle of boudica. Atherstone is one of a few remaining town that play Shrovetide football in the main street, all the shops get boarded up and a huge ball gats booted up and down the main street.
To try to get people in to the town, we have several other events throughout the year, including war day celebrations, the main street is closed and taken over with a ww2 theme, sand bags, army vehicles exhibits. WE had an air display at our small air field at the nearby village of baxterley, We have a classic car show in the market square and surrounding streets and car park. We have a summer fun day in the market Square. We have French markets and hopefully soon farmers markets too as well as the poorly attended but still in existence twice a week town market. we have a dickens night in the main street and surrounding car parks to mark the switch on of our famous Christmas lights, street entertainment, stall, fairs, exhibitions, crafts etc. Also last year our carnival was resurrected, this year we're hopefully going to get floats, and hopefully have an ‘it's a knockout’ on the field. Plus there’s other school fetes and fire station fete etc.
Witherley has its now famous scarecrow festival, locals make scarecrows to display in their garden or as part of a central display on the green or in the church.
All this advertises the town, and area, and brings in tourism as well as creating a sense of community and civic pride.
The borough council has also, as I mentioned pumped money into another project. Atherstone Booktown, England’s first Booktown. It's been slow getting there and has had problems, mainly from the town having high rents and rates. Most of the shops are owned by one person Allan Lloyd of Lloyds chemist group, although he did buy one of the hotels, gut it, refurb it and add a bookshop.

[Gayle]

Those are fantastic ideas Madhatter. For a while I've been asking on this forum, what should we do - let's forget the negative for a moment and think of really positive ideas that promote the town/area and get attention for the right reasons. I've had quite a few ideas myself and if ever I'm in such a position to work on them I promise that I will do (bit tricky at the moment with the political situation but should things straighten out in May it will get a whole lot easier).

There are all sorts of festivals, events, activities, markets etc that could be brought to a town like Oswaldtwistle to really get the place buzzing.

Thank you for your constructive comments and I'd love to hear more from anyone else.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Gayle

I've had quite a few ideas myself and if ever I'm in such a position to work on them I promise that I will do (bit tricky at the moment with the political situation but should things straighten out in May it will get a whole lot easier).

I have read that statement a few times Gayle but, I am not sure what it means.

Does it mean you are too busy at the moment to follow your ideas through?

Or

Does it mean that you are only interested in following your ideas through if you are elected?

[Gayle]

It means that whatever happens in May it will be easier for me to do some of the stuff that I want to. If I'm elected then I'll be able to push for things as a Councillor, if I'm not elected then I won't have to sift through all the politics to be able to do some things.

And yes, I am a bit busy right now!

[Madhatter]

Ah thinking time.
Is this town council or borough gayle