Originally Posted by cashman (Post 833993)

The prices in Ossy Mills bring a tear to my eye, i avoid it like the plague if possible.:eek:

Originally Posted by blazey (Post 833992)

...when I went into Ossy Mills and saw that the Stockleys Sweet Factory had been replaced with another rubbish 'cheap' curtain/towels/boring pieces of material section.

I knew that the sweet factory was struggling but I honestly thought that somehow someone would find the funds to keep it going and avoid having to shut it down. To be honest I'm a bit disappointed that the owners seem to think that it wasn't valuable enough to save instead of replacing it with more of what it already has. Gone are the days where you go around with your tin bucket and pick your soaps from the 'Bubble factory' and now gone are the days where you go to get your traditional boiled sweets and get a glimpse at the process that produces them and some local history.

Maybe I'm overreacting but it actually brought a tear to my eye and I refused to look around the replacement stock. The peardrop still stands but it almost feels like it has lost its charm stood in the middle of a bright room filled with stacks of towels.

What can I say? I hate change. Especially when Stockley's sweets are something that I always mention when I tell people I'm from Oswaldtwistle. The peardrop has been stripped of its glory!

Originally Posted by cashman (Post 833993)

The prices in Ossy Mills bring a tear to my eye, i avoid it like the plague if possible.:eek:

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 834038)

The sausages I bought were splendid - but the polluted atmosphere from Yankee candles prevents me from buying them again.

The management seem to target their sales policy at the coaches of tourists, who, as a captive market, will pay over the odds and buy, just to justify the trouble they have taken to get there.

Originally Posted by SPUGGIE J (Post 834071)

Like yankee candles.

Now would I be classed as a tourist if I go?

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 834092)

Since you are visiting from Scotland....and since you could likely buy them cheaper elsewhere......Yes

Originally Posted by flashy (Post 834034)

Stockleys made Ossy Mills as far as i'm concerned, thats the only thing that took me to the place, won't be going back now, the rest of the place is crap

Originally Posted by SPUGGIE J

And after I go to all the trouble of avoiding :conny: when I sneak over the boarder for a visit.

Originally Posted by lancsdave (Post 834449)

I see from the Observer that the town centre one is closing down.

Originally Posted by panther (Post 834530)

I dont know why they opened it in the first place!, would have been better being a toy shop:alright:

Originally Posted by lancsdave (Post 834449)

I see from the Observer that the town centre one is closing down.

Originally Posted by lancsdave (Post 834531)

Probably got free rent :rolleyes:

Originally Posted by Taggy (Post 834571)

However even that was much better than leaving such a large unit empty,

Originally Posted by lancsdave (Post 834449)

I see from the Observer that the town centre one is closing down.

Originally Posted by lancsdave (Post 834577)

Don't disagree but where does the line get drawn. Plenty of empty units in town, some of them council owned, especially in the new refurbished market hall. Rather than offer them free or even cheap they put the rents up :confused:

Originally Posted by Taggy (Post 834588)

Yep i agree, and as far as traders are concerned its sending out mixed messages, but i suppose the ex woolies store was such a flagship unit in Accy, it just couldn't be left desolate for long! I know thats not fair on other traders, but i'm afraid thats life now. As for the Market Hall...well, again where do we start there, my feeling is that too much money has been spent on it...albeit for the right reasons...i think much could have been achieved for a lot less money, that would have smartened up the place for both traders and public, without the increase in rents. The amount of funds spent on the upstairs area will not prove beneficial, as in the long term it will not be used by the Elderly, Disabled or families with prams, so as a commercial proposition i honestly cant see it working!

On the other hand....without going into specifics...i do think certain traders within the market hall are their own worst enemy, and they think everything should be down to the council in terms of promoting the stalls within there, a lot of them are not very proactive with regards their business!

It is a difficult balancing act!


Best Regards - Taggy

Originally Posted by nikkival (Post 834940)

Ossy Mills was great when it first started out, I bought some fantastic one-of-a-kind hand made furniture, which I would never part with, and used to use Topaz for decorating materials, stencils etc.

Sadly over the years it's become too commercialised for me, it's just over-priced mass-produced rubbish now, it's missing the niche & quirky traders which made it popular. :(

Originally Posted by lancsdave (Post 834531)

Probably got free rent :rolleyes: