At the start of the latest lockdown, Shaw Market traders were moved off Market Street onto Newtown Street, and the move is killing trade and is not supported by the Council.

Shaw Liberal Democrat Councillor Howard Sykes MBE has received reports that Oldham Council has failed to provide stall holders with tables and awnings, and that there has been no signage placed along the main street to say where the Market is. Traders cannot easily highlight their presence as the Council has not dropped the bollards, so they are unable to move forward a little to locate their stalls on the edge of Market Street.

Councillor Sykes said:  “If there was a textbook strategy of how to destroy a local market, the shameful conduct of Oldham’s Labour Administration towards Shaw Market, since it was first forced to move from the historic market ground in 2015, would win a national prize.  In 2015, thirteen traders moved onto Market Street, but as we predicted, trade has ever since steadily declined.”

“With the latest COVID-lockdown, the few businesses that still exist have been shunted off onto a side street in a move that was ill throughout out, ill prepared, and ill executed and without a thought for their future survival.  This Thursday (19/11/20) the Market was down to two stalls, and no one is sure if they will be back next week.  As a Shaw resident sadly said to me in an email ‘Shaw Market is being killed by a lack of care’. This is a shambles, and we need to sort it out before Shaw loses its market for good.”