Letter from Parliament

Traditionally August is seen by the media as a #39;slow news month' or the #39;silly season' when stories that otherwise would never see the light of day get published.

Remember the pictures of former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott holding a jar with a crab in he called Peter? That was to do with a spat between him and Peter Mandleson about who was running the country while PM Tony Blair was away.

The story this week about #39;aspirational' hoardings on the site of the old Electric House fall into this category.

Does Rochdale have a street or café scene? Well not a huge one, the weather puts paid to that! But what about Bar 5 on the Esplanade?

Nor is Rochdale short of things to do or places to go.

Fancy a tapas? Try La Mancha in the Butts run by Paul Fearnley. Or for traditional Fish and Chips, the Flying Fish also in the Butts run by one of my ex pupils Mark and his wife Diane. If Chinese is what you fancy try the Blue Diamond run by Michael and his family on Oldham Road. Not forgetting the Curry Mile on Milkstone Road where Amer at the Asia battles it out with Dilkash or the Roti on Drake Street.

Why am I mentioning all of these?

Well I get fed up of people continually running our town down. Yes we have our problems, which town doesn't, but Rochdale is a great place to live and work.

We're surrounded by the Pennines, within minutes you can be on a countryside walk. With places like Healey Dell where the wardens, led by Sue Southward, have completely revamped the paths and what you can see and do.

There is even a website:

• www.healeydell.org.uk

with details of what is going on. Or the Weavers seaport at Hollingworth Lake where you can enjoy a gentle walk, sail on the Lady Alice or if you're more adventurous try windsurfing. If you are into History how about John Bright's grave in the Friends Graveyard just off John Street or Touchstones in the old library.

Rochdale has its very own Tourism Officer, Tim Nuttall, who this week was on Radio 4's World at One extolling the virtues of our Town Hall Chime taking over from Big Ben at six o'clock while Big Ben was being repaired.

For the shopacholics there are some great shops in Littleborough like George Kelsall's bookshop or the shops on Drake street like Denis Hope (for menswear); for gifts there is Sandifords or for jewellery Butterworths. Add to this the monthly craft fairs on the Esplanade and you can see things are happening in our town centre.

Rochdale's problem in the past has been a lack of both public and private investment in new facilities. I'm glad to say that is changing - the new bus station, metrolink, a new sixth form college and the complete redevelopment of the shops are now underway. Let's stop running our town down and start appreciating what we have got and we can all contribute to improving it!