Students help shape the future of Rochdale Town Centre

Travel & Tourism students present their report relating to Rochdale Town Centre to: Margaret Cigna, Exchange Shopping Centre; Lynsey Roscoe, Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre, Carol Hopkins, Rochdale Council, Janet Brooks and Martin Ledson from the Rochdale Development Agency.

Hopwood Hall College’s Travel and Tourism students have conducted market research in Middleton and Rochdale Town centres, helping the Council and Rochdale Development Agency.

The students were tasked with finding out what the public would like to see in their town centre so they enthusiastically questioned shoppers in the streets of Rochdale to gather their views.

The main recommendation from local people was that they want a better range of shops such as the high street retailer Next and more banks.

The people questioned explained to the students that the main reason they came into the centre of Rochdale was for shopping; however, in addition to more shops, they would like a greater range of restaurants and also more themed markets.

The students conducted a report to present to staff from Rochdale Council, the Rochdale Development Agency and representatives from the Exchange and Wheatsheaf shopping centres.

Thanks to this, Rochdale Redevelopment Agency gave students a presentation outlining the plans for the regeneration of Rochdale Town Centre, which included a new shopping centre, which would host many of the stores the public requested and greater leisure offers like restaurants.