MP supports Rochdale Pop-up Shop

Steve Valentine (Business Development Manager), Sana Nasar (Administration Officer), Martin Ballard (Wheatsheaf Centre Manager), Simon Danczuk MP

Manchester Credit Union is expanding its presence in Rochdale with a temporary ‘Pop-up Shop’ in the popular Wheatsheaf Centre in the town centre.

The shop will be open for a month and is to be run in partnership with Rochdale Boroughwide Housing, Rochdale MBC and the Wheatsheaf Centre.

Pop ups are a trend where businesses take over empty premises for a limited amount of time and Manchester Credit Union has become one of the first in the country to introduce a ‘pop up’ credit union in the Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre from Monday 23 April.

Rochdale’s MP Simon Danczuk paid us a visit on our opening morning and has praised Manchester Credit Union for opening a ‘pop up’ branch on Rochdale’s high street, hailing it as “a great move to raise the profile of credit unions in Rochdale and stop people being ripped off by extortionate loan sharks”.

Welcoming the move, Simon Danczuk MP said: “We have far too many pay day loan shops on Yorkshire Street and Rochdale is crying out for an alternative to lenders that typically charge interest at 2,000% APR. It’s about giving people a fair choice and I’m delighted that we’re bringing vital support to the high street to stop people being sucked into a debt crisis.”

Steve Valentine, Manchester Credit Union’s Business Development Manager, added that they were keen to publicise their work to Rochdale residents having only recently moved into the town.

Describing the project as the ‘antidote’ to the 11 payday loan shops on Yorkshire Street, RBH Money Matters Advice Officer, Mike Wolstencroft, said:

“Credit Unions are the antidote. We are supporting Manchester Credit Union because we want to see them get established in Rochdale. MCU is co-operatively and ethically run and has a proven track record. We believe it will be of great benefit to RBH tenants for many years to come.”