Guided tour of Rochdale Town Hall

Visitors to Rochdale Town Hall awaiting their guided tour

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Rochdale Town Hall opened its doors this afternoon as locals and visitors to the town were given a tour of the magnificent Grade 1 listed building.

The tour started at 1:30pm and was lead by blue badge tour guide Anne Thomas.

Anne said: “Today we are sold out which is lovely. We usually do quiet well with this tour.”

The tour led visitors around the town hall and showed them everything from The Exchange to the Council Chambers and the Great Hall.

“Tours of the town hall are also held the last Friday afternoon of the month,” added Anne.

Around twenty people attended today’s tour, including a wedding party who had travelled up to Rochdale to celebrate with family. Stuart Howarth, groom of the wedding party, said: “We got married a few months ago and have come back to Rochdale for a party with our northern family. This seemed like a good thing for everyone to get together and do.”

Brian McDermott also left Rochdale but has recently moved back to the area and has never toured the town hall before. He said: “I left Rochdale when I was 22 and came back in February 2013. I have never toured the town hall before. I’ve now realised that there are a lot of nice things about Rochdale and this is one of them.”

As a blue badge guide, Anne is a registered and professionally trained tour guide. Along with her colleague, Margaret Clay she does a variety of tours in the borough of Rochdale.

“They are always very good to us here at the town hall” said Anne.