Debbie Hernon appointed as new manager of the Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre

Debbie Hernon

Debbie Hernon is leaving her position as the Chief Executive of the Town Centre Management (TCM) team to take up the role of manager of the Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre.

Talking to Rochdale Online, Debbie said: “It has been a fantastic 14 years in my position here and it is with a certain amount of sadness I will be moving on, however those who know me know I relish a new challenge. I have worked with some of the best people you could hope to come across and I really hope that my new role at the Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre will make sure that I still get to do that.”

Councillor Ashley Dearnley, who is on the board of directors for the Town Centre Management team, said: “Debbie has done an excellent job as the town centre manager in difficult times and has been appreciated by the traders and the council for all of the hard work she has put in to things like the Feel Good Festival and other events. She often did a lot of work without any fuss and she will be greatly missed by the council.”

Nick Bluer, Manager of Marks and Spencer in Rochdale Town centre, said: “A lot of the success that Marks and Spencer has had over the last year has been down to Debbie as part of the Town Centre Management team so I do hope that someone will follow on with that succession.

“She is absolutely brilliant to work with. She is full of energy, passion and commitment and often does work in her own time. A lot of the things she has done have been brilliant and the Feel Good Festival, which she was partly responsible for, is something she certainly should be proud of.

“I am happy that she is moving on to better things for herself but for me she will be missed in that role. She is an amazing person and will be a tough act to follow.”

During Debbie's tenure, TCM won the Business and Economy section for the North West Towns Alive Awards for the Rochdale Emporium and been runner up in the Association of Town and City Centre Manager Awards for the Feel Good Festival, TCM Business Awards and for Best Town Team.

Her initiatives/events have included:

• Ice Rinks
• Window Dressing Competitions
• Independents Month
• Independent Plaque Ceremony
• Independent Shopping Crawls 
• Love Rochdale
• Torch Relay
• Twilight Markets
• Co-optastic Markets
• Purple Flag Promotion
• Best Bar None Awards
• Pub & Club Watch, Business Crime Co-ordinators & Acceptable Behaviour Scheme
• Fireworks Event
• TCM Business Awards
• Cash Mobs
• Pop Up Shops
• Feel Good Festival
• Town Centre Ambassador Scheme
• Rochdale Emporium
• Reindeer Parade
• Christmas Lights Switch On
• Christmas Markets
• Love Your Local Market Campaign
• Beach Party Event
• Town Centre Publications
• Car Boot Sales

Debbie will be taking over the role from Martin Ballard, who recently announced that he is leaving the job after six years, on the 1 August.

Martin said: "Debbie is dedicated to Rochdale and has an excellent local knowledge and contact base, which will improve the retail and leisure offer at the Wheatsheaf. As well as being highly regarded by her industry peers within the Association of Town Centre Managers, Debbie is known by local people for her infectious enthusiasm and drive to change things in the town.

"I know that Debbie will be a fantastic addition to the enthusiastic Wheatsheaf team, which is dedicated to giving local people more of what they want, and consolidating the shopping centre’s position as the gateway to Rochdale’s regeneration."

The new vision for the Wheatsheaf includes a £2M redevelopment to the Baillie Street entrance (works already underway), a refurbished Yorkshire Street entrance, new surface level car parking and new lettings to affordable retailers. New escalators and lifts are expected to be in operation for the run up to Christmas and new tenants being lined up to fill vacant units.

There will be a stand within the mall of the centre in coming weeks to help communicate what are the biggest changes to the shopping centre’s operation in its 25 year history.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to feed back their thoughts of what could be brought into the shopping centre.