Having a skate time!
Reporter: DAWN ECKERSLEY
Date published: 08 December 2008
BEST of buddies . . . Rudolph waits his turn to skate with Monique Flanagan
OLDHAM got its own ice rink at the weekend . . . and it wasn’t down to the freezing weather!
The mini rink, complete with fake snow showers, was set up in High Street as part of the town centre Christmas entertainment programme.
And watching the skaters have a ball were a host of festive characters such as Peter the Polar Bear, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman.
Event organiser Mark Llewellin, from Oldham Town Centre Partnership, said: “We hoped the rink would be a big draw and it certainly was. The town centre was really buzzing.”
Mark added: “Oldham has had lots of free entertainment over the past six weeks and this will definitely have had a positive effect on retail business and in attracting both Oldhamers and visitors into the town centre. The whole package — events, the new Christmas lights, the spectacular fireworks display and of course, the Santa parade — have all been very successful.
“Throughout the period, over 400 performers will have appeared in the town centre and an estimated 15,000 people will have seen a performance. There will be few towns that can beat that.”
This weekend shoppers can look forward to performances from the Urban Gypsies, the Oldham (Lees) Band and the French Quarter jazz band.
