Bloom success ‘will boost pride’

OLDHAM’S North-West in Bloom victory was a huge boost for the town, and paves the way for injecting pride back into the borough.

The prediction came from Councillor Jackie Stanton, deputy leader of Oldham Council, who was at the Southport awards ceremony when Oldham was named as Best Town Centre winner.

The borough also came runner-up to Chester in Best City — population numbers determine entry into the category, despite Oldham not being a city.

Councillor Stanton said: “Oldham’s Bloom and Grow was hugely successful, we wowed the judges when they came, and we came back with two spectacular awards.

“Coming second to Chester, which won a silver gilt nationally, was a phenomenal achievement.”

She added: “I want to stress the £200,000 we set aside for Bloom and Grow was not just for flowers. It was for 2009-10, and encompassed a whole lot of other issues, such as safety and the environment.

“Work for next year has already started and we will build on what has already been done.

“If we can instil pride back into our town centre we will eradicate the Wild West scenario that one of our MPs likened it to.”

In 2002, Oldham East and Saddleworth MP Phil Woolas compared Yorkshire Street nightlife to the Wild West, and called for more places for the over-25s to bring a better balance.

l Councillor Jackie Stanton . . . “We will build on what has been done”