Counting the cost of Oldham’s icy blast

THE high street has suffered its worst January in 15 years due to a combination of the recession and icy weather.

The British Retail Consortium said the dreadful start to 2010 followed the strongest December for eight years and dampened hopes for a strong retail recovery.

Severe weather conditions kept shoppers at home while the impact of a higher VAT rate and economic uncertainty saw shoppers focus on essentials.

In Oldham, footfall has further decreased in what is traditionally a quiet time for traders.

Councillor Jackie Stanton (pictured right), Cabinet Member for Customer Services and Unity Partnership, said: “The bad weather has obviously affected retail through January, and the Market Hall is no different.

“Feedback from traders suggests that trade is down in what is traditionally a slow period.

“In contrast, there are a small number of retailers who have done well out of the cold snap — those that sell goods that are in high demand during cold weather.

“The council recognises the tough trading conditions that retailers have faced not just in January, but also over the previous months and introduced a number of measures to help.

“The Christmas events and marketing programme was the biggest yet and encouraged a large proportion of new or infrequent visitors into Oldham town centre.

“The authority places great value on our independent retailers in particular.

“In recognition of this and the tough economic conditions, we have introduced a number of measures through the Credit Crunch Cabinet to support local businesses.

“In fact, a new service has just been launched to provide support for independent retailers, which includes free one-to-one guidance and the potential for help with the costs of advertising.

“I would urge those interested to contact the organisation delivering this on our behalf.”