Shoppers out in force for festive countdown
Reporter: LEWIS JONES
Date published: 13 December 2010
FESTIVE shoppers took to Oldham’s streets for those must-have presents at the weekend as the town was transformed into a bustling Christmas village.
Market stalls packed out town centre streets and shop windows sparkled with decorations as busy locals shopped until they dropped.
Youngsters got their very own decoration in the form of facepaint and Blackpool town cryer Barry McQueen boomed chants of festive joy while locals went about the Christmas rush.
Decorations and events have been funded by £25,000 from the Oldham Business Improvement District (BID) this year, with the markets and ice rink running in Market Place until this Sunday.
Cheeky elves Plink and Plonk even took a break from helping Santa pack his sleigh to put smiles on faces with their antics.
With only one weekend of shopping until the big day, the frantic rush to buy those perfect presents shows no sign of slowing as Christmas cheer grips the town.
BID chairman Paul Hughes said: “Town centre businesses feel it is more important than ever to create some festive cheer, given the current economic climate.
“We hope customers enjoy our gesture and all that Oldham had to offer this Christmas.”
