Parish council rejects Wetherspoons plan

THE derelict Four Lane End shopping centre in Milnrow Road

Shaw Parish Council planning committee

PARISH councillors have opposed plans to turn a burned-out shopping centre into a Wetherspoons pub.

The Chronicle revealed last month that the pub chain wanted to transform the derelict Four Lane End shopping centre in Milnrow Road — also known as Greenway — into its latest drinking hole, complete with beer garden and smoking shelter.

But the application has divided the community, with some residents welcoming the investment and competitive prices Wetherspoons will bring but others arguing there are already too many pubs in Shaw.

A massive blaze ripped through the shopping arcade in December, 2009, and required 40 fire-fighters to tackle it over two hours. It has been derelict since.

The blaze, which is believed to have been an arson attack, started at 2.30am in the Crazy Fast Foods Takeaway and spread to neighbouring businesses, damaging Lewelle’s hairdresser, Lewisbet bookmakers, The Bubble Patch haberdashery and two empty shops. Wetherspoons is poised to buy and redevelop all of them.

Shaw Parish Council planning committee was unanimous in recommending refusal on the grounds that it’s an inappropriate use that will undermine the vitality and viability of the district centre due to the loss of shops, while the beer garden would disturb nearby residents.

Their verdict followed a lively debate on the merits and disadvantages with four members of the public opposing the plans.

Parish Councillor David Dunning had previously predicted the committee would oppose the plans.

He said: “Personally I think we have enough pubs in Shaw without having any more and I think it would be much better as a shopping centre.”

The chain has 793 pubs nationwide, including two in Oldham town centre — The Up Steps Inn on High Street and The Squire Knott in Yorkshire Street. It’s renowned for low prices on food and drink, long opening hours and no music or games.

Wetherspoons typically creates 35 to 40 jobs when opening a new pub and invests £800,000 upwards into redevelopments.

The plans will be ruled on by Oldham Council.