Pub toasts the end of road closures with relaunch party

CHEERS . . . Sue and Mark Howarth get the bubbly ready with (from left) Rez Khan (project manager), Darren Malone (site agent) and Kevin Dando (senior construction engineer)

STAFF at the Roebuck Inn are celebrating as a major construction project — which saw trade take a dive — comes to an end.

Sue and Mark Howarth, who have run the Strinesdale pub for 25 years, suffered a 16 per cent drop in takings when Roebuck Lane was closed in September, 2010.

The road was shut, along with Turf Pit Lane, to allow for rebuilding work on a large bridge near the River Medlock.

The pub is hosting a relaunch party today to show customers they are back in business.

Revellers can enjoy a three-course meal, entertainment and a charity raffle hosted by local pub singer Andy Lee.

Sue said: “The past seven months have been awful but we have made it through.

“If we can survive this, we can survive anything and we have stayed positive.

“We had to make staff cutbacks, but it could have been worse — we could have been forced to close altogether.

“We stuck it out and now we can get back to normal.

“We’re really happy that all the work is finished and the road is open again.

“Hopefully, the nice weather will encourage people to come and visit.”

The bridge spans a small valley holding the River Medlock and carries the Turf Pit Lane and Roebuck Lane routes.

The original bridge, built around 150 years ago was designed to carry horses and carts.

Age and the strain caused by cars and lorries meant it was starting to fail.

The work was funded from a £22million grant secured by Oldham Council from the Department for Transport for rebuilding retaining walls across the borough.

Construction work cost £620,000 and has taken just over seven months to complete.

Elaine McLean, Oldham Council’s executive director for economy, places and skills, said: “This is an important project and part of a wider retaining walls restoration programme to tackle a list of more than 40 urgent local schemes.

“The condition of some retaining walls was becoming serious. Without this essential repair work they would represent an obvious danger.

“I thank local residents, motorists and businesses — whom we have worked closely with to mitigate the impact — for their patience during the past few months.”