£37m Old Town Hall leisure transformation completes this month

The redeveloped and extended Old Town Hall in Oldham, now a seven-screen cinema and restaurants, is set to open on Friday 21 October.

The restored grade two-listed building will open in phases for operators ODEON cinema, Costa Coffee, Nando’s, Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Loungers to begin trading.

Metis Real Estate is the letting agent. The architect is BDP. The contractor is Morgan Sindall.

Oldham Council’s Get Oldham Working team has assisted ODEON and Costa in their initial staff recruitment for roles ranging from hospitality to ticketing, baristas, hosting, supervisory and management.

Of the successful applicants to date 80%, 48 of 60 new jobs, are Oldham residents. Three of those are also long-term unemployed residents who have been helped by GOW to tackle the barriers preventing them from getting work.

Cllr Jean Stretton, Oldham Council Leader, said: “It’s absolutely vital that as we regenerate Oldham town centre we also make sure that we maximise the benefits to local people and suppliers.

“It’s fantastic that Get Oldham Working and ODEON have joined forces like this to help so many of our residents find work – and there will be more job opportunities to come as the other restaurants begin their own recruitment drives.

“By working alongside businesses like this we are delivering on our pledge to boost both our local economy and residents in everything that we do.”