Metrolink...

Metrolink public service started from Shaw today. Took the boys to Manchester and realised just how convenient this is going to be when it finally gets to Rochdale. Dropped us right in the middle of Market Street. Manchester was buzzing, so many people, so many superb shops, so much choice, no one in their right mind is going to shop in Rochdale faced with a pleasant 30 minute journey.

If the town centre is struggling now, hell is it going to struggle when Metrolink gets here. The blind led by blind who are about to spend millions on building yet another shopping centre in town need to have a serious re-think and soon and consider what else the town centre can be used for because Rochdale town centre as a shopping experience, or a destination as they are hoping it will become, has no chance, its over, game set and match.

no answer to it J ! you have confirmed what everybody thinks !
By the way you are like 2 peas in a pod

Cleary Metrolink is going to be a runaway sucess -despite the 'haters'out there on other forums saying it will be a disaster. Yes it may have been delayed but its not far off now. Its a no brainer, Rochdale full of Tat shops or Manchester full of quality shops as J confirms. Now given the latest shop closing down. Rumours abound its because of the lease running out. Did RMBC offer a lease in any of the mulitude of shops lying empty? Still at least we will have another permant, ooops sorry, temporary car park to use very shortly.

Totally agree Malcolm but there is also a flow of passengers to the ‘new’ destinations. For example I have visited Eccles and Chorlton C H for the first time in years and will visit more as they come on stream. Mind you in the case of Eccles I did not venture past the Witherspoons and the Lamb, Holts pub, both adjacent to the stop, I am informed Eccles is yet another local Town suffering ‘yob blight’. Chorlton was okay but, wait for it, the high street is full of fast food outlets and the very nice witherspoons is a converted Temperance billiard hall.

If we had managed to retain a stop at Drake Street at least visitors would have had the chance to walk down to the centre past our remaining, for how long? Independent shops before the vista of our new ‘town hall’ instead of the real one, ‘it’s behind you’ (that’s as festive as I get this early).

Must go and stir the sprouts they’ve been on for 2 weeks, can’t be too carefull.

I fear Chill did not get up early enough yesterday as he hasn’t sent a photo. But there is one on STORM’s website on RO.

Chill37 wrote:Cleary Metrolink is going to be a runaway sucess -despite the 'haters'out there on other forums saying it will be a disaster. Yes it may have been delayed but its not far off now. Its a no brainer, Rochdale full of Tat shops or Manchester full of quality shops as J confirms. Now given the latest shop closing down. Rumours abound its because of the lease running out. Did RMBC offer a lease in any of the mulitude of shops lying empty? Still at least we will have another permant, ooops sorry, temporary car park to use very shortly.

Well I think it will be a success ... for Metrolink but not necessarily for Rochdale. Time will tell.

I am looking forward to my first ride on it. Only complaint I have is that there are no tram stops actually inside Wetherspoons.

That dash to the door in inclement weather is very inconvenient.