A historic pub which has been serving pints and playing folk music for more than 200 years in Oldham has been potentially saved by residents. 

The Royal Oak on Union Street is considered by its regulars to be a pub with real character and charm, and was once the birthplace of folk music which residents have kept alive through weekly 'Folk at the Oak' nights.

It has also provided a home and meeting spot for many groups in the borough, including the Oldham branch of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes, the Royal British Legion's Oldham branch and dozens more.

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Yet despite its revered status in the community, the pub was forced to close by the end of last year as its former landlord, Dave Sweeney, revealed it had been sold.

The future of the Grade II-listed building has been uncertain ever since and in recent weeks has reportedly suffered 'flooding' after a dishwasher was removed and then a gas leak on January 1 this year.

However, customers and concerned residents who formed a committee group, called Folks of the Oak, are now celebrating after they successfully campaigned to have the building listed as an asset of community value with Oldham Council. 

Announcing the news on BBC Radio Manchester today (February 1), a member of the committee, Helen Plant told radio DJ Mike Sweeney that the team were "amazed".

Ms Plant said: "We were just amazed. It's such good news because everybody said it never happens, you'll never get it, it doesn't happen in Oldham.

"But it's a listed building and it's a beautiful building and this is the first step hopefully on the road to making it a building we can all use again."

The Oldhamer explained the community value status means the pub has to remain a venue that the community can use and, if the current owner does wish to sell it, has to offer it to the community group which has "first dibs".

She continued: "It's unchartered territory for us as well because this is the first ACV I've ever put in.

"It only happened yesterday and we need to work out where we go from here.

"Now the application has been successful, we need to find a legal representative who will contact the current owner and ask them if they are willing to sell that building to us."

While The Royal Oak has stood empty for months now and is in need of some repairs, such as the roof, Ms Plant said the damage "is all fixable" and the team hope to secure heritage grants or lottery funding to secure its future if the owner agrees to sell it.

However, for now, the committee and Oldham is celebrating the good news.

Ms Plant added: "We've had such an outpouring of love from this success story.

"I moved to Oldham and fell in love with the pub.

"It's such a beautiful pub and it was full of characters - it's got open fires, it's got a beautiful bar, it's like going back in time.

"When we found out it was going, we just wanted to do something to save it and this was the only option we had.

"We didn't want to see the building lost.

"Oldham has had a rough time - losing the Coliseum, things have gone, pubs and bars, but we also have great success stories if you look at The Fox and Pine, the greatest pub in Greater Manchester.

"So we have good things happen and there's no reason why those good things can't stretch to this place as well."

She continued: "You always need someone to light the spark in everyone else, and I like to think this little committee we set up is enough to light the spark in everyone else to come together.

"There are so many pubs that have turned into things like HMOs, chicken shops, something else - we've got the chance to do something good.

"You don't get a lot of good news stories in Oldham."

The Folk of the Oak committee has been contacted for comment.

If you have a story, I cover all things Oldham from food reviews and local business news to music and events, pubs, education, crime, property, health, community concerns and much more. Please email me at Olivia.bridge@newsquest.co.uk or send me a message on Twitter @Livbridge with your news.