Reaction as The Body Shop Oldham set to close its doors

The Body Shop, in Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre, has confirmed that it will close over the next four to six weeks after the complany fell into administration earlier this month.

As another town centre business confirms its closure The Oldham Times took to the streets to gauge the reaction of residents, including Kirsty Wild.

The Shaw resident said: " I've used it before, The Body Shop is a different kind of shop isn't it, we don't have many like that in Oldham

"I normally get things like body cream, and there's a good White Musk box which is basically like a little set of perfumes and body spray that I used to get for someone but they passed away.

"Recently, I bought things like the oil for your hair and skin, and bath bombs."

She continued: "It's something a little bit different and we need to be getting shops back into Spindles and the town square - not losing them."

The Body Shop, Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre (Image: Newsquest)

The Oldham branch of The Body Shop is among 75 outlets in the UK which will close over the next four to six weeks, making 489 staff redundant, and adding to the seven sites which administrators announced will close last week.

The news of its closure did not come as a surprise to one of the store's former customers Mary Lees, who coincidentally is from Lees.

The 84-year-old said: "I used to go there a lot but they changed the ethos of it and I've not really been back.

"They used to take your bottles refill them and give it back, but they don't do that anymore and I do feel quite strongly about the environment so that's why I stopped going.

"I'm not surprised it's closing though, I've never seen anyone in there these days."

She added: "Oldham town centre is the same, it's become a very sad place."

Administrators from FRP Advisory said the latest closures come as part of a heavy restructuring aimed at preserving the brand.

While Lauren Barrow, of Oldham, added: "No I've never been in my life, it's just another shop that's going."

Cllr Arooj Shah, leader of Oldham Council, said: “We’re sad to hear the news about The Body Shop and that we will be losing our Oldham store.

“My thoughts are with the long-serving and loyal staff at the Oldham branch, and right across the country, who are extremely worried about the prospect of redundancy.  We know this will be a worrying time and our Get Oldham Working team will be reaching out to help and support them during this time.

“The high street has drastically changed in recent years, and sadly many national retailers have been lost from town centres across the country. The closure of another well-loved brand from our high streets highlights the need to develop and adapt town centres, and this is very much our plan for Oldham, to build a diverse offer including hospitality, leisure and culture as well as strengthening retailers."

She continued: “As a council, we are delivering considerable investment into regenerating Oldham, and we will continue to work hard to ensure that our town centre is a vibrant and welcoming place for shoppers and residents to enjoy.

“Our work to redevelop Oldham, including the redevelopment of Spindles and the construction of 2,000 new homes, is essential if we are to future-proof Oldham and build a town centre to be proud of.”