I visited Oldham’s new indoor market and it surprised me

Having been raised in the neighbouring borough of Bury, home of the world-famous Bury Market, I think it's safe to say I love a good market.

I also know the fear of losing that place; when a large part of Bury Market had to shut for RAAC issues, we all felt its loss, and I was praying this wouldn't be the feeling for Oldhammers when Tommyfield shut and was replaced by a younger model.

The entrance to The Market from Spindles (Image: NQ)

So, I headed down to Oldham's new The Market, to see what it had in store, and if it was cause for cheer or more of an 'oh dear'.

I went on a Tuesday afternoon, arriving to park in Spindle's car park just before midday.

Heading over to the indoor entrance to The Market, and it was immediately clear that the place was rammed.

The first stalls as you walk in (Image: NQ)

As I walked in, it was clear that most people were there for the same reason as me, and honestly, they sounded a bit split.

On the whole, I was overhearing people remarking how the market was good, and how it had a decent offering, with many pleased by how busy it was.

I heard one woman tell the person she was with, "It's actually pretty decent, isn't it?" As she carried arms full of shopping bags out.

However, one woman muttered as she was leaving, "Thank god I'm out," which did worry me a bit.

A short walk deeper into the market hall, and all my previous worries were settled.

The fish stall (Image: NQ)

I had thought that, in many of the preview pictures before it opened, it looked a bit lifeless.

Evidently, my imagination isn't all that, because with the different stalls in there, the bustling walkways and the usual sound of traders pushing their goods, it felt a lot like I was a kid again heading down to the market days.

The DIY store (Image: NQ)

The stalls were a decent range; there were a fair few clothes stalls, as usual, the obligatory DIY store, and the not-to-be-forgotten butchers' counter.

To list just a handful of things you could buy from stalls: a bedding set, baby clothes, women's clothes, fabric, fresh fruit and veg, fresh meat, fresh fish, flowers, and luggage.

I have very few points for improvement, but I will say that the walkways were a bit cramped at times, having to squeeze past people and try to shout an 'excuse me' every now and then.

One of the fruit and vegetable stalls (Image: NQ)

That's not necessarily a bad thing, though; most markets are the exact same, and you'd rather a busy, cramped market than an empty one which fails two months after opening.

The extractor/ventilation system also isn't the most visually appealing.

The extractor/ ventilation system (Image: NQ)

It looked a lot like a big tube of tinfoil running across the ceiling of the whole market, which wasn't overly noticeable in the stalls area, but when I came to the more open, sit-down cafe areas, it was the first thing I spotted.

The designers have thought of putting up some lovely ceiling decoration in the form of hanging panels, and it does seem a shame for the flues to ruin it.

Overall, though, the market was really surprising and in my opinion, worth repeated visits.