Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester. It’s surrounded by stunning countryside and is located on the edge of the Pennines.
The Metrolink connects Oldham to central Manchester, Rochdale and East Didsbury, making this a great base for commuters. There are also bus services running between Manchester and Oldham every 10 minutes. Oldham town centre is only a 10-minute drive from both the M60 (junction 22) and the M62 (junction 20), making it easy to travel further afield by car. Manchester Airport is 30 minutes’ drive from Oldham, for air travel around the UK and internationally.
Education is well provided for, with many primary schools and a good amount of secondary schools throughout the area too. Further education options include several sixth forms as well as Oldham College, which has a good choice of courses and apprenticeships across a variety of subjects.
Oldham is a fantastic place for shopping, with a great selection of stores and boutiques providing something for all tastes. The Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre is right in the centre of town and has a great range of high street names selling everything from clothing to toys. Tommyfield Market is a bustling traditional market with over 300 stalls, and Oldham’s street markets run every Friday and Saturday providing an eclectic choice of fun stalls. Oldham has a great selection of high-quality independent shops too, including clothing, footwear, beauty products and home furnishing stores.
Oldham has it all when it comes to food and drink. There’s a great mix of cafes serving a range of delicious teas, coffees, cakes and lunches. Try Café 22 Oldham for a full English breakfast, homemade soup, or coffee and cake, all made using fresh ingredients.
The town centre is brimming with traditional pubs serving up hearty food and great ales, and there are even more to find in the surrounding countryside. The Old Original Inn dates back to the 18th century and has stunning views of the countryside, and it’s just a short drive from the centre of Oldham.
There’s a good range of restaurants in Oldham serving a variety of cuisines including Indian, Mediterranean and traditional British fare. The Smoke Yard in Parliament Square is relaxed but stylish and serves amazing skewers and steaks with an exciting drinks list too.
Royal Oldham hospital is a large NHS hospital that opened in 1989 to treat the local population.
The Old Town Hall was built in 1841 and has been redeveloped to become home to a seven-screen Odeon cinema. This town hall is where Winston Churchill had his first seat as an MP in 1900.
Gallery Oldham has a range of exhibitions across its four galleries and provides something for people of all ages. It’s free to visit and there are often workshops and talks too. Oldham Coliseum Theatre has been in the town for years and puts on productions throughout the year. It’s been renovated recently to improve the seating and front of house facilities. The stage here has hosted amazing performers across the years, including Charlie Chaplin, Ralph Fiennes and Minnie Driver.
Oldham is surrounded by the beautiful countryside that’s definitely worth exploring. There are four Countryside Centres that have facilities, and provide guides and information about what you can do in the nearby areas.
