Perhaps Oldham isn’t up there with the most coveted. However, the Greater Manchester town has more going for it than you might think.
In fact, it is one of the most in-demand cities for renters around the UK, receiving more enquiries than many other classic faves.
According to research by Rightmove, Oldham is the eighth most enquired about area, receiving on average 54 enquiries per available rental property.
The rent prices may have something to do with it as an average advertised rent per calendar month for Oldham is £1,022 which makes it more affordable than other places.
Despite its appeal for renters, it seems people are divided over the town’s offerings. While some people have hailed it as ‘gorgeous’, others have branded it a ‘miserable’ place to be.
Oldham has lots of history, some of it which has impacted the way it looks now.
Within the boundaries of the county of Lancashire, Oldham rose to prominence in the 19th century as an international centre of textile manufacture.
It was a boomtown of the Industrial Revolution, and among the first ever industrialised towns, rapidly becoming ‘one of the most important centres of cotton and textile industries in the world’ at one point producing more cotton than France and Germany combined.
Sadly Oldham’s textile industry fell into decline in the mid-20th century and the town’s last mill closed in 1998. The demise of textile processing in Oldham heavily affected the local economy.
Unemployment levels are high, and deprivation and inequality have also increased over the past 18 months, due to the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic.
However, Oldham still has plenty to offer – like the fact it has loads of cracking pubs.
What to do in Oldham
Campaign for Real Ale’s annual Good Beer Guide has featured several top pubs in Oldham.
The UK’s best-selling beer and pub guide, which is celebrating its 52nd edition this year, said 12 of these fine establishments can be found in Oldham.
According to Leading Oldham, there are other perks to the city as well, including landscapes, diversity, and exciting new plans.
They write on their website: ‘On the edge of stunning Pennine landscapes, yet only a short tram journey from Manchester city centre, Oldham is a fantastic place to live, work and enjoy.
‘Ours is a borough of contrasts. Almost a quarter of Oldham lies within the spectacular Peak District National Park, with picturesque Saddleworth villages offering the best of rural life. Meanwhile, our town centre is undergoing a huge transformation, with plans for a new shopping centre, market and food hall, park and cultural attractions now well underway.’
What do locals think of Oldham?
On Reddit, many people have attested to Oldham’s charms, with one person, u/shiveryslinky, saying: ‘I grew up in Oldham and my family still lives there — it genuinely depends on what part you’re in. There are some gorgeous areas like Saddleworth’.
Another, u/texanhost, added: ‘I love Oldham been here all my life — 30 something years. It has its rough areas like all places, but has so many good residents, lovely hills and views, easy access to Manchester by all modes of transport.’
Others, however, disagree. Redditor u/groovycallum wrote: ‘I live between Oldham and Rochdale. I got off in the town centre just out of curiosity to see what was going on.
‘It’s sad, but the entire town centre just looked deprived. About 20 chicken shops along the same road, boarded up with empty shops left right and centre. People wandering around looking fed up of life.’
Others claimed it was good in his heyday but needed more investment now.
u/downfromtheattic said: ‘Whilst Oldham has made some attempts at renewal there’s been some truly baffling decisions made by those in charge. Oldham Library was a really wonderful library, in this old Victorian building. It also had a small museum on its upper floor. Similarly, there was an Oldham Museum around the corner from it, it had a Victorian era street in the basement of it, you could go in the little shops and actors would pretend to be shopkeepers, show you how things worked back then. Both the library and the museum have been empty for a long long time, just not being used and more than likely falling into disrepair.’
Another local resident added: ‘I live in Oldham and everyone is right, it’s a miserable s***hole of a town. It’s dirty, and depressing.’
And it’s not just Reddit users that feel this way. Earlier this year Oldham was named as one of the ‘most miserable’ places to live in the UK, as part of Rightmove’s Happy at Home Index.
The borough of Richmond in London came out at the other end of the scale, as the happiest place to live.
As well as Richmond, those currently looking for somewhere new to live might also want to consider Bath, as the city has been crowned the ‘cosiest’ in the UK.
The historic city boasts an ‘abundance of theatres and museums’, as well as the famous Thermae Bath Spa, making it a perfect destination for a seasonal staycation, the experts claim.
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