Page 35 - Real Rochdale Issue 12 Winter 2021

Rochdale Riverside: award-winning

flagship shopping & leisure development

transforms town centre

Despite opening during the onset of a global pandemic, the

award-winning retail development Rochdale Riverside has gone

from strength to strength and transformed the town centre.

After years in the pipeline, the
long-awaited Rochdale
Riverside shopping centre was
slated to open in April 2020.
Back then, a global pandemic
certainly wasn’t on the cards.

Covid-19 hit, and the opening
of Rochdale’s flagship centre
seemed in jeopardy – yet it
has continued to attract major
names to town and defy the
economic fallout seen across
many UK high streets.

Anchored by M&S, it comprises
a mix of popular high street
retailers, including River Island, Also joining the line-up and the scheme has proved to be a
Next, H&M, Superdrug, JD expected to open their doors big hit: “Riverside has helped
Sports, The Works and Boots, before Christmas 2021 are transform Rochdale town
as well as leisure operators popular restaurant chain centre, with visitor numbers
like Reel Cinema, Puttstars Nando’s, fashion retailer New steadily climbing, despite the
mini golf, Bean Coffee, Greggs, Look and one of seven Loaded obvious challenges faced by
Crust Pizza and Heavenly Burgers locations. high streets this past year.
Desserts plus an independent
menswear store, DCM. Named commercial “The scheme has already
development of the year at the created jobs for local people
America’s favourite coffee and Insider North West Property and will play a major role in our
baked goods chain Dunkin’ Awards in October 2021, borough’s covid recovery, as
Donuts came to Rochdale in Riverside was created as part well as continuing to boost our
October, one of just 16 of the wider £400m economy in the much longer
branches in the UK. regeneration of Rochdale town term.”
centre, delivered by Rochdale
Development Agency (RDA),
on behalf of the council.

Councillor John Blundell,
cabinet member for economy
and RDA board member, said

REAL ROCHDALE - WINTER 2021 34 35 REAL ROCHDALE - WINTER 2021