Who in their right mind would want to holiday here?

Archive footage recalls 1970s bid to turn Oldham into tourist trap

- LEE GRIMSDITCH

ARMIES of tourists on holiday, taking pictures of the old factories, high-rise tower blocks and stacked terraces. This was the ambitious plan for Oldham nearly 50 years ago.

Now there's no doubt Oldham has many attractive qualities. Surrounded by the beautiful Pennine countryside, it boasts a rich industrial heritage exemplified by fine examples of Victorian architecture.

Nonetheless, the idea of Oldham becoming a holiday destination might be surprising to some but this is exactly what Oldham Council dreamed up back in 1976.

A real-life campaign called Come To Oldham was launched in the hope of turning it into a tourist town.

A report on the campaign was featured on the BBC programme Nationwide. Broadcast on March 24, 1976, it featured reporter and native Oldham lad John Stapleton.