Jobs and a bright future as former Boots warehouse is acquired

A consortium including Rochdale Borough Council, Heywood NDC, Guinness Northern Counties and Rochdale Boroughwide Housing purchased the former Boots warehouse on Taylor Street on Friday 3rd July. The site had been identified by Heywood Township as vital to their longer term regeneration plans for Central Heywood.

The acquisition of the site has been led by the Rochdale Development Agency’s development arm, Pennine Land, working closely with the Impact Partnership.

As part of the deal brokered by RDA, the premises have been leased to the Middleton-based Comfy Quilts who had an immediate requirement for a warehouse facility. The five year lease will meet the pressing needs of a local company and there is the prospect of 50 new jobs. The news is a welcome boost to the area following the closure of the Boots warehouse in June, which led to a number of job losses.

Comfy Quilts are now working in partnership with ‘At Work’ a Heywood employment support agency to offer local people who are unemployed a route back into work.

Councillor Alan McCarthy, Chair of Heywood Township, said :

“The Boots closure was a serious blow to Heywood but we had already recognised the redevelopment potential of the site and the benefits this could bring to Heywood in the longer term. However, the immediate priority is local jobs and we are, therefore, pleased to have been able to offer Comfy Quilts a five year lease on the property. We are grateful to all the organisations that have helped buy the site and secure the new job opportunities for Heywood”.

Councillor Mohammed Sharif, Cabinet Member for Regeneration welcomed the news:

“We all recognise that the acquisition of the former Boots premises is critical to the overall regeneration of Central Heywood, especially the area immediately south of the town centre. I also know that it has taken a real collective effort to secure the funds necessary for this major acquisition. We are grateful to RDA and to RBH, Guinness Northern Counties and Heywood NDC for their funding support alongside the council”.

Susan Coates, Chair of New Heart for Heywood, said “It is so important that we have helped to secure this site for the future transformation of the town, while the arrangement with Comfy Quilts will provide new jobs for Heywood.

John Hudson, Chief Executive of Rochdale Development Agency added: “We are pleased to have helped lead the negotiations on this important deal but it was very much a partnership effort. Finding an occupier like Comfy Quilts is particularly good news because of the new jobs it brings at a difficult time”.