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Sprint finish to market marathon

29/11/2006

THEY had waited patiently for almost two years, now Rochdale market traders faced a last-minute dash to move home.

Since November 1973 they had watched the new market hall steadily take shape behind them.

In early September 1975 all was ready for them to take residence in their modern surroundings - but they would have to move fast.

As they were preparing to leave the old hall the demolition men were already getting ready to move in.

They were trading on their temporary site right up until closing time on Saturday 13 September and were due to open up in the new hall on the Monday!

It meant a weekend of round-the-clock activity for them and their staff.

As soon as they closed on Saturday they began transferring their goods.

The operation went on throughout that night, all through Sunday and late into the evening.

It was not helped by the fact the lifts broke down and they had to manhandle their goods up stairs and ramps.

But, as the doors opened on Monday morning, they were ready for business, even though customers would have to negotiate boxes piled up in the passageways as traders continued moving in right up to the last moment.

The opening day of the bright new era did not pass without a few problems.

Early in the morning traders unloaded goods at the service area and left their vehicles parked there, causing a traffic queue which stretched back to St Mary's Gate.

Normally they could have been called to move them via the public address system - but it wasn't working yet.

There was another, rather more embarrassing, situation when it was discovered that someone had forgotten to put up the gents' and ladies' signs on the public toilets.

But these difficulties were soon overcome and the majority of the thousands who flocked in on that first day were of the opinion that it had been well worth the effort.

As for the old market hall, it was already starting to be dismantled to make way for what would become the new shopping centre.