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CONSERVATION area ... The Baum owner Simon Crompton, customer Geoff Taylor and John O’Hara, of Key Productions next to the ‘offending’ bollards
CONSERVATION area ... The Baum owner Simon Crompton, customer Geoff Taylor and John O’Hara, of Key Productions next to the ‘offending’ bollards
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Toad Lane clampdown is a load of bollards!

Katie Fitzpatrick
28/ 6/2008

A NEW parking clampdown is driving visitors away from the historic Toad Lane conservation area.

That’s the claim of a TV production company and a pub landlord, who are furious about new bollards, mini traffic signals and planters installed to prevent parking.

The Rochdale-based Key Productions claims its chances of filming on Toad Lane, the birthplace of the co-operative movement, have been ruined.

And Simon Crompton, owner of The Baum wine bar and restaurant, next door to the Co-op museum, says business has suffered since the bollards and planters were installed.

He fears his business could be forced to close if the situation does not improve.

Key Productions, the company behind the ITV shows ‘Bloody Murder’ and ‘Murder in Question’, regularly used Toad Lane to bring to life famous murder cases from the past.

They recently filmed a new TV advert for Heineken near the museum.

"But they believe that this will be the last time they can use Toad Lane.

John O’Hara of Key Productions said: "I think they have ruined this historic area.

"And they have ruined our chances of filming outdoor shots for period dramas because there were no bollards in 1902. And our crew can no longer park there."

Mr Crompton said his delivery drivers can now only enter the lane through electronic rising bollards with a designated pass.

He said: "We have visitors from all over the world here on Toad Lane.

"The BBC have been here to film more than 100 times and the idea is to keep it looking like a conservation area, but it doesn’t anymore.

"I have already lost a lot of business through people not being able to park here."

Gordon Chadwick, a Rochdale Council officer, said the work was also undertaken to reduce parking problems in the area and was carried out to the standards required by English Heritage.

He said the planters could be temporarily moved for filming purposes if requested.

He said: "Toad Lane is in a conservation area and is visited by people from across the world, so it’s important that we maintain it.

"We have received complaints from visitors unable to take photographs of the museum due to parked vehicles on the pavement."


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Most recent 2 of 5 user comments

   Simon Crompton has already managed to get the council to give him St. Mary’s place that was donated by the Co-Op to the people of Rochdale and change it from a pubic park available to all residents of Rochdale in to a beer garden for his patrons only. Toad lane is a conservation area, there is lots of parking available in the area and Toad Lane is not for exclusive use by patrons of the Baum. Either we can all park on Toad lane or none of us can, fair and square.
Chris ;-)
30/06/2008 at 10:38
   The council could have easily made the bollards removable.
Lawrence Glendinning
30/06/2008 at 10:14
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