It's not unusual for locals to criticise their own town centre. But when your own council says it is 'no longer fit for purpose', something must have seriously gone wrong.
Yet that's exactly how Ashton-under-Lyne was described by its very own Tameside Council last month, as it confirmed plans to give the town centre a shake-up.
In a report presented to councillors, officers at Tameside Council said the town centre was 'once a leading destination for both local and out-of-town shoppers' - but has since been 'identified as being no longer fit for purpose'.
The report added that Ashton has seen 'a large number of shop closures, and footfall has continued to decline'. Fortunately, the council has been awarded almost £20 million to help
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