Because people are not coming to shop in the market hall, trade elsewhere in the town is being affected.

The decision of the new owners of 'The Arcades' shopping centre to raise their car parking charges (the first increase since the centre opened 10 years ago!) has not improved confidence.

In this situation the retail chaplain can talk about hope for the future, about the prevailing situation nationally and even occasionally of a God who supports through good and ill.

Then there are other opportunities to minister.

The ‘casual' conversations, the requests for prayer, occasional invitations to take funeral services, continued contact with a drop-in centre all enable to affirm the presence of God in the midst of life.


Rev Bob Davies


Retail Chaplaincy in Ashton-under-Lyne



The retail trade seems to be suffering at the moment: stores are announcing falls in profits and people are losing their jobs as a consequence.

For instance, in July ASDA made a number of middle management staff redundant.

In the Ashton store this meant four people out of about 30 department managers, which might seem to be a fairly minor drop, tragic though it may be for those made redundant.

However ASDA has excellent policy of encouraging and training shop-floor workers who show promise and some of these four will have spent their ASDA life at this store, building friendships with other colleagues.

The whole store is affected and hurting. The store chaplains are part of the resources that support in this difficult time.

Ashton Town Centre feels it has been hit much harder than the general downturn in trade.

The devastating Market Hall fire in May 2004 has had a number of consequences.

Although a temporary hall was opened within 5 months, the regular customers have not returned in their old numbers.

Several of the traders in the hall have decided to cease trading, at least until the old hall is replaced - as I write this traders are being shown a number of plans for redeveloping the old Market Hall and the adjacent market ground.