After years of negotiations and any number of setbacks the much-anticipated wall of fame to celebrate our most cherished home-grown talents could soon be a reality.
A number of campaigns over the past ten years have come close but always failed due to either a lack of interest, lack of finance or not finding a suitable location. However all the blocks seem to be fitting into place and soon the wheels will be set in motion.
The location has always been a major sticking point in the project however it appears the CO-OP on Dale Street has come to the rescue by offering the entire south-west facing outside wall of the store and will also sponsor the very first “star” to go up.
The CO-OP’s stand in deputy assistant manager Wendy Reagan told us what she had heard about the project.
“To be honest it’s all been fairly hush-hush around here” she said. “but I have seen flyers asking customers to vote for who they would like to see on the first star with a choice of three famous Rochdalians. Gracie Fields, Bill Oddie or Gareth Barry are the names that are in the loop to be the historic first star”.
All we know at The Herald is one name definitely not going up will be Rochdale born Rangzieb Ahmed who was allegedly the highest ranking al-Qaeda operative in the United Kingdom.
