Glossop hospital facing the chop

The headline over the Glossop Chronicle front page story in January 1988 which revealed that the future of the town’s Woods Hospital could be hanging in the balance.

The hospital, on the fringes of Howard Park, had had a special place in the hearts of Glossopdale people for decades.

It had been the hospital where they went for minor operations or to recuperate from surgery at Tameside General Hospital.

But 37 years ago, Dr John Oldham, a key member of the Woods Hospital Action Group, was warning it could be a victim of cost cutting.

The campaigning GP from Glossop’s Manor House practice said Tameside and Glossop District Health Authority had been told to make £1m in cuts to their budget in the coming financial year.

Dr Oldham, who was later knighted to become Sir John, said the potential closure of Woods was one of the alleged cost cutting options facing the authority.

He told the Chronicle: “I have every sympathy with the authority, they can only work with the money they are given.

“The blame does lie squarely with the Government.

“It seems they are deliberately underfunding the health service to a point where it is barely surviving as an emergency health service.

“The health authority had wanted to change the use of Woods, but are now having to consider temporary closure, which many of us believe will become permanent.”

Woods Hospital did eventually close its doors, following in the wake of Partington Maternity Hospital many years earlier and Shire Hill, another Glossop hospital to close.

Woods remained shut for many years with its future in doubt, and there were rumours circulating in Glossop that the building might be turned into apartments.

Thankfully it did not happen, and what was once Glossop’s favourite hospital is now the home of Reuben’s Retreat.

Woods Hospital wasn’t the only vitally important Glossop building that was facing forced closure for financial reasons.

The Glossop Chronicle was reporting that the entire future of the town hall complex, which included the market hall and municipal buildings, could also be at risk.

And it put a story on the front page with a mock ‘For Sale’ sign to explain why.

Full details, plus a photograph of the sign, next week.