Former pub opposite youth centre could be turned into 17-bed HMO and woman-only gym

A former pub in Oldham town centre could be turned into a huge HMO and woman-only gym.

The former Boltmakers Rest, opposite the Mahdlo Youth Zone on Rock Street, may soon receive a new lease of life as a 17-bed shared house, according to plans submitted to Oldham Council. 

The developer, solicitor Monira Khatun Hussain from Maya Law LTD, intends to ‘completely refurbish the dilapidated public house into a modern and high-spec gym and residential complex’. The pub shut down in 2023, according to CAMRA records, and the property struggled to find a new owner. 

The boarded-up and deteriorating building has attracted ‘unwanted attention’ such as vandalism, break-ins, and anti-social behaviour, according to a Design and Access statement submitted on behalf of the developers. 

The statement reads: “The building has been heavily vandalized & neglected and remained to let or for sale for a number of years. The previous use of the building has run its course and is impractical to continue, as it does not offer any real benefit to the local community nor the building or local area.

“The building can no longer function due to dilapidation and will not survive unless other uses for the building are found.” 

Plans for the three-storey structure would see the building gutted and refurbed with an L-shaped gym (pictured below) on the ground floor, featuring a large workout space, a sauna, two hot-tubs and a communal changing area.

The upper floors would be renovated, with eight bedrooms on each floor, fit with en-suite bathrooms, and a shared living room, as well as a kitchen and utilities area. A seventeenth larger bedroom would be set up in the attic. 

Three parking spaces are included with the property, alongside a cycle stand and bin storage area. 

There have been no objections on the application, with a final decision expected soon.