Owners of iconic mill set to double retail space
Owners of a Grade II-listed mill halfway between Bolton and Wigan have been given the go-ahead to double the size of its retail space creating 200 jobs in the next five years.
Ena Mill in Atherton will grow to 80,000sq ft following the granting of planning permission by Wigan Council’s planning committee.
This follows a £600,000 funding deal from Barclays two years ago with owners Simon Yates and Jonathan Addis to continue development of the mill.
Yates said in the Manchester Evening News: “The planning permission is wonderful news for Atherton. Six years ago, Jon and I took the biggest gamble of our lives.
“Back then, we had a simple vision to breathe new life into Ena Mill. What has happened since then has been nothing short of remarkable. We have seen almost 2 million customers travel to Atherton – many of them travelling many miles to visit.
“This planning permission gives us the chance to maintain that pace of growth, and build a famous retail experience Atherton deserves.”
Five-storey Ena Mill dating back to 1908 already occupies 40,000 sq ft of retail space on the ground floor.
The redevelopment of the first floor of the old cotton spinning building. There will also be a new 300-cover restaurant.
Meanwhile, the mill’s engine room restored and made available to the local community for meetings and functions; a heritage centre celebrating the area’s industrial past; additional on-site parking; a second restaurant; and a final development phase to convert the top two floors into 80 residential apartments.
