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The cotton weaving industry had humble beginnings in single roomed weavers’ cottages where, more than 300 years ago…
Our History:
The cotton weaving industry had humble beginnings in single roomed weavers’ cottages where, more than 300 years ago, local weavers would spin yarn and weave calico cloth from raw cotton sold to them by a local farmer. Then in 1764, James Hargreaves, an ancestor on the family tree of our former owners, triggered the start of the Industrial Revolution by inventing the Spinning Jenny. This escalated the cotton industry into vast productivity as the Spinning Jenny could now do the job of 8 spinners in keeping one weaver supplied with yarn. By the early 1800s, hundreds of workers would stream through the doors of Moscow Mill into the clattering atmosphere of what is now The Weavers Court. Weaving was carried out continuously at Moscow Mill for more than 150 years, and the mill produced cotton exported all over the world until the early 1990s when the globalisation of manufacturing caused the last weaving shed to close, and Oswaldtwistle Mills to be born.
We have a wonderful photo in our archives showing excited Mill workers climbing onto ‘charabancs’ to take them on annual trips – the Mill and the community were closely linked and the owners keen to offer their workers fun times. Our history has come full circle; modern day Oswaldtwistle Mills now welcomes hundreds of coaches a year, plus 800,000 visitors through our doors! That’s a staggering figure and one we are very proud of.
“From 1 mill and 37 members of staff, the company increased to 5 mills and 536 staff with overseas companies in the United States, Denmark, France, and Northern Ireland. In 2008, due to the competition from imports, we had to change the business from 5 mills and 536 staff to one mill and 54 staff and become a sales and marketing company and importer of textiles.
“My main memories were taking a 30-inch square aerial photograph of Britannia Mill to lunch with NatWest Bank and persuading them to provide the funds to buy the mill and machinery. And then later, going to the House of Commons with the local MP and seeing the Minister for Trade and Industry and obtaining a grant to buy Woodnook Mill. Then a call out of the blue from our Danish customer saying, “Would you like to buy us?” and moving all their looms and machinery to England.
“We met South Boston Council in Virginia and presented a video and they gave us Talbot Mill free of charge. We took on the previous owner and his wife and two sewing machinists, and within four years, they’d expanded to 40 staff and made over a million dollars during the year.
“We bought Taylor’s Toiletries for £3,000 and renamed it the Bubble Factory, which then became the Oswaldtwistle Mills Shopping Village and Garden Centre we see today.”
Peter Hargreaves, former Chairman of Oswaldtwistle Mills
Oswaldtwistle Mills has been home to an Aladdin’s Cave of shopping treasures for more than 25 years now since we opened as one of the first Mill Shopping Villages in Lancashire. A lot has changed since those early days selling detergents and fabric remnants under our former guise of The Bubble Factory, but our modern-day Shopping Village and Garden Centre offers something different to amaze, charm and tempt on every visit.
Walk through our ever-expanding 120,000 feet of retail space and you’ll find all the inspiration you could need: Scented candles, arts and crafts supplies, sewing machines, contemporary furniture, beds and home furnishings, lighting and an impressive range of clothes, shoes and accessories including many leading high-street brands, a colourful garden centre, a gourmet food deli and more! And if all this retail therapy leaves you feeling peckish there’s plenty of choice – from the contemporary Cafe Nova to the relaxing Pavillion Coffee Shop and the chic Angelica’s Tea Room.
Intrigued by Oswaldtwistle Mills’ history? You can see a video of Peter Hargreaves, our former Chairman, talking about the history of the Mills on this page: CLICK HERE
What really matters to us is that each of our visitors has a unique, enjoyable experience and we pride ourselves on our warm Lancashire welcome and excellent customer service. We are delighted to be a multi award winning destination and have been awarded the ‘Retail Tourism Award’ & ‘Best for Groups Award’ at the 2015 Lancashire Tourism Awards and were also a finalist in the 2016 Red Rose Awards in the ‘Family Business’ and ‘Retail Business’ categories. At the 2016 National Coach Tourism Awards we were also chosen as a finalist in the “Coach-Friendly Shopping Destination of the Year” category. We’re also accredited with Investors in People and have been awarded the Most Friendly UK Operator via Coach Tours UK.
Keeping up with tradition, Oswaldtwistle Mills is a community in itself – peopled by enthusiastic and hard working concession-owners and the staff who support them. Over the years we have welcomed a number of new concessions; a vibrant mixture of high profile stores and burgeoning family businesses. You really have a shopping experience that’s as individual as you are. All our concessions are glad to hear your feedback and share our enthusiasm.
However you choose to spend your time with us, we look forward to giving you a warm Lancashire welcome at Oswaldtwistle Mills!
Oswaldtwistle Mills