THERE will be no town centre bonfire night celebrations next month.

Town centre manager Debbie O’Brien said the Rochdale Town Centre Management Company had decided to axe the 5 November party and instead fund this summer’s successful two-day Feel Good festival, which they felt had a wider appeal.

But Rochdale MP Paul Rowen has slammed the decision, saying: "We need to do much more to support existing traders."

He is now calling on the people of Rochdale to suggest events that they would like to see in the future.

Ms O’Brien said: "The decision to call off the bonfire celebrations was down to the fact that we decided to do something different with the Feel Good event in July.

"We are a self-funding company and we can’t afford to do everything. We also don’t want to keep doing the same thing year after year."

She added: "The Feel Good festival had more for everybody rather than for just a select group."

Ms O’Brien said she expected that people would be disappointed with the news that bonfire night celebrations had been called off, with the nearest organised display being held at Cronkeyshaw Common on Thursday 30 October. But she hasn’t ruled out its return next year.

And she says children and their parents can look forward to the Christmas lights switch-on with the children’s TV character Dora the Explorer on Thursday 13 November and a reindeer parade on Sunday 7 December.

She added: "The fact there is not to be a bonfire night will disappoint some people.

"But because of the time of year there is a lot going on around the borough and people can attend other displays."

Mr Rowen said: "We need to do much more to support existing traders. This means putting more money in to host events that bring people into our town centre.

"With the recession, failure to attract customers to the town centre will lead to losing business to Bury and Oldham and we simply cannot afford that.

"The recent Town Centre Business Awards was certainly a step forward and showed that we appreciate the ongoing support of our businesses."

Simon Danczuk, Rochdale’s Labour prospective parliamentary candidate, enjoyed last year’s town centre bonfire night celebration with his children. He said: "The town centre is struggling, I expect, and this is the last thing we need.

"We need to be getting people into the town centre and this is not the way to do it.

"The bonfire night celebration brings communities together on a number of levels. I think they are making a mistake."