Paul Scholes has opened a state-of-the-art gym in Oldham in partnership with his own children.
The Manchester United legend, along with his son Arron and daughter Alicia, has launched Scholes Gym on Lees Road.
The £500k building spans 10,000 sq ft and is spread over two floors.
Inside, there’s a huge range of equipment, including some machines rarely seen outside a professional athlete training facility.
Scholes, who now co-owns Salford City Football Club, said it was ‘really important’ to him to open Scholes Gym in the town where he grew up.
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Paul Scholes with his children Arron and Alicia in Scholes Gym, Oldham. Credit; Supplied
The Scholes relatives, along with designer Mark Mason, have designed the space to be as warm and welcoming as possible.
Gym-goers are greeted by a lounge and reception serving protein shakes, before heading through to the fitness studio itself.
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Equipment includes personalised steel dumbbells ranging from one to 50kg, pin and plate loaded elite bodybuilding machines; a bespoke Astroturf; and top-of-the-range kit such as the plate loaded fly, which is designed to hit all chest muscle fibres.
Scholes Gym also has a Batak reaction machine, which is commonly used by elite sportspeople to improve hand eye coordination.
On top of that, there’s cardio equipment like treadmills, assault bikes, rowers, ski ergs and more.
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The enclosed studio space at Scholes Gym will host a selection of cardio, strength and conditioning classes.
The Lees Road venue will be run by siblings Arron, 22, a Level 3 qualified personal trainer, and Alicia, 20, a part-time professional athlete playing netball for London Pulse and Level 3 qualified personal trainer.
Speaking on the launch, Arron said: ”After six months of hard work it’s amazing to open the doors and welcome guests to Scholes Gym.
It’s something Alicia and I have long talked of, and so to make it a reality is fantastic. We’re looking forward to welcoming guests and, along with our brilliant team, sharing our sports expertise. To have the opportunity to play a part in our members’ fitness journey and improving their mental and physical health is a privilege.”
Sibling Alicia added: “Gyms can often feel quite cold and functional spaces, we wanted to challenge that head on and create the type of warm and welcoming environment in which we as a family like to train; we’ve all contributed to the design. It’s early days but we’re really pleased by the response to date.”
Speaking on the importance of investing in the local community, Paul said: “Oldham is where I grew up and got a first taste of sport. To open Scholes Gym here is really important to me; it’s the sort of venue I dreamed of having access to back then and, along with Arron and Alicia, I’m pleased to be able to create it for others.”
Memberships start from £40pm for unlimited gym use and £50pm including classes, with the gym open seven days a week. A day pass is available for £12.
Featured image: Supplied
Oldham
Seven men from Rochdale grooming gang jailed for more than 170 years collectively
Emily Sergeant
Seven men from the Rochdale grooming gang, including the ringleader, have all been jailed for more than 170 years collectively.
The group has been sentenced following a high-profile investigation by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) into the non-recent grooming of two vulnerable girls in Rochdale between 2001 and 2006.
They have been formally named as Mohammed Zahid, Kasir Bashir, Mushtaq Ahmed, Roheez Khan, Mohammed Shahzad, Nisar Hussain, and Naheem Akram, who are all from either Rochdale or Oldham, with the exception of one residing in Crumpsall.
A jury convicted the seven men of a total of 50 child sexual offences back in June, including several counts of rape, indecency with a child, and assault by penetration.
Most notably, the ringleader of the gang, 64-year-old Mohammed Zahid, received the largest sentence of 35 years imprisonment.
Zahid was sentenced after being found guilty of 20 offences including rape, indecency with a child, and attempting to procure a girl into having unlawful sexual intercourse.
“My voice matters because I was believed.”
Two survivors of child sexual exploitation have received long-awaited justice after a GMP investigation led to 7 men jailed for 174 years.
Investigators from GMP’s specialist Child Sexual Exploitation Major Investigations Team (CSE MIT) have led a ‘complex’ and ‘meticulous’ investigation to bring about the sentences, working with partners to ensure the victims remained at the heart throughout.
A total of 32 offenders have now been brought to justice and jailed for a collective 474 years as part of two major investigations in the past decade into non-recent child sexual exploitation in Rochdale.
12 of the men have been convicted of 72 offences as part of Operation Lytton, and a further 20 men are due on trial – including six men on trial from 6 October.
Speaking following the sentencing this week, Detective Chief Inspector Guy Laycock, who is senior investigating officer on the case, commented: “I must start by paying tribute to the two survivors in this case, as they have been pivotal in bringing these abusers to long-awaited justice… and without them this would not be possible and today is about them.
“These seven men preyed on vulnerability for their own depraved sexual gain.
“They had a callous disregard for these women when they were girls and continue to show no remorse for their unforgivable actions all these years later.
“The team of dedicated investigators on this case have put thousands of hours into securing this outcome.
“Bringing child abusers to justice is why we work so tirelessly day-in day-out, and I am so pleased for the victims that we have been able to help deliver this justice for them.”
Featured Image – GMP
Oldham
Oldham Athletic sign manager Micky Mellon’s son, Michael, on loan for the season
Danny Jones
Oldham Athletic FC have signed boss Micky Mellon’s son, Michael Mellon, on loan just in time for deadline day.
The legendary Scottish manager has been with Oldham since October 2023 (the first Greater Manchester club on his impressive pyramid-spanning CV), and helped them return to the football league after 34 years.
He’s already a bit of an EFL legend, boasting a staggering nine promotions with seven different teams, so there are few decisions he could make that would displease most supporters, even if there may or may not be a slight whiff of nepotism in the eyes of some.
Once again, the majority couldn’t care less, especially in a sport where the romantics amongst us imagine even the slightest hint of talent dripping down the bloodline; either way, fan favourite Micky’s son, Michael, has joined the Latics on loan for 2025/26.
Officially announced on Monday, 1 September, with just hours left of deadline day, 21-year-old Michael Mellon joins Oldham Athletic on a temporary deal as the Greater Manchester side looks to inject more goals into their recently promoted squad.
Confirmed as the 14th signing so far this summer – many of those coming in the form of free agents picked up on their way out of the National League – the young centre-forward began his career as part of the Manchester United academy.
Going on to join Burnley at 16, Mellon has gone on to be considered one of the brightest prospects among the Clarets’ academy, and will be hoping to get more even minutes this term.
They also teased his signing in one of the most silly but satisfying transfer reveal videos we’ve seen during this transfer window.
Mellon Jr has enjoyed loan spells at Morecambe, Dundee United, fellow local outfit Stockport County and Bradford City since joining his parent club back in 2019 – having spent the most time with the Shrimps, where he scored his first professional hat-trick in a 4-1 win over Wimbledon in 23/24.
Scoring 15 times in 27 appearances for them, he was recalled by Burnley back in January 2024, but is now set to be given the nod in his father’s senior team. Commenting on Oldham signing his son, Micky Mellon’s reponse was this: “We believe we’ve brought in a striker who is different to the ones we’ve got.
“Michael has always been a goalscorer – yes, he’s my son, but we’ve brought him in to help us win games of football and that’s the sole reason. He’s physical, technically very good and has the ability to put the ball in the back of the net.
“He’s had a bit of a tough time with injury lately, but he looks like he’s grown through that, and we can get the best version of Michael. He had a lot of interest, but he believes Oldham [Athletic] is the best place for him to play his football this season.
“He’s seen what Boundary Park is like when it’s full and roaring, the decision has been his to make, and he’s picked Oldham.” Excited by this one, Owls?
🗣️ Michael always knew where he wanted to play his football this season. #oafc
Daisy Jackson -
29th April 2022 
