Royal Visit to United Co-operatives HQ

Date published: 27/04/2005

His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester paid a special visit to Rochdale this week, as he unveiled a plaque marking the 160th anniversary of the founding of the modern Co-operative Movement in Rochdale. He visited the newly opened United Co-operatives Headquarters on Sandbrook Park.

His Royal Highness was greeted by Peter Marks, Chief Executive of United, who gave a presentation on the Society and hosted a lunch for His Royal Highness. Mr Marks then escorted the Royal visitor on a tour of the building which opened as the new United HQ in July 2004. His Royal Highness was then invited to unveil the plaque.

“It’s a very great pleasure for me to come to Rochdale, to congratulate you on your 160th anniversary; it’s a very impressive statistic.” He said. “It reflects well on those who have the original concept and those others who have inherited those ambitions and carried them out in the face of fierce commercial competition. It is for that reason that I am delighted to unveil this plaque and to wish your next 160 years even more successful, in what is to be even tougher competition, but if you can keep your customers happy, that is something to be rewarded in itself.”

Peter Marks said, "It was a great honour to receive His Royal Highness at our new Rochdale headquarters. He showed keen interest in the progress of the business and in the history of co-operation in which Rochdale plays such an important part."