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Bolton

194K views 712 replies 110 participants last post by  Tony_H1 
#1 ·
Haven't seen a Bolton thread on here so don't mind me if I make one.

I had never visted Bolton before 2 weeks ago when I stopped off on the train home from Preston and I have to say I was quite impressed. The town centre had some really grand buildings and pleasent pedestrian zones, much more impressive than other lancashire towns such as Bury, Preston, Wigan, Oldham etc. More on a par with a Nottingham or a Newcastle I thought. There also seemed to be a pleasent array of restaurants, shops and pubs and even though it was a Sunday night there was a bit of a buzz and confidence about the place.

Has anyone got any pictures or have any development news for Bolton? I think it might suffer not being on the mainline to London but having a new university must help if it can grow like Preston's has. Other than that I didnt really see outside of the city centre but Im sure it has deprivation like anywhere else. Farnworth reminded me of Cheetham Hill or a larger Rusholme. And the bus station could do with some work. But the actual town centre itself was a really pleasent place to spend some time. Even the 70's buildings didnt let it down like they do in Ashton or Preston.

One thing Im dissapointed about is how far the football stadium is from the centre. Its a wonderful piece of architecture and if it had been located near the centre it might have have taken the centre into premier league heights (pardon the pun) anyway I'll try to find some pictures myself.

Any thoughts?
 
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#5 ·
I really think Bolton suffers a bit because of it's geographical location. It's not a place you might pass through and notice how nice it is. Unless you knew it was there you simply wouldn't go.

It's only 13 miles from my house but I can only remember visiting Bolton twice. One of those was only due to the big advertising campaign during the 80's for Preston's of Bolton (an engagement ring).

Having seen the vast array of pictures (thanks Irish...) it looks like I've been missing out. Should be worth a trip when the sun comes out.
 
#6 ·
Couldnt agree more High-Fi thats why Id never been before too. Its the same with Rochdale and Oldham. Though Ive been to both Bury and Altrincham on the tram so maybe thats something Bolton should be looking at. Never mind anyway its a nice enough town and place to spend a pleasent day out even if not many people know!

The pictures I found (from bolton.org.uk are mostly 10 years old so its all a little bit more spruced up now too.
 
#7 ·
Did anyone see a proposal in the MEN a few months back?

It was for an outdoor art sculpture to be located near the Reebok stadium. And it's intended to be taller than the Angel of the North.

I was suprised no one mentioned it on MCR SSC.
 
#9 ·
Bolton imo is the most attractive of the northern mill towns. Its amazing its so close to Manchester yet seems to sustain a really busy shopping centre.
Urban Splash have bought the old ABC cinema and are putting some flats there. I think Union North are doing them but cant find any info (or cant be bothered to look very hard more to the point).
Lots of investment at the University (?) with a couple of good new buildings.
Amazing old Odeon aswell thats being converted into a conference centre. Good stuff!
 
#12 ·
That sculpture has been built, it looks like a trophy. On a roundabout off Jct 6/M61, towards the Reebok.

Tall and well lit at night, it depicts Bolton's sporting heroes (not just profs. and celebs, but people who have been involved with sport + community and the like). It is quite tall.

Despite living close to Bolton, I seldom go there, but pass through on the train. Used to go a lot as a lad.

It is a large town centre, arguably the best of the sattelite towns.

The town centre is nice, Le Mans Crescent, the Market Hall, Town Hall. The pedestrianisation is excellent, you can navigate the whole town centre without serious traffic interruption.

Currently the Interchange Bus Station is being upgraded, a bridge has been upgraded with a new arch feature a-la-Hulme.

Bolton didn't go Tower Block crazy in the 60's, I think the whole town can't have more than 5, not bad for a region of 200,000.
 
#13 ·
Passing through Bolton station on the train is quite sad. You can see just how big the station used to be. It used to be a similar width to Preston (nowhere near same length though) but now its just one platform each way. The old abandoned ones are either used as tatty car parks or just left to rot.
 
#14 ·
Ah, fond memories. I went to school in Bolton and learned how to drink in many of the pubs along Deansgate. Sadly, quite a few have either gone to the wall or gone altogether (RIP the Boar's Head). The town centre is a strange place in many ways: beautiful architecture around the Town Hall and Le Mans Crescent (Le Mans is Bolton's twin town in France: fond memories of copping my first feel of a French girl's tit on the school exchange) contrasts with some very dodgy post-war retail developments (the place where C&A forgot to close their store). I don't go to Bolton town centre at all any more, but reports are that it's quite a dodgy place to be day and night.

But, really, you've got to love that shell suit:

 
#16 ·
High-Fi said:
Dodgy? Surely not? You're putting me off now!

Re : Shell suit - what on earth was he thinking? I bet she's no longer with him!
It's only what my Brother-in-Law tells me. Full of unsavouries. But he supports FC Utd so what does he know?

And you know, I'll bet they're still together: take a closer look and you'll see a rather attractive pineapple with a lovely blue scrunchy on top of her bonce. A match made in heaven. Or Bolton.

But don't let it put you off. Just ignore the scruffy bit of town as you walk down towards the town hall from the station.
 
#25 ·
Ack I dont think Bolton is all that bad as is being made out. I went up again on Saturday and its definitely nowhere near as down and out as the likes of Ashton and Oldham are. The town really isnt all that threatening. Cant really say what its like at 2am but Im sure its no worse than anywhere else! Also the post-war architecture is really not all that bad, compared to Newcastle (although the old architecture isnt quite that good), Stoke, Preston or many other Northern towns. Infact Id say its been pretty blessed to be as unscathed as it has. Even the modern stuff has an elegance to it.

A few things I think would really improve the town are:

Instigate a cafe culture around that main square. In the summer it would be a beautiful place to sit out and have a cuppa.

Add a cinema to the town centre. Having big multiplexes in the city centre has done wonders for Manchester, perhaps an arthouse cinema would be nice too in the cultural quarter.

Add a free bus thing like in Manchester, only one route needed. To whisk people around the town centre and to the two uni campuses and the station.

A nice swimming pool always adds something to a town centre I feel.

Get rid of the old Arndale Centre. Theres hardly any shops in it anyway, its tiny. Reinstigating a street pattern here with interesting small shops would have much more appeal. Especcially with the Market Hall Centre being expanded and another new centre planned (more to come later).

And encourage more to people to live in the town.
 
#26 ·
Heres something I found from a Rochdale paper:

Thriving town provides the perfect base for commercial success

Bolton is the perfect location in which to do business. The town enjoys excellent transport links, an excellent supply of high specification offices and is home to the UK’s newest university The University of Bolton.

A thriving centre for technological innovation, modern manufacturing and quality service industries, Bolton is situated in the heart of the North West, surrounded by some of the most beautiful countryside in England, and yet only a stone’s throw from the nucleus of the Manchester City Region.

Bolton’s robust economy is powered by national and international names such as Reebok, Hitachi, Warburtons, MBDA, dabs.com, Keoghs, Royal Bank of Scotland and Georgia Pacific to name but a few.

Bolton is THE location to develop your business. With excel-lent transport links on your doorstep, a wealth of potential staff living close by, fabulous affordable housing and a wonderful mix of town and countryside in the immediate vicinity.

"Bolton represents a great opportunity for businesses which would like to grow. We have the benefits of proximity to Manchester, yet are also on the edges of rural Lancashire, which presents something for everyone and ensures that the local workforce enjoy living in the borough. The business community is diverse and very active and facilities such as The University of Bolton's Design Studio and the Technical Innovation Centre offer opportunities for product development which simply don't exist in other towns" says Paul Foster, Local Area Policy Manager, Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce

Unemployment levels in Bolton have been falling for a number of years and there are currently just over 4,000 people claiming Jobseekers Allowance within the borough. Bolton has a well qualified workforce – 72,000 residents of working age are qualified to NVQ Level 3 and above (this is the third highest rate across Greater Manchester), while just 25,000 have no qualifications.

Bolton’s largest sector for employees is within the ‘distribution, hotels & restaurants’ category which sup-plies just over one quarter of all jobs in Bolton. Bolton has the second highest rate of employees within this sector in the sub-region (after Trafford).

Bolton's University status is a huge fillip for local businesses. With more credibility, it is hoped that a greater number of students will receive higher education qualifications from The University of Bolton, meaning that local businesses will have a greater pool of skilled and qualified applicants when they look to fill vacancies.

Greater Manchester Chamber is working closely with the University of Bolton to help bridge the gap between education and the world of work. A greater emphasis on encouraging enterprise is also being fostered locally.

Developing a thriving and increasingly diverse town centre is also a key priority for businesses in Bolton. The Chamber is a supporter of plans for regeneration in the town centre, which will see various ‘quarters’ develop to encourage people to view Bolton as a forward-looking town with plenty to offer both residents and visitors. The Chamber has facilitated a meeting of local businesses to discuss views of the town centre and these views have been relayed to the local authority.

Local transport and car parking issues remain key priority areas in the borough. The Chamber will be involved in consultation relating to car parking availability in the town centre over the coming months and is represented at the Car Parking Strategy Group meetings at the Town Hall.

Land availability is another issue which is of importance to local businesses, both in terms of attracting inward investment and providing options for successful local firms who are looking to move to new or larger premises within the borough. The Chamber is represented on the BoltonWIDE group which deals with development of the Bolton West area and incorporates the Economic Development Zone.



Focus on Bolton 2
Bolton town centre


Town benefits from major inward investment

Half a billion pounds of investment will transform Bolton town centre into one of the north west’s major shopping attractions. But it’s not just the retail sector that is being addressed – culture and the town’s transport links are also being improved.

£100M new shopping heart for Bolton

A new shopping heart for Bolton is to be created at the centre of a £100M development. Central Square will see new retail units and housing; improved cultural and community facilities and extra car parking.

This forgotten area of the town centre lies behind Knowsley Street and Deansgate and is currently a mixture of derelict former industrial land and open car parks by the banks of the River Croal.

The scheme will create an extra 350,000 sq ft of retail space anchored by a major new foodstore; add 150 residential units and provide parking for 850 vehicles.

Bolton Methodist Mission are major landowners in the area and the scheme will refurbish their listed Victoria Hall building and relocate the current community facilities at the Walker Memorial Hall.

And significant environmental improvements to the River Croal will extend Bolton’s ‘green corridor’ from Queen’s Park right into the town centre.

Outline planning permission was granted to developers Wilson Bowden last year and it is expected that the scheme will be finished by 2009.

Market Hall transformation will create 100,000sq ft of new retail units

The £30M transformation of Bolton’s Market Hall will bring new national retailers into the town centre while retaining traditional, local traders.

The scheme will create 100,000 sq ft of new retail units, all beneath the classical early Victorian iron, glass and stone framework of the Grade 11 listed building. A new contemporary building on the piazza outside will also create an additional 1429sq m of commercial space.

The Market Hall is within the primary core of Bolton’s shopping area and together with the 1980’s Market Place forms one of the major shopping centres in the town.

Developers Warners Estate Holdings were granted planning permission last year and the scheme is expected to be completed by 2008.

Magnificent new archway greets Bolton visitors

A magnificent new archway now greets visitors to Bolton town centre from the south. The arch spans the rebuilt Newport Street Bridge which links the rail and bus interchange with the town centre.

It’s all part of a £22M scheme to regenerate the south side of the centre and provide a welcoming gateway for visitors.

Work on modernising the interior of the railway station continues and the bus station is being entirely rebuilt to improve facilities.

The interchange will be linked via a floodlit boulevard taking visitors beneath the arch to Victoria Square and Bolton’s shopping and cultural heart.

Centre of attraction

Bolton Town Centre offers more than just shopping. The nationally renowned Octagon Theatre and Bolton Museum, Art Gallery and Aquarium are just some of the leisure attractions available. And outside the town centre the mediaeval houses of Smithills Hall and Hall i’th’Wood attract thousands of visitors.

Plans for a £40M ‘Cultural Quarter’ based around the classical architecture of Le Mans Crescent are designed to extend the cultural pursuits in the town.

It includes a new Creative Arts centre for which a bid for lottery funding has been submitted by Bolton Council. If successful, it will provide a dramatic new venue for live music; shows and exhibitions and will also offer work space for creative businesses and provide a meeting place with a café, bar and much more.

The creative industries are an important part of the borough’s economy and the Cultural Quarter will enhance their importance.
 
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