The Bolton Thread

[flange]

Local landmarks to star in TV show

Friday 8th August 2008

By Cherry Thomas

A NUMBER of local landmarks will be on show when a TV series filmed entirely in Bolton hits the small screen later this month.

Viewers of The Cup, a six part drama due to be aired on BBC2, will spot dozens of locations from across the borough.

The comedy sees the fictional Bolton-based Ashburn United FC battling to win the North and Midlands Under-11s Cup in Birmingham.

But the real story is the behaviour of the young players' parents as they try to live their dreams through their children.

Producer Sue Vertue, of Hartswood Films, said: “It sets out to be the story about the team and whether they win The Cup, but it soon becomes obvious that it’s the parents who are behaving badly and the kids are just having fun.”

A host of familiar faces appear in the show, which is adapted from Canadian series The Tournament about an ice hockey team.They include former Phoenix Nights star Steve Edge.

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/...ar_in_TV_show/

[flange]

Blaze at former University site

18/ 8/2008

MORE than 30 firefighters tackled a blaze at the former student union of Bolton University.

Crews were alerted after smoke was spotted from the site on Derby Street just after midnight..

Six fire engines were sent to the empty building, which was well alight, and spent several hours fighting the blaze with water jets.

The student union has been undergoing demolition after plans to replace it were announced last year. An investigation into the cause of the fire is taking place.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co....niversity_site

30 firefighters tackle Bolton town centre blaze

9:02am Monday 18th August 2008

By Julian Thorpe

The former University of Bolton students’ union building has been seriously damaged by a fire.

At its height, more than 30 firefighters tackled the blaze, which gutted the ground floor of the building on Derby Street early this morning.

Two fire engines from Bolton Central were the first on the scene at about 12.30am, but they were later joined by crews from Horwich, Farnworth, Bury and Atherton.

Firefighters managed to stop the blaze spreading to the first floor and the roof, and crews were on the site until about 7am to ensure it was under control.

The students’ union building was vacated at the end of this academic year and was due to be demolished as part of the plans to rebuild the campus.

The cause of the fire is being investigated.

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/..._centre_blaze/

[andysimo123]

I quite liked the Union although there getting a new one now.

[flange]

Yes we are getting a new union above the new library, was at the uni a few weeks back is a hive of activity with builders all over the place getting it ready for the merging of the two campuses.

[andysimo123]

Originally Posted by flange

Yes we are getting a new union above the new library, was at the uni a few weeks back is a hive of activity with builders all over the place getting it ready for the merging of the two campuses.

I've seen that but a student Union over a library? How does that work.

[flange]

Its gonna be on the mezzanine floor above the library, pictures of the construction of the new library and student union are here

http://libraryrefurb.wordpress.com/2...date-pictures/

[andysimo123]

We'll see but I don't like the look of that. How can you have music blasting out above a library with piss heads playing pool?

[flange]

Also planning permission has recently been approved for a new car park to be built at the uni with the entrance being next to the old student union, the planning application is here

http://www.planning.bolton.gov.uk/DC...ystemkey=73838

[andysimo123]

Just been having a look at the plans. It seems to cover all that green grass basically turning the outside of the uni into a massive car park.

[flange]

Yes and also takes up the area where the sports hall is now, there will still be some green areas when the old student union is demolished i think.

[flange]

Photos and a video of the fire at the student union here

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/..._centre_blaze/

[skyhigh247]

What's it like to live in Bolton? The people, transport, shops etc.

[andysimo123]

Originally Posted by skyhigh247

What's it like to live in Bolton? The people, transport, shops etc.

Doesn't look live anyone on here lives there. I visit there quite abit. I wouldn't say its anything special. The Albert Halls is the most impressive thing and the station could do with a face lift. Shops are the same as everywhere else. People have that unique Bolton accent.

[skyhigh247]

Originally Posted by andysimo123

Doesn't look live anyone on here lives there. I visit there quite abit. I wouldn't say its anything special. The Albert Halls is the most impressive thing and the station could do with a face lift. Shops are the same as everywhere else. People have that unique Bolton accent.

Yes i've noticed their accent seems to stand out whereas Bury, Rochdale, Oldham accent doesn't seem to stand out as much.

[andysimo123]

Boltons Student Union being ripped down...

... I got a face full of dust when I walked past it the other day.

[Comdot]

i could watch that for hours

[flange]

Bolton is a top university town

Friday 15 August 2008

Students are offered one of the best blends of work, play and culture in Bolton, according to a new survey released today (15 August 2008).

A-level students across the country may still be making difficult decisions over the clearing process, but locallife.co.uk has produced a survey of the best and worst university towns – whatever a student is looking for.

Oxford and Cambridge universities may top the academic rankings, but as university towns they are distinctly average. Unlike Bolton – one of the UK's best university towns when it comes to catering for students' cultural, study and culinary needs. The town has one museum, theatre, library, bookshop, off licence or takeaway for every 51 students – the second best ratio in the country.

Across the Pennines, Bradford finished in top spot in the university town league rankings. The city has a library, takeaway or other student essential for every 34 students. In third place, Huddersfield's 20,000 students are well catered for, with a business or organisation providing study guides, opera or chips for every 58 students.

At the top end of the university towns league table, five of the entrants are home to new universities, having gained university status since 1992. Only one of the highest ranked towns with a university, Belfast, is a Russell Group member.

Said Head of Student Recruitment at the University of Bolton, Phill Lloyd: 'The A-level results for applicants to the University of Bolton were better than ever before this year and there has been a significant increase in the number of applicants that have made Bolton their first choice.

'This means there are fewer places available through Clearing than in previous years so callers to the university's Clearing line are being treated on a strictly first come first served basis in terms of course places.

'The increased popularity of Bolton is great news.'

Locallife.co.uk is a network of 324 local Internet directories covering every town and city in the UK.

http://www.bolton.ac.uk/News/News-Ar...ust2008-6.aspx

[kebabmonster]

Originally Posted by skyhigh247

What's it like to live in Bolton? The people, transport, shops etc.

I live just outside the town of Bolton, and in the borough of Bolton.

People

In the main, a likeable friendly bunch who watch out for each other. You will find that they are all die-hard Bolton fans who are Wanderers through and through since birth, who of course never supported United before Bolton got good. None of them can explain the 4,000 attendance figures (on a good day) of 1980's and 1990's Burnden Park.

A lot of the Boltonians (ones who have lived in the town for generations) are proud of their town and history. They are a bit like King Canute trying to stop the tide of Manchester encroaching on their part of the world. They seem more resistant to embrace the Manchester concept than other outlying milltowns such as Ashton under Lyne or Stockport.

Crime is very low, albeit petty.

Accent- I have lived here a for a good while now, and find it to be a generic North (Greater) Manchester accent. I can't tell the difference between Bolton, Oldham, Bury, Rochdale. I can differentiate it between Wigan and St Helens though. The accent is slightly annoying, but Boltonians are capable of stringing sentences together and sounding reasonably normal. It's only when they have a camera or microphone put in their face do they all try and sound like Peter Kay, thinking that they are impressing Southerners or something.


Shops

Same shops you will find in every other big town in the country. Visit one English town, you've visited them all. All major chains are present. Bolton has got nearly everything you can get in town, bar higher end shops like on King St, Harvey Nicks, etc. Lacking a Northern Quarter style district.
Other than than that, it's a well planned out, flat shopping district. I would say that I have yet to visit as pedestrian friendly a large town yet. Town Hall is a cracker, a lot like Leeds'.

Transport

Trains to Piccadilly/Victoria every ten minutes from Bolton's main station. Trains about every half hour to town from smaller district stations in the borough.
Good regular bus services (mainly First Manchester)to town, other parts of the borough, other Greater Manchester boroughs.
Obviously no Metrolink, but the frequent (cheaper) train service makes up for this.
Black cabs/private hire easy.
Excellent motorway connections in the south of the borough. The town centre is a couple of minutes off the M60 via the A666 dual carriageway. M61 has led to a commuter-belt in the borough's south west. North Bolton is off the beaten track though.

Town itself

It's inner districts are to be avoided like the plague. In common with other Northern towns, it is negative equity row to row terraces in former industrial districts. Bolton didn't go slum-clearance mad like Salford and Manchester, so these old areas remain and there are virtually no tower blocks in the town, pretty unique for somewhere of a quarter of a million souls.

The desolate "donut" ring effect you see in Manchester and Salford doesn't seem apparant in Bolton (probably due to lack of slum clearances).

Go a couple of miles outside of this towards the North and West and you will find good housing stock, good schools, at realistic (if not cheap) prices.

In short, I would say Bolton is to Manchester as what Huddersfield is to Leeds, Wolverhampton is to Birmingham, Watford is to London.

[flange]

New student building could be a top music venue

4:30pm Friday 29th August 2008

By Saiqa Chaudhari



Artist's impresssion


THE University of Bolton’s new Students’ Union building could become one of the borough’s premier gig venues.

The £2 million building will officially open on September 28, and Students’ Union president Mark Higgins says it will be a focal point for the students and the wider community.

Local and student bands are signed up to perform at the opening of the building on University Way.

And there are plans to use the venue to attract other bands on the national music circuit.

Mr Higgins said: “A new bigger building was needed to keep up with the pace of growth of the university and to centralise student services.

He added: “The space, which is the size of a football pitch, means there is the possibility to stage, not only events for the students, but also the local community.

“This was not possible in the other building, and now one of the ideas is to attract bands to the Students Union building.

“Given its size, it could become one of the town’s main venues for bands and other events.”

The two-storey building was funded by the university and Students’ Union.

Facilities include a bar and cafe and a new Social Learning Zone with a library.

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/...p_music_venue/

[flange]

Swimming pool on agenda

1:30pm Saturday 30th August 2008

THE public swimming pool planned for Bolton town centre will be discussed by councillors at a meeting on Monday.

Also on the agenda for the Bolton Council’s executive, which makes all the key decisions, is a health centre due to be built alongside the £11m pool.

The council plans to close part of Moor Lane between Deane Road and Derby Street to make room for the developments.

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/...ool_on_agenda/