Bolton Town Centre and everything it has to offer

LIFE is slowly but surely returning to normal as the country comes out of the pandemic.

And people are once again enjoying going out and Bolton really does provide something for everyone’s taste.

The old adage of not noticing what you have your doorstep certainly does ring true.

But take a step back and the town has a vibrant cultural and art scene ­— the Octagon Theatre is only one of handful of producing theatres in the whole of Great Manchester.

The Alberts Halls brings some of the biggest names to the stage.

There is also the Victoria Halls which has a programme of concerts and shows throughout the year.

The town is fast establishing itself as a food and drink destination­— and not just because of its famous food and drink festival.

The town boasts independent restaurants and popular chains. And half are rated very good by the food standards agency.

A five star rating means that hygiene standards are very good and comply fully with the law, while structural compliance and the agency’s confidence in a venue’s management are also judged to be extremely strong.

Outside Market Place Shopping Centre in Bolton town centre

The Octagon has its popular Kitchen and Bar, while The Vaults at The Market Place have an array of restaurants.

With Bolton Market, Market Place Centre and of course the ‘high street’ ­shoppers really are spoilt for choice.

Cllr Martyn Cox, leader of Bolton Council said: “Bolton town centre is filled with tradition, from independent local businesses to national high street chains, there really is nowhere better to shop than Bolton.

“Our multi award-winning Bolton Market also provide a fantastic shopping experience with over 200 traders, offering a wide variety of goods and locally sourced products.

“We work closely with our retailers to offer support in any way we can, in the past year we’ve developed the dscvr app, generating a platform for our retailers to promote their stores and engage within the community.

“This is just one of many projects we have planned as our dedication to ensuring a prosperous future for our historic town is unwavering.

“Over the past couple of years, it has been difficult for all businesses, however, it’s now imperative for our local community to show their support and get back out into our town centre safely.”

HISTORIC Le Mans Crescent in Bolton. Picture by Peter Shone

Developer of the dscvr app, Steve Wainwright said: “Convenience and accessibility is key on the modern high street and the dscvr app revolutionises the way we navigate this space by providing a full digital overview of what a place has to offer to increase footfall dwell time.

“Supporting businesses and users by connecting each other the dscvr app provides all the information they need about a town or borough in one mobile app.

“This makes it quick and easy to access key information for shopping, eating, events and activities along with community groups and much more.”

And the town centre is set to become even more attractive, under the masterplan.

Work is already being done in and around Le Mans Crescent to give the popular location a Convent Garden feel ­— and why not, it has the history, the art and now the cafe culture.

So why not take a trip into Bolton and enjoy everything the town has to offer ­— a lot more than you may actually think.