Bolton Central Library: Opportunity put out to run new cafe

And now the search is on for the right business to run the cafe.

The new café will be based at Bolton Central Library.

And it has been billed as a 'huge opportunity' for a business.

Bolton Council is now seeking expressions of interest to lease the new café facility.

The café will be ready to move in to and open in December 2023 and the council is looking for the right applicants to take it on.

The Grade II listed library and museum building is located in the heart of Bolton town centre and attracts half-a-million people a year.

It is currently undergoing a £4.2 million pound refurbishment as part of the Towns Fund.

Bolton Council deputy leader Cllr Hilary Fairclough said: “This is a unique opportunity to run a café in a beautiful, listed building.

The library is undergoing a major revamp (Image: Bolton Council)

“The business potential is huge as over half-a-million people visit the library, museum, and aquarium every year.

“We are hoping for as many expressions of interest as possible so we can select the very best option for Bolton residents and visitors.”

Work is already underway on the library, which when complete will include upgrading the children’s and adult library, foyer and main library spaces.

One of the most noteworthy additions will be the building of extra mezzanine level floor spaces, and digital infrastructure.

The plans include a revamped children's area (Image: Bolton Council)

While lending and borrowing books will still be the library’s most important function, the refurbishment will help to move it towards serving a much wider function as a hub for the community and visitors attraction.

The café forms a centre piece of these ambitious plans and follows on from a similar move to set up a new café at the historic Smithills Hall, which had been without a place for people to eat, drink, meet and relax since the start of the pandemic.

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In that case, the family run Bake and Roast came forward to run the facility and proved to be a huge hit with visitors.

Bolton Council will hope that a similarly minded business will emerge to run the library café.

Anyone interested in apply for the tender must do so before 5pm on March 31 and can email a completed tender to cps_clientteam@bolton.gov.uk or sent it by recorded delivery to Director of Place, 3rd Floor Town Hall, Victoria Square, Bolton, BL1 1RU.