Bolton's new Elizabeth Park opens with look at food hall

A ribbon cutting ceremony held at the new Elizabeth Park, named in honour of the late Queen Elizabeth II, on Ashburner Street also served as a first look at Bolton Market’s new food hall, which should open soon.

The new dining destination has space for almost 200 people and will bring together nine stallholders offering dishes ranging from gourmet burgers to Japanese, Caribbean, Italian, Indian and Chinese cuisine, as well as a bar run by the Bolton Gin Company.

Bolton Gin Company founder Paul Welch said: “We’re incredibly excited to be part of this new venture and we can’t wait to get started.

“We’ve seen the investment and effort that’s been put into it.

“As a small business, to know that the council thinks we’re the right people to be providing the drinks and refreshment gives me a real sense of pride.

“Most of all, the stallholders want to bring delicious food, great music and of course fabulous drinks to create a buzzing venue that will be brilliant for Bolton.”

The park opening ceremony was attended by pupils from four primary schools and Mayor of Bolton Cllr Mohammed Ayub.

The new park is now open (Image: Paul Heyes)

They included pupils from St Peter and St Paul’s RC Primary School, Gilnow Primary School, Pikes Lane Primary School and Bolton Parish Church Primary School.

Together they had helped to plant the flower beds earlier in the year and now had the chance to see both the new park ready to bloom with its lawn, broad flower beds, rain garden and seating. 

Mayor of Bolton Cllr Mohammed Ayub cut the ribbon (Image: Paul Heyes)

Bolton South East MP Yasmin Qureshi said: “I think that the initiatives that are being done to make Bolton an even more vibrant place, the development of the houses, the work along Le Mans Crescent, at the market are great.

“It just shows that Bolton really is a live and kicking place.”

The same Towns Fund also financed renovations to Bolton Central Library and the conversion of the Wellspring office building into a centre for new businesses.

The food hall is set to open in the spring (Image: Paul Heyes)

Bolton West MP Chris Green said: “I’m delighted to see the effect that the towns fund has had on Bolton, especially with the Towns Fund helping to fund the new Elizabeth Park.

“It’s a beautiful park and I think its going to become a real hub and a great place for cultural activities for all the residents of Bolton.”

The new park was built over the space once occupied by the old Odeon cinema on Ashburner Street.

Once known as "Odeon Park", the council took the decision to instead name the new green space "Elizabeth Park" in September 2022, in tribute to the late Queen. 

Council cabinet member for the environment Cllr Richard Silvester said:  “The opening of Elizabeth Park is a landmark occasion for Bolton, the first new greenspace in the town centre in over a hundred years.

“It brings flowers, trees and wildlife into the heart of the town, which are so important for people’s sense of wellbeing, and is destined to become a much-loved place for everyone who works, lives, or goes out in the town centre.”

Town hall leaders say that they hope the park and food hall will dovetail with other projects across the town centre, such as the Moor Lane housing development.

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Council leader Cllr Nick Peel said: “I think Bolton has such a big town centre that sometimes you have to take a step back and particularly look at the eastern part of the town centre to see what’s happened.

“You can really see the scale of the regeneration that’s taken place.”

He added: “I would ask people who are quire sceptical to come to Bolton town centre, have a look around, and really see for themselves the transformation that has taken place.”

The park is now open to the public, while the food hall is expected to open in the spring.