Would-be investors have been invited to hear how 5000 more people coming to live in the town centre will create opportunities for new restaurants, bars and cafes.

They have been invited to hear about this at a hospitality event at the Market Food Hall on Ashburner Street, which officially opened in June this year.

The guests will be able to look at properties suitable for food and drink businesses and hear about how the new housing projects will help bring more potential customers to the town.

Bolton Council deputy leader Cllr Akhtar Zaman said: “Whether it is the success of our new food hall, or the hundreds of thousands of visitors to last month’s Food and Drink Festival, we know there is a real appetite in Bolton for new and exciting hospitality businesses.

“With our regeneration plans set to create 5,000 new town centre residents, there is a ready-made customer base for new restaurants and bars, and that is before we factor in the ongoing work to boost footfall and attract visitors from outside of Bolton.

The food hall opened earlier this yearThe food hall opened earlier this year (Image: Paul Heyes)

“This will be a can’t-miss event whether you are an established hospitality entrepreneur or thinking of taking on your first property.”

Council officers from the regeneration team will be at the event to explain how the projects aimed at getting more people to live in the town centre will boost businesses.

These include the scheme to build more than 200 homes at the old Moor Lane bus station as well as the plan for more than 160 houses at Deansgate Gardens.

There are also further plans for new more than 400 new homes and a hotel to be built at the Church Wharf site off the River Croal.

Regeneration officers say that projects like these will help increase the number of people living, working and visiting the town centre.

In turn they say this will lead to increased opportunities for people running venues like bars and restaurants.

ALSO READ: Inside Bolton’s new food hall serving up dishes for all tastes

ALSO READ: New images show how £35M scheme will create a 'bright and brilliant' town centre

ALSO READ: 'Work can start quickly' on hotel and 400 homes site after land sale

They say that attendees at the hospitality business event will be invited to look at all kinds of different sized properties that can support food and drink businesses.

They will also be offered advice on areas like business support, business rates, licensing, food safety, and wider environmental health requirements.

The event will be held on Wednesday, October 9 from 11am to 1pm, with lunch provided.

Places can be booked by searching Hospitality Business Event on Eventbrite.

More information can be found by emailing regeneration@bolton.gov.uk.