£100,000 is pledged for culture quarter bid

The Council will spend £100,000 on developing a bidding scheme which, it is hoped, will bankroll plans to turn the area around Le Mans Crescent into a vibrant hub for the arts.

Council chiefs hope the project would rival cultural quarters in some of the world's most celebrated cities.

Under the plans, the area would feature bars, restaurants and a 24-hour futuristic knowledge centre with links to local colleges alongside a revamped public library.

A bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund to finance the £42 million scheme is expected within six months.

Cllr Martyn Cox, executive member for culture on Bolton Council, believes the move proves the council is putting its money where its mouth is.

He said: "I think this demonstrates how serious we are about improving the town centre through an arts quarter.

"If this bid is successful, it would see the biggest investment in Bolton since the Reebok Stadium was built.

"The status of the town centre has declined in recent years and it is important that we get it back up to where it should be."

Business consultants Gleeds are favourite to be offered the contract as project managers responsible for developing a case for the scheme.

Town Hall bosses aim to exploit the area's unique industrial heritage and first-class civic buildings to lend the cultural quarter a unique character.

The area around Le Mans Crescent is already home to the Octagon Theatre, the Albert Halls, and Bolton Museum, art gallery and aquarium.

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport last year rejected a £42 million request to fund the scheme.

A study carried out by Bolton Institute for the council proposes that the crescent would house a new expanded museum and art gallery.

With the magistrates court and police station due to move to new premises outside the Crescent, council bosses want to transform the vacated areas into a substantial display space which could be used to exhibit items borrowed in a link-up with the British Museum.