BOLTON Town Centre Manager Cathy Savage with her fortnightly briefing from the Town Centre Company.

WELCOME to my first column for 2004 and a Happy New Year to you all.

I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year and are looking forward to this year as much as I am.

Thanks to everyone who visited Santa's Grotto in Victoria Square which was very popular, and a quarter of the money raised, £660, will go to charity -- the Rotary Club.

The Market Place team has asked me to pass on its thanks to everyone who took advantage of the gift-wrapping service. A fantastic £3,848.81 was raised for Fortalice, and donations to Santa's Grotto raised £2,700 for Vision Aid.

Crompton Place's Santa's Sleigh Ride took donations for Bolton Hospice and they have also asked me to pass on their thanks. The sleigh ride raised £404.

I am sure all the money raised will be a great help to these local charitable organisations.

On the subject of Crompton Place, this week's announcement that Crompton Place management have bought The Gates Shopping Centre can only be good news for the town centre.

The plans to fully incorporate The Gates Centre into Crompton Place should assist them in managing the scheme and ensuring that they provide the best possible shopping centre for both the retailers and shoppers.

This year is going to be another hectic year here at the Town Centre Company, with more events to entice you into town and to make your visit even more enjoyable.

We shall also be concentrating on everyday issues that affect the town centre, including safety, cleanliness and future investment.

There are some exciting plans/developments for the town centre and I will endeavour to pass information on to you as soon as possible through this column.

If you have any issues that you wish to address, please feel free to contact me on the number below.

If you are interested in knowing more about Bolton Town Centre Company and you have access to a computer, why not take a look at our website at: www.boltontowncentre.co.uk