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

I HOPE you all had a great time last weekend at Bolton's 750th birthday party and came to visit the mediaeval market.

I know a lot of you did, because when I was there on Saturday it was absolutely packed and, as well as being a lot of fun, it was fascinating to see how people used to dress and live many years ago.

I spoke to the Mayor on Tuesday and he passes on his thanks to all who attended both the market and the Charity Ball last Friday which raised a great deal of money. The auction was an eye-opener, with a framed, signed Bolton Wanderers shirt going for more than £2,000.

I think it would be fitting to see a permanent archway built in that historic Churchgate area and possibly a similar type of craft market held in the town centre on a regular basis ... what do you think? Perhaps it could be an extension of our already very popular Ashburner Street Market.

Meanwhile, if you are thinking about a career move, on Friday, February 21, and Saturday, February 22, in Victoria Square, we will be hosting a recruitment exhibition, in conjunction with the Bolton Evening News. There will be approximately 40 exhibitors, offering free advice on your future career and opportunities available. So if you are thinking of a change, make a note in your diary. The exhibition will be publicised nearer the time through the Bolton Evening News and we will let you know the exhibitors, opening times etc.

If you are a business and are interested in having an exhibition stand, please contact Michelle at our office on the number below or the recruitment team at the Bolton Evening News.

But, before then, we have lots of Valentine celebrations planned in town that I will tell you about in my next column. Other events planned by the Town Centre Company include the ever-popular House and Home exhibition in April which will this year include lots of helpful hints on gardening. In June you can plan all your Summer fashions and get beautiful with the annual Fashion, Health and Beauty Exhibition. Lots more fun is planned throughout the year when you visit the town centre to ensure that you have an enjoyable experience as you shop. As each event is confirmed, I will let you know through this fortnightly column.

And, obviously, we haven't forgotten the everyday issues that are important to the town centre, including cleanliness, maintenance, security and encouraging new investment. These remain a priority of both the council and our company.

Finally, don't miss out on the last few days of the sales, there are still some great bargains to be found in town.

Cathy Savage

Bolton Town Centre Ltd

Market Hall

Knowsley Street

Bolton

Tel 01204 523762

Fax 01204 523659

Email:catsava@aol.com