NO vacancy signs look set to be placed outside many of Bolton's hotels.

Bookings for the Commonwealth Games are booming with an influx of reservations coming through for the 10-day event.

The Games are centred on Manchester, but most cycling events are being held in Rivington and the badminton competitions are at the Bolton Arena.

Some hotels, including the De Vere Whites and the Holiday Inn in Horwich, are near to closing their books.

Roland Ayling, manager at the De Vere, said on many of the days the 125-bed hotel was 90 per cent full.

Companies and media organisations, including the BBC, have been taking up rooms, but individual fans and cyclists account for the majority of bookings.

The Last Drop Village and Hotel at Bromley Cross and the Holiday Inn Express in Horwich have both been approached by the BBC.

The TV station's technical officials will be using the Last Drop as it is close to Rivington and the cycling events.

The Holiday Inn is two-thirds full, creating optimism that the estimated £30 million cash bonanza for the town is within reach.

A hotel spokesman, which is just yards from Bolton Arena, host of the badminton tournament, said: "The sport is proving to be a real draw."

Many of the bookings at Bolton's hotels have been handled by central booking agent Sportsworld.

The New Pack Horse, on Nelson Square and the Posthouse Hotel, on Beaumont Road were among the hotels that agreed to hand a proportion of their rooms to the company.

A spokesman for the reservation department at the 68-bedroomed New Pack Horse, said: "Sportsworld appeared to panic book and took more rooms than were needed so the numbers of bookings are down slightly. Having said that we are confident numbers will rise as we get closer to the Games and we believe the event will be a great success."

It has filled more than half of its rooms.

Organisers are expecting a total of 100,000 people to attend the badminton and cycling events.