THE OTHER day my grand daughter was telling me about the entertainment that is available for them in Bolton and what it is like on the club scene.

The cost of entrance fees and the price they have to pay for drinks -- I told her she was nuts! All just to hear someone playing gramophone records.

We had the Grand Theatre every Monday night, first house, in the gods. The many different acts -- comics, singers, dancing girls, strong men and numerous speciality acts -- all top liners that had learned their craft over many years on the boards and went on to last for decades at the top. They were time served professionals, masters of their trade.

The paying public demanded talent and value. Today's talent is manufactured in six months with a crash course and designed to last three to four years.

I remember Val Doonican appearing at the Garrick Club in Leigh and after he had finished his first song he thanked the audience, explaining that, after 20 years, he had suddenly become an overnight success.

We had the Theatre Royal as a cinema but on occasion they would hold big band concerts on a Sunday night. I remember bands such as Eddie Grey and his Band of the Day, Eric Delaney, Stan Kenton, but the greatest night of all was with my mum and dad who had secretly booked tickets for us to see The Ink Spots live. At that time they were at the height of their careers and it was a feather in someone's cap to bring them to Bolton. I can still hear them singing "Whispering Grass".

We had the Hippodrome Theatre and roller skating to try out, but my passion was the cinema.

The three main cinemas -- Odeon, Lido and Capitol -- all had restaurants where one could obtain chips, egg, bacon, sausage, bread & butter, and tea -- all for about 3/- (or 15p). Your entertainment would consist of a 'B' picture (which would last over an hour), the news, next week's trailers, a cartoon (usually 3 Stooges, Leon Errol, Andy Clyde) all followed by the main film -- VALUE!

On a Saturday night, you had to be in town early to catch the first house and even then you would have to queue.

The queues would stretch from the front of cinema all along the outside walls to the rear of the building. People would still be queuing after the second house had started, knowing that they would not see the full show. As a last resort, it was always easier to get into the Queens as they did not seem to show as popular films as the rest and it was also a bit out of the town centre.

In town one Saturday, just after lunch time, we were walking past the Capitol and I noticed that the ticket office was quiet and, on an impulse, went and purchased two tickets, put them in my wallet and walked out. After tea, we returned to town to go to the Capitol which, when we arrived there, had a large queue outside.

My friend and I walked straight in and, when informed that the cinema was full, declared that we were going to the gents and proceeded upstairs. We gave our tickets to the usherette, much to her dismay, who told us that it was full and the ticket office should not have issued them. But, as they had done so, and we had come upstairs, we could go in and stand at the back or the side until seats became available.

I think it was raining outside at the time, The same ploy worked many times after that. I still feel guilty thinking about all those people standing outside in the rain and the cold!