IT'S certainly smashing news for Bolton that the town will host the badminton competition for the 2002 Commonwealth Games. The new £14.8 million tennis centre at Middlebrook, currently being built, will stage the prestigious event.

This is a great boost for local badminton and the town's sporting scene generally, but also a massive shot in the arm for the area's tourist trade.

Badminton is a truly international sport and competitors from Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore and Canada will join UK competitors here.

Add to those athletes, the officials, journalists and spectators who will be heading this way and it all adds up to a massive number of people needing services like accommodation and entertainment.

The Bolton area is more than up to the prospect, but it is vital that the nettle is firmly grasped now. By foresight and practical planning, the 2002 Games could provide a highly successful commercial and social event for Bolton, laying the foundations for financial security in the Millennium.

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