BOLTON is biting back in the battle to attract night-time revellers.

This weekend the Bolton Town Centre Partnership is laying on free buses to bring pub and club goers into the town from neighbouring Bury.

And if the service is popular, there are plans to operate it on future weekends and to extend it to surrounding areas.

Last month, Bolton Town Centre manager Maria Appleton expressed her anger at North Western Trains' attempt to "steal a march" on Bolton customers by offering massively discounted travel for a night out in the Manchester.

She admits that Bolton could now be accused of trying to poach Bury customers.

But she stressed that a lot of people who enjoy a night out in Bolton already come from Bury and the free bus services will just make it easier for them.

"Market forces will prevail," she added.

Other town centres already run free bus services for their pub and club customers and this is Bolton's attempt at copying the idea.

The £500 needed to lay on the services on Friday and Saturday night has been donated by Cathco Properties, Club Mondo, The Temple, the New Pack Horse Hotel, Ritzys and 5th Avenue and Yates Wine Lodge.

The 471 service leaving Bury Bus Station at 8.20pm, 9.50pm and 10.50pm will be free and the return service leaving Moor Lane at 11.26pm will also be free.

A specially chartered bus will also be running after the clubs shut, picking up passengers from Kiss at 2.15am and calling at Ritzys and Temple/Club Mondo on route to Bury via Bury Road.

"If people enjoy the experience we hope they will come back," said Maria.

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