AN ambitious bid to spruce up a town centre eyesore, creating a family leisure complex next to the Water Place, has been revealed.

Leisure bosses are approaching major companies in an attempt to revamp the firebombed row of derelict shops on Great Moor Street close to the water fun centre.

Councillors agreed at a leisure services committee meeting that the area which has fallen into major disrepair, should be re-built.

And vice chairman Cllr Steve Hynes told how the new multiplex cinema at Waters Meeting Road could have a 'knock-on" effect attracting rival bids for a family centre close to the Water Place.

Cllr Hynes explained how Bolton needed to improve its facilities on offer to families - not just to concentrate on attracting pub and restaurant goers.

He said: "We feel we should try attract to support from big companies to improve the area. We need to find a leisure company willing to create a complex which complements the Water Place.

"We need to attract not just people using the town centre for bars and restaurants but families and young people coming into the centre at nights and weekends."

The idea is part of a council masterplan to protect Bolton town centre from the threat of the Trafford Centre shopping complex which opens at Christmas 1998.

Cllr Hynes called for a need attract private capital to stop Bolton falling behind other developments.

He added that people wanted to feel part of a community and enjoyed coming to Bolton.

"The Trafford Centre is an out-of-town shed with no soul. It is a temple to that great god Retail. Bolton is a living, breathing, unique attraction which has a very colourful past.

"Local people like to identify with a community nowadays and I am very optimistic about the town's future. But we definitely need to attract private capital and improve our run down areas."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.