WE are backing Bolton! And we want readers to join our campaign to give the town a boost.

In association with Bolton Council, and a host of local champions, we are launching the We’re Backing Bolton campaign.

With Britain’s best market, a whole host of top brand names, Premier League football and a friendly population, we think there is much to celebrate — and we’re not the only ones.

Keith Davies, Director of development of regeneration at Bolton Council, said: “We know we’re not perfect, but Bolton has a lot to offer and we want to shout about it.

“We have first a retail offer, not just in the town centre but at the Middlebrook in Horwich and the other town centres across the borough, we have Premier League football every fortnight with Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok and a thriving business community.

“We accept there are a lot of other places but the importance of staying local is even more relevant now.”

As part of the council’s bid to cast Bolton’s appeal far and wide, a major marketing campaign is being launched today, targeting rival towns.

Billboards will be placed at key arrival points in Wigan and Salford while Bolton-branded black cabs will be sent into Bury to try to attract new shoppers to the town.

The authority is also running a campaign with North West radio station Real Radio which will see adverts on air and on the station’s website.

The marketing campaign continues the successful Bolton Est theme, which was launched earlier this year to show off the borough’s proud history and highlight that Bolton is the -est of everything — loveliest, friendliest and the best!”

Mr Davies said: “We want to put across that we have a long history and a proud one but that there is a lot happening now. Other towns have posters in Bolton and it is about time we hit back.

“We want to say to people it’s OK going to other towns but in these hard economic times, it is better to spend local, shop local and to back local businesses.

“Every pound spent in the borough helps to safeguard jobs in Bolton and that is what we want to push.

“We have everything you need on the doorstep and we want people to take a fresh look at what is here.”

Set up more than a year ago, the Central Bolton Partnership, made up of town centre businesses and other stakeholders, is fully behind the campaign and has been actively marketing the town.

Each member of the partnership pays a fee, which is then used to promote the town, not only within the borough but across the region an the country.

A special website — www.centralbolton.co.uk — acts as a virtual shop window for the businesses involved and shoppers can head online and pick up a range of special offers and discounts.

Mr Davies, who helped Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture bid and was instrumental in the development of the city’s Liverpool One shopping centre, said: “New partners are coming on board all the time and we want the Central Bolton website to be the one-stop-shop for people wanting to see what the town centre has to offer.”

● See tomorrow’s Bolton News for how the town centre has seen signs of recovery over the last 12 months.