NO-ONE in Bolton will be surprised to see that when parking meters in a small Welsh town were put out of action local trade boomed.

Thieves smashed all four parking machines in Cardigan’s main car parks last month and the cash-strapped local council couldn’t afford to replace them.

The result of this is that local shops and stores have been enjoying a surge in business as visitors continue to enjoy free parking. Campaigners there believe this retail success could be replicated across the country, and it’s certainly food for thought.

In Bolton, of course, our Council has already made parking free at three large car parks at the weekend and I’m sure this is helping trade. There are some who would argue that this is too little too late — in spite of money being pumped into areas like The Market Place — to bring more shoppers back into the town centre again.

Another interesting lesson that our town centre could learn from smaller towns, though, is about finding more ways – mostly financial – to encourage smaller, independent businesses to trade there once more.

It seems a long time ago that Newport Street, Knowsley Street, Deansgate and Bradshawgate were bristling with small local retailers providing bespoke services for a grateful population.

High rents and parking problems, along with the premature death of the old Market Hall, meant independent shops either went elsewhere or went out of business.

But Bolton only has to look a few miles down the road to a local town with a thriving centre, bursting with local businesses. No, not Bury, but Horwich.

Horwich’s main streets are full of independently-owned shops and stores, of traders offering goods and services not always available elsewhere, and always with a local flavour.

There are good-value cafes and restaurants and a vibrancy and buzz still lost to Bolton town centre on a normal shopping day. Parking is also free here.

Yes, it has charity shops, also thriving and, yes, it still has a huge shopping complex on its doorstep at Middlebrook. Yet, it retains its local identity and history, seems proud of its separateness and still appears to be doing well.

Perhaps it was the “try harder” town that had to pick itself up after Middlebrook threatened its retail life, and so worked hard to survive. Local people know the truth of this one. Whatever the reason, today it makes shopping really enjoyable.