Free parking: Council's £500k plan to improve trade at shops

1:10pm Tuesday 26th February 2013 in News

Free parking: Council's £500k plan to improve trade at shops Free parking: Council's £500k plan to improve trade at shops

FREE parking in Bolton town centre will be extended as part of efforts to boost town centre trade.

Bolton Council has set aside £500,000 to help fund an expanded version of the free parking programme which was rolled out over the festive period.

From November 15 until January 27, parking charges were waived at Bow Street, Deane Road, Topp Way and the Octagon multi-storey car parks at weekends and after 3pm on weekdays.

Although the final figures of how many shoppers took advantage of the scheme have not yet been revealed, Town Hall chiefs said the initial feedback they received had been positive.

Now they hope to offer some form of free parking starting as soon as April.

Council chiefs said plans were still in the early stages. Details of which days and hours to be included in the scheme will be decided after consultation with town centre business leaders.

Bolton Council leader Cllr Cliff Morris said: “We’ve put some money to one side and we’re talking to town centre businesses.

“It’s £500,000 but it could be more or it could be less than that, the parking could be Saturdays or Sundays, or after 3pm, or Saturdays after noon. We don’t know yet and we’re still discussing it.”

It is hoped the free parking scheme, which is being paid for out of the council’s capital budget, will run all year.

Cllr Morris said: “We met with the town centre management committee and the feedback we’ve had is that they had a good Christmas.

“They said the free parking was good for the town centre but I think it was more than that, I think it was introducing things like the ice rink too.”

Keith Davies, Bolton Council’s Director of Development and Regeneration, added: “We can see there’s been some success with the free parking.

“We’re looking at doing something again and will be looking at all the options.”

And traders have welcomed the move.

Chris Webb, joint owner of photographic store Mathers of Lancashire in Market Street, said: “It would be absolutely amazing. That’s what this town needs.

“It would be a boost to the whole town centre and would get people coming here rather than going to the Trafford Centre.

“Bury used to have a free car parking scheme and it worked there. I think the free car parking over Christmas here did have an impact.”

Tony Frame, who has run the Salmon Kings stall at Bolton Market for the last 25 years, added: “I think the idea is brilliant.

“It’ll certainly help the town centre and, if it keeps people away from the out of town shopping centres, then it’s a good idea.”

Malcolm Angus, Crompton Place shopping centre manager, said: “I am pleased to hear the local authority is setting aside this substantial sum to look at some form of free parking scheme.

“It is a terrific way to encourage more people to the town which is vital for Bolton’s businesses and the people who live and work here.

“I will be very interested to learn of the finer details for the scheme and welcome this positive action by Bolton Council to support the town’s traders.”

Comments(71)

grimtown says...
9:22am Tue 26 Feb 13

The collateral damage to Bolton has already happened. People shop in Bury now. People have realised they have been subjected to over jealous traffic wardens. BMC why not turn it into a car friendly town as in they do in Holland! You need to thing outside the box now. :)

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pstuart says...
9:28am Tue 26 Feb 13

Can't agree more.

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The Wasp says...
9:44am Tue 26 Feb 13

Are these free parking times to coincide with councillor Morris's needs as they are certainly not to help the people of Bolton? Personally we shop in Bury or at the Trafford Centre. So much more to offer - no hassle.

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oftbewildered2 says...
9:47am Tue 26 Feb 13

the Octagon is okay - but the other car parks are in the wrong place for shoppers. Perhaps town centre workers and students will take advantage of the free parking - I mean, if shoppers came, where would they shop? The parking situation has taken its toll, but the damage it has caused has to be addressed first

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BWFC71 says...
10:04am Tue 26 Feb 13

To be fair its too little and very much too late.

All the major chain-stores that people do want to shop at are based either at Middlebroom, The Trafford Centre (both which operate free parking ALL the time) or people now shop in Bury as it is very much a family-centric town centre.

Its now got to a situation where teh charity shops are beginning to pac-up, with the Salvation Army already announcing they are leaving. Plus how many buskers are left in the town centre? Even they have left the town.

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BWFC71 says...
10:10am Tue 26 Feb 13

grimtown wrote:
The collateral damage to Bolton has already happened. People shop in Bury now. People have realised they have been subjected to over jealous traffic wardens. BMC why not turn it into a car friendly town as in they do in Holland! You need to thing outside the box now. :)
Hollands towns are car friendly? Since when?

I lived in a town, just 20 minutes outside Amsterdam and it definitely was not car friendly. The town had cycle roads, bus roads and normal roads. teh cycle and bus roads were given priority all the time and they took the shortest ditance where the normal roads took much longer and were definitely not direct routes.

Even Amsterdam is full of one-way street from detract from driving in the city centre and, yet again, priority is given to public tarnsport such as trams and buses.
- One major difference, though, their public transport system is far more excellent than ours. Bolton Council has no say on bus routes or bus companies and as such like everybody else has to rely on these companies to provide a decent service - which they do not!!! Unlike in Holland where bus companies/routes are franchised out (like what happens in London) and have to comply and make sure they give a good enough service or get fined.

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Marzi30 says...
10:23am Tue 26 Feb 13

Is there a Council election scheduled sometime soon ? why is Councillor Doris only now meeting with business leaders to discuss free parking 5 - 10 years after it started being requested by Bolton shoppers ? - Too little too late I'm afraid, Bolton Councillors have had their chance and blown it big time, they don't deserve another term in office.

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BWFC71 says...
10:28am Tue 26 Feb 13

Councillor Morris is online again and giving the thumbs down to people's posts! If they don't like what they read then they should have done something about the situation years ago, rather than just bloww hot air and do sweet FA!!!

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steveG says...
10:35am Tue 26 Feb 13

Inept response from an inept Council - Bolton is dead.

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thealexweb says...
10:36am Tue 26 Feb 13

It's been parking at Bolton station's car park for ever. Get a train to a whole variety if places.

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arrian says...
11:43am Tue 26 Feb 13

what is the point of free parking when there are hardly any decent shops anymore? unless you want charity shops, pound shops and betting shops? the biggest mistake this council made was in destroying the beautiful Market Place with it's multitude of small shops, all selling a wide variety of goods, from furniture, glassware, furnishings, childrens, ladies and gents clothing. pots and pans, electrical goods, hardware etc etc etc. the list goes on. all under one roof, with seating, cafes' and sweet stalls. always bustling, no matter what day of the week it was. now, just a bland, boring, empty shell. is it any wonder people go to places like Bury, with so much diversity to offer?

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William2701 says...
12:20pm Tue 26 Feb 13

arrian wrote:
what is the point of free parking when there are hardly any decent shops anymore? unless you want charity shops, pound shops and betting shops? the biggest mistake this council made was in destroying the beautiful Market Place with it's multitude of small shops, all selling a wide variety of goods, from furniture, glassware, furnishings, childrens, ladies and gents clothing. pots and pans, electrical goods, hardware etc etc etc. the list goes on. all under one roof, with seating, cafes' and sweet stalls. always bustling, no matter what day of the week it was. now, just a bland, boring, empty shell. is it any wonder people go to places like Bury, with so much diversity to offer?
'always bustling no matter what day of the week it was.'

Take off the rose tinted spectacles, I often walked and it was definately not how you describe. Very often there was hasdly anyone in there esp on Monday and Wednesday, Tuesday and Thursday were little better. On a sunday, except in the run up to Christmas the majority of the stalls were closed.

Yes, there may be more the Council could have done in order for the Market Hall, after refurbishment, to retain a little of what it had before but be realistic. Once the Planning Application was received there was little Bolton Council could do, the plans, by law, had to be passed ; to have refused would have ment certain defeat in court and a costly bill to be footed by Council Tax Payers.

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temujin says...
12:23pm Tue 26 Feb 13

arrian wrote:
what is the point of free parking when there are hardly any decent shops anymore? unless you want charity shops, pound shops and betting shops? the biggest mistake this council made was in destroying the beautiful Market Place with it's multitude of small shops, all selling a wide variety of goods, from furniture, glassware, furnishings, childrens, ladies and gents clothing. pots and pans, electrical goods, hardware etc etc etc. the list goes on. all under one roof, with seating, cafes' and sweet stalls. always bustling, no matter what day of the week it was. now, just a bland, boring, empty shell. is it any wonder people go to places like Bury, with so much diversity to offer?
Agreed, the damage has been done and it's virtually irreparable.

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oftbewildered2 says...
12:33pm Tue 26 Feb 13

arrian wrote:
what is the point of free parking when there are hardly any decent shops anymore? unless you want charity shops, pound shops and betting shops? the biggest mistake this council made was in destroying the beautiful Market Place with it's multitude of small shops, all selling a wide variety of goods, from furniture, glassware, furnishings, childrens, ladies and gents clothing. pots and pans, electrical goods, hardware etc etc etc. the list goes on. all under one roof, with seating, cafes' and sweet stalls. always bustling, no matter what day of the week it was. now, just a bland, boring, empty shell. is it any wonder people go to places like Bury, with so much diversity to offer?
amen to that

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BWFC71 says...
12:52pm Tue 26 Feb 13

The council at the time SOLD the Market Hall to Grosvenor Properties who then since destroyed the old Market Hall and made it as it is today and extension of the Market Place. Bolton Council no longer have any involvement with the building!!! But I am sick to death of Labour blaming teh LbDems as it was a CROSS-PARTY decision to sell the Market Hall - its just that we were led by the LibDems but ALL parties are to blame!!!

I went through the building on Sunday, first time in months and cannot believe how many empty retail units there are - It won't be long before Debenhams decide to move out due to lack of footfall and lack of any other shops in the building!!!

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Bob Shaftoe says...
1:03pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Here we go again another opportunity for the knockers to have a go at our town. Bolton has its problems for sure but why do the same people come on here time and time again to rubbish our town and then end up why comments like " we always go to Bury" or "it's only 20 minutes to the Trafford Centre". I wonder if any of these these muppets actually live in the borough or indeed come from Bolton. Mancs, dingles & bleeders may be?

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BWFC71 says...
1:16pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Bolton born and bred, live in the borough for over 40 years and lived in various parts of the town from Darcy Lever to Bromley Cross, from Belmont (which is actually in Blackburn with darwen) to Little Lever.

As I have said previously i went in on Sunday, first tiem in weeks and could not believe how many empty retail units there are not in The Market Place, but also within the town centre. Many chain-stores have left, or about to leave, the town and nothing replacing them - thus empty shops. The number of charity shops is gross, although they, also, are on the way out with Salvation army deciding to move out of the town!!! The town, even on Sundays used to bustle with buskers - i saw one busker duo who soon disappeared when they realised thaty the town was virtually empty!

There is no longer any late night shopping - Thursday used to be the day until 9pm, then 8pm and now nothing!!!

I know when teh council are to blame and when not to blame and what they could have done more of or when they are late to any reponse - reactive rather than proactive!

Now you tell me I don't live in the borough not know what is happening to MY town!!!

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Jooliash says...
1:28pm Tue 26 Feb 13

This is unimaginative and unfair.
Creating a traffic-choked, polluted, dangerous and ugly shopping environment is not going to bring shoppers back.
Why are just motorists benefiting at the expense of all taxpayers?
Time to attract people into the town by giving them better options to get there that are cleaner and convenient, and have a more pleasant place to do business in as a result.

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arrian says...
1:57pm Tue 26 Feb 13

i live in Farnworth, just down the road from Bolton, and it's even worse there! i go to Bolton Market almost every week, but for other shopping, except groceries, i don't even think of Bolton, and definitely not Farnworth.

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Toffee Si says...
1:59pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Bob Shaftoe wrote:
Here we go again another opportunity for the knockers to have a go at our town. Bolton has its problems for sure but why do the same people come on here time and time again to rubbish our town and then end up why comments like " we always go to Bury" or "it's only 20 minutes to the Trafford Centre". I wonder if any of these these muppets actually live in the borough or indeed come from Bolton. Mancs, dingles & bleeders may be?
Had to giggle Bob, just why would anyone NOT from Bolton want to even read this article in the first place?!?

Poor Bob......realism is not your strong point is it! Fact is Bolton is a poor town centre. Over the last 15 to 20 years it has declined, I remember you could not move in the Market Hall on even the town square on a weekend, but now even market stalls are empty, I have lost count of the number of vacant stores all over the centre, every week another business leaves.

Now when you go "in to town" unless you want to gamble, get cheap tat or buy a coffee or a pasty you have no choice but to go elsewhere. Bolton town centre is drawing its last breath all due to incompetent management.

Even the evening/night time bars have gone down hill, all the big venues such as Atlantis, New York New York, Ritzy & 5th Avenue (or for those under 30 Ikon) all shut down. Bolton was a great night out, not now, it is dank.

Fact is Bolton town centre has failed to invest I the right places at the right time and so is now suffering from that, and all the free parking in the world will not rectify that! Go to Leigh........that is Bolton very soon!

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boltonnut says...
2:08pm Tue 26 Feb 13

I don't live in the borough and my wife only come to Bolton to visit family and friends.I remember a few years ago we went to the market hall for lunch,it was almost empty.My wife was very upset.When she was in her teen she worked at krayson's shoe shop on Corperation st. and often ate and shopped in the hall,she had many fond memories.When we inquired where the Market hall had gone we were informed some body called Fat Morris had taken it away,(in so many words).On more recent visits to Bolton we've found the down town core deteriorating.Maybe time distorts nice memories, who knows?One thing I do know every time we asked where such a shop or business had gone, we were told to ask the Fat Man.

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BWFC71 says...
2:32pm Tue 26 Feb 13

boltonnut wrote:
I don't live in the borough and my wife only come to Bolton to visit family and friends.I remember a few years ago we went to the market hall for lunch,it was almost empty.My wife was very upset.When she was in her teen she worked at krayson's shoe shop on Corperation st. and often ate and shopped in the hall,she had many fond memories.When we inquired where the Market hall had gone we were informed some body called Fat Morris had taken it away,(in so many words).On more recent visits to Bolton we've found the down town core deteriorating.Maybe time distorts nice memories, who knows?One thing I do know every time we asked where such a shop or business had gone, we were told to ask the Fat Man.
To be fair Cllr Morris did not sign off the sale of the Market Hall as the signature belongs to a former LibDem councillor, when LibDems previoulsy ruled the roost for a limited period, but as I said before ALL the parties are to blame due to the decison being a Cross-Party decision!!!

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marco999 says...
2:42pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Bolton town centre is plainly tacky and well past its best and that is its problem – the free parking thing is just ‘too little too late’. Bolton is a big town with lots of potential but it simply offers very little to shoppers and to other visitors. I have just got home from a visit to Bolton Market and to be frank it is rubbish compared to almost any other market out there. Bolton needs soul; it needs younger fresher thinking. It needs good ideas, great attractions, sensible policies and logical organisation if it is to hold its own in the 21st century. Where are the street cafes, the Theatres (except for the wonderful Octagon) the cinemas? Where are the art galleries, the weird and wonderful architecture, the displays, the music, the street performers the bustling markets and the cosmopolitan shops? All I see are tacky pound shops, pawnbrokers and charity shops. The council needs wiping clean of the dusty old stuffed shirt brigade and then to bring in fresh innovators who aren’t afraid to try new things with the town.

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Bob Shaftoe says...
4:01pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Bob Shaftoe wrote:
Here we go again another opportunity for the knockers to have a go at our town. Bolton has its problems for sure but why do the same people come on here time and time again to rubbish our town and then end up why comments like " we always go to Bury" or "it's only 20 minutes to the Trafford Centre". I wonder if any of these these muppets actually live in the borough or indeed come from Bolton. Mancs, dingles & bleeders may be?
Well, that woke 'em up!

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tommy says...
4:02pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Hmph.

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Comment777 says...
4:07pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Some people for Bolton Town Centre some against...quite normal

lots of different opinions...quite acceptable

Some live in the borough some do not but the latter may visit Bolton...OK

But please remember what the council has done to shoppers, retailers and visitors over many years....NOW MAKE THE COUNCILLORS PAY FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE...STOP GOING INTO BOLTON, FREE PARKING OR NOT, STOP SPENDING YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY!!!!
Make it your aim to see Bolton financially crippled which has many advantages one being the removal of the dead wood council the members of which are responsible along with greedy landlords for the disgusting, unsafe and shop less town centre Bolton now is!!!!!

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Comment777 says...
4:11pm Tue 26 Feb 13

oftbewildered2 wrote:
arrian wrote:
what is the point of free parking when there are hardly any decent shops anymore? unless you want charity shops, pound shops and betting shops? the biggest mistake this council made was in destroying the beautiful Market Place with it's multitude of small shops, all selling a wide variety of goods, from furniture, glassware, furnishings, childrens, ladies and gents clothing. pots and pans, electrical goods, hardware etc etc etc. the list goes on. all under one roof, with seating, cafes' and sweet stalls. always bustling, no matter what day of the week it was. now, just a bland, boring, empty shell. is it any wonder people go to places like Bury, with so much diversity to offer?
amen to that
Absolutely....but do something about it...do not go to the Town Centre, avoid at all cost....

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Jaynewelsby says...
4:23pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Free Town Centre Parking, what about the Hospital i think that should be a FREE PARKING Zone first, people go to the shops for enjoyment. The poor people that are having to pay to go to the RBH is a disgrace, when they are either ill or visting the sick. Last year my father was in that Hospital for over 6 weeks and it cost us a small fortune. Charging the poor , we need ROBIN HOOD !!!!!!!

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Phil from Smithills says...
4:36pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Bradshawgate is a shadow of what it used to be, ever since the access onto it from the Arndale Centre was blocked. The temporary ice rink in Victoria Square was a huge success around Christmas time, so why don't the powers that be, look at using the closed Palais or the empty Williams car show rooms as a ice rink for the town. We need more attractions tp encourage people into the town, its not rocket science.

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Phil from Smithills says...
4:39pm Tue 26 Feb 13

The car park in St Helena road near the Lads & Girls club has been closed now for years and left empty. Open it up for free parking, to attract people into our town, again, its not rocket science.

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Rememberscarborough says...
4:41pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Why do I get the feeling Bolton's traffic wardens are licking their lips at this idea? We'd now get the situation where car parks are sometimes free and sometimes not so the wardens would be sat there waiting for the clock to tick over before filling their daily quota in a matter of minutes. Maybe Morris is fully aware of this and that's why he's come up with this conveluted plan to increase the concil's funds...

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Bob Shaftoe says...
4:58pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Comment777 wrote:
Some people for Bolton Town Centre some against...quite normal

lots of different opinions...quite acceptable

Some live in the borough some do not but the latter may visit Bolton...OK

But please remember what the council has done to shoppers, retailers and visitors over many years....NOW MAKE THE COUNCILLORS PAY FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE...STOP GOING INTO BOLTON, FREE PARKING OR NOT, STOP SPENDING YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY!!!!
Make it your aim to see Bolton financially crippled which has many advantages one being the removal of the dead wood council the members of which are responsible along with greedy landlords for the disgusting, unsafe and shop less town centre Bolton now is!!!!!
NOW MAKE THE COUNCILLORS PAY FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE...STOP GOING INTO BOLTON, FREE PARKING OR NOT, STOP SPENDING YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY!!!! Make it your aim to see Bolton financially crippled which has many advantages one being the removal of the dead wood council the members of which are responsible along with greedy landlords for the disgusting, unsafe and shop less town centre Bolton now is!!!!!


Yeah that's all we need, tumbleweed blowing across the square. Like them or hate them,the Council is democratically elected and there's not much chance of replacing them in the in the near future due to the Tory/Libs unpopularity and the lack of a local opposition leader with the radical ideas required. Someone like the owner of the Olympus maybe, who I'm sure if given the chance could turn the town centre around on his own!

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127001 says...
5:36pm Tue 26 Feb 13

No one has asked how Bolton Council have found £500,000 yet. There was a meeting last Wednesday about cuts etc but where has all this money come from?

hmmm.

Anyway, I could sit here and blame the council all day. Fact is the council can't force any single entity be they an individual or business to buy a building in Bolton.

Sure, they can promote Bolton and 'help' secure deals or sell off certain assets they own...

The retail sector is changing though due to other factors. Internet shopping has increased by a huge factor over the past 10 years and it's growing year on year. Physical retail outlets (HMV as a prime example) CANNOT compete with price or choice at the end of the day. The likes of X-Records though is unique and will most likely remain.

Sad as it may seem the town will just be a hub of food/drink/betting/p
ound shops at most.

The council have made some silly mistakes but there's no point crying because the damage has already been done.

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georgethebrave says...
6:07pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Cllr Doris is a clown, he says he has put half a million away for free parking, but has anyone else noticed that the car parks are 90% empty anyway! Has the fat controller not realised yet that a full free car park is better than a 90% empty paid one? At least if the car parks are full then it shows people want to come to Bolton, but it still won't make a difference because there still isn't a great deal to visit Bolton for!

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Just Thought says...
6:17pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Well Bolton Council its a bit to late to make a token effort to get some shoppers back as they all now go elsewhere to where its clean and the parking is free. It was a really great idea back in the day to charge everyone to park while they came and spent there money in the town. It still sounds like the Council are doing 'some' free parking with there arm twisted up ther back. Its sad to say but they will never learn as the greed to have money seems more important than anything else.

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abbott71 says...
7:44pm Tue 26 Feb 13

i ve read a lot of the post s and have to say I agree. unlike some quotes I live in Bolton and used to work here on a 24 hrs basis. . it has gone over the last 6/7 yrs into serious decline. Bradshawgat reminds me of King street in Wigan and the town centre is full of tax dodgers, I msure I ll get some kickback from that but it is true. Iwent to bury last weekend and not a "shopper" it was enjoyable. it was heaving and the car parking was reasonable, 2.50 for 3 hrs no problem paying that when i enjoyed the shops atmosphere etc... Bolton I drive through and occasionally catch the train.... unless this council of idiots sort the mess out and stop arguing about who is to blame it will die.

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Citizen Cane says...
8:42pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Waste of council tax-payers money. Shops are closing because of the the trend to on-line and more attractive alternatives elsewhere. No amount of free parking will change that.

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boydell says...
9:05pm Tue 26 Feb 13

I could not agree more with the comments.... "too little too late"
I was in Bolton today in a supermarket free car park and it made no difference to me.
I took a walk around the town center and was really disgusted by the state of the town.
All the boarded up shops and boarded up public houses were a very depressing sight.
I was having to step aside to let male and female people who spoke a different language to me walk on, it was either step aside or be pushed aside. They have (like the triffids) taken over our town.
I took a walk to the market to buy some fruit and veg and it was the same there.....where have all these foreigners come from?....where are all the Boltonians ??.... probably in the out of town shopping centers I suppose.

I could hardly wait to get back home again. Parking or no free parking it will be a long time before I go back into the town again.

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Bazzerd says...
9:26pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Jaynewelsby wrote:
Free Town Centre Parking, what about the Hospital i think that should be a FREE PARKING Zone first, people go to the shops for enjoyment. The poor people that are having to pay to go to the RBH is a disgrace, when they are either ill or visting the sick. Last year my father was in that Hospital for over 6 weeks and it cost us a small fortune. Charging the poor , we need ROBIN HOOD !!!!!!!
Hurrah!..excellent Idea..unfortunately people '...HAVE' to got to hospital to visit sick friends and relatives....so it won't happen...because its a 'captive audience' so to speak...my mother works at the hospital..and she has to pay as well!

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Bazzerd says...
9:51pm Tue 26 Feb 13

MY...First reaction to the initial 'BEN HEADLINE'

1. starting as soon as april????..How the feck does it take sooo long to make parking free?..they already did it last year...same thing different year..the solution is 'YEP'..same as last time...not 2 months of fannying around.
2.'Cllr Morris said: “We met with the town centre management committee and the feedback we’ve had is that they had a good Christmas.'.....
solution:..a few phone calls to the 'few' traders still operating would suffice (a meeting For gods sake!)..
3: 'Keith Davies, Bolton Council’s Director of Development and Regeneration, added: “We can see there’s been some success with the free parking..
observation:..IT'D BE HARD TO MAKE IT WORSE!! (but I bet bolton council could)
4:Chris Webb, joint owner of photographic store Mathers of Lancashire in Market Street, said: “It would be absolutely amazing. That’s what this town needs.“It would be a boost to the whole town centre and would get people coming here rather than going to the Trafford Centre.
observation: WE ALSO NEED THE SAME SHOPS AS THE TRAFFORD CENTRE!!
5: Tony Frame, who has run the Salmon Kings stall at Bolton Market for the last 25 years, added: “I think the idea is brilliant.!!
observation: BRILLIANT!!!!????! (HE obviously isn't brilliant .OH YES!!..we still need some proper shops to compete)
6: Malcolm Angus '“It is a terrific way to encourage more people to the town which is vital for Bolton’s businesses and the people who live and work here.'
comment: 'TERRIFIC???'...I think not!..it's slightly helpful ..at best...Hardly a life/townsaver.

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Comment777 says...
10:43pm Tue 26 Feb 13

georgethebrave wrote:
Cllr Doris is a clown, he says he has put half a million away for free parking, but has anyone else noticed that the car parks are 90% empty anyway! Has the fat controller not realised yet that a full free car park is better than a 90% empty paid one? At least if the car parks are full then it shows people want to come to Bolton, but it still won't make a difference because there still isn't a great deal to visit Bolton for!
And why do they need five hundred thousand to provide free parking????

The reason is they sold many of the car parks they owned to private companies..vine street for example was sold for a pound because the council said it would cost too much to maintain the multi storey...what did the private company do, painted the floors put up some lighting and cameras creating an instantly profitable operation for which the council now have to pay for to subsidise free parking. Superb decision making for which they should be punished...and tumble weed would look good on Victoria square just as the Victorians had not envisaged the outcome of their exploitation of resources and human labour...

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Comment777 says...
10:51pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Bob Shaftoe wrote:
Comment777 wrote:
Some people for Bolton Town Centre some against...quite normal

lots of different opinions...quite acceptable

Some live in the borough some do not but the latter may visit Bolton...OK

But please remember what the council has done to shoppers, retailers and visitors over many years....NOW MAKE THE COUNCILLORS PAY FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE...STOP GOING INTO BOLTON, FREE PARKING OR NOT, STOP SPENDING YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY!!!!
Make it your aim to see Bolton financially crippled which has many advantages one being the removal of the dead wood council the members of which are responsible along with greedy landlords for the disgusting, unsafe and shop less town centre Bolton now is!!!!!
NOW MAKE THE COUNCILLORS PAY FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE...STOP GOING INTO BOLTON, FREE PARKING OR NOT, STOP SPENDING YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY!!!! Make it your aim to see Bolton financially crippled which has many advantages one being the removal of the dead wood council the members of which are responsible along with greedy landlords for the disgusting, unsafe and shop less town centre Bolton now is!!!!!


Yeah that's all we need, tumbleweed blowing across the square. Like them or hate them,the Council is democratically elected and there's not much chance of replacing them in the in the near future due to the Tory/Libs unpopularity and the lack of a local opposition leader with the radical ideas required. Someone like the owner of the Olympus maybe, who I'm sure if given the chance could turn the town centre around on his own!
I have not and never will elect the kind of people who sit on Bolton council...people do not learn from pas experiences and continue to vote for these clowns who are involved or related to previous clowns...

Tumble weed on Victoria Square sounds good much better than the layabouts, thugs and numerous other ignorant ill-mannered people who frequent it now...ring back the CO-OP DEPARTMENT STORE with its bright red lift doors and oak staircase...unfortun
ately now gone forever just like the heart and soul of what once was a vibrant , clean and relatively safe town....sad in the extreme the symptoms of which will not be cured by free parking and may eventually be terminal!!!

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grimtown says...
12:25am Wed 27 Feb 13

York City do Ghost Walks round the city center for tourists.
Tourists to Bolton Town Centre walk round a ghost town.

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Anne Crompton, Community Correspondent says...
8:51am Wed 27 Feb 13

Why oh why is it that every time there is a bit of good news for a change do these pages get inundated with pessimistic people's comments. If shops are closing it can hardly be the fault of the Council. Have you ever considered the fact that it is you lot who praise the likes of Bury and suggest people are shopping there who are the cause of the decline of local businesses. If they don't get cusomers then they can't make a living! Yes Bolton has declined for some years but so have many other town centres. And there is more to Bolton town centre than Newport Street and Bradshawgate (which has never been a thoroughfare for much else than Solicitors and Estate Agents). You can't move in Primark of a lunchtime let alone shop in your dinner hour. The market is similarly busy as is Morrisons and Marks and Spencer. Come on people who love their birthtown - comment on these pages and show that these negative gainsayers are not the majority of Boltontians.

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Wigan Trotter says...
8:52am Wed 27 Feb 13

Every town centre is the same due to the recession and online shopping. So get use to it as it will get even worse.

Third world, here we come!

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Bob Shaftoe says...
9:12am Wed 27 Feb 13

Anne Crompton, Community Correspondent wrote:
Why oh why is it that every time there is a bit of good news for a change do these pages get inundated with pessimistic people's comments. If shops are closing it can hardly be the fault of the Council. Have you ever considered the fact that it is you lot who praise the likes of Bury and suggest people are shopping there who are the cause of the decline of local businesses. If they don't get cusomers then they can't make a living! Yes Bolton has declined for some years but so have many other town centres. And there is more to Bolton town centre than Newport Street and Bradshawgate (which has never been a thoroughfare for much else than Solicitors and Estate Agents). You can't move in Primark of a lunchtime let alone shop in your dinner hour. The market is similarly busy as is Morrisons and Marks and Spencer. Come on people who love their birthtown - comment on these pages and show that these negative gainsayers are not the majority of Boltontians.
Anne Crompton. Correct in what you say this post is full of the same old whingers and moaners there's even one geezer who calls himself 'grimtown'. They all have the same mentality, bash the town centre that they hardly use then blame the council because businesses close because of lack of footfall. Then they finish off with 'we go to Bury ..or Wigan etc, etc' The message is simple; use it or lose it.

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The Wasp says...
9:23am Wed 27 Feb 13

Anne Crompton, Community Correspondent wrote:
Why oh why is it that every time there is a bit of good news for a change do these pages get inundated with pessimistic people's comments. If shops are closing it can hardly be the fault of the Council. Have you ever considered the fact that it is you lot who praise the likes of Bury and suggest people are shopping there who are the cause of the decline of local businesses. If they don't get cusomers then they can't make a living! Yes Bolton has declined for some years but so have many other town centres. And there is more to Bolton town centre than Newport Street and Bradshawgate (which has never been a thoroughfare for much else than Solicitors and Estate Agents). You can't move in Primark of a lunchtime let alone shop in your dinner hour. The market is similarly busy as is Morrisons and Marks and Spencer. Come on people who love their birthtown - comment on these pages and show that these negative gainsayers are not the majority of Boltontians.
Bolton born and bred. The council are at fault for the enormous rents they charge. Everywhere you look is a traffic warden waiting to pounce. So yes, it is the "likes of me" as you so rudely put it that will go to Bury or the Trafford Centre because it is much more friendly and much more to choose from. I have no intention of putting money into Bolton council's pocket. Bolton has not been declining for "some" years, its been declining for a very long time.

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Bob Shaftoe says...
9:56am Wed 27 Feb 13

Rents? What are you talking about? Council houses?
The Council has no control over commercial property rents except from what they charge on Bolton market, they are set by greedy landlords and the business rate is set by central government. Please enlighten me. How do you put money into Bolton' Council's pocket by shopping in Bolton. Apart from parking charges which you pay in your beloved Bury anyway.

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BWFC71 says...
10:31am Wed 27 Feb 13

Bob Shaftoe wrote:
Anne Crompton, Community Correspondent wrote:
Why oh why is it that every time there is a bit of good news for a change do these pages get inundated with pessimistic people's comments. If shops are closing it can hardly be the fault of the Council. Have you ever considered the fact that it is you lot who praise the likes of Bury and suggest people are shopping there who are the cause of the decline of local businesses. If they don't get cusomers then they can't make a living! Yes Bolton has declined for some years but so have many other town centres. And there is more to Bolton town centre than Newport Street and Bradshawgate (which has never been a thoroughfare for much else than Solicitors and Estate Agents). You can't move in Primark of a lunchtime let alone shop in your dinner hour. The market is similarly busy as is Morrisons and Marks and Spencer. Come on people who love their birthtown - comment on these pages and show that these negative gainsayers are not the majority of Boltontians.
Anne Crompton. Correct in what you say this post is full of the same old whingers and moaners there's even one geezer who calls himself 'grimtown'. They all have the same mentality, bash the town centre that they hardly use then blame the council because businesses close because of lack of footfall. Then they finish off with 'we go to Bury ..or Wigan etc, etc' The message is simple; use it or lose it.
Hmm lets see

I used to shop at Burtons - now closed (nearest ones are Bury and Farnworth)
I used to shop at Clinton Cards - now closed but can buy cards at asda or Tesco or Home Bargains
I used to shop at HMV - became too expensive and now shop online
I used to shop at Sweetens - they closed but Waterstones is far too small and so I use the one in Manchester
Plus other shops I used to frequent taht have now closed, but found substitutes in either Bury or Manchester so with the other shops I still uses such as WH Smiths being in other towns why should I come into Bolton?

Bolton does not even have niche shops anymore, unless you do count the pound shops, the betting shops and the charity shops.

Fortunately I am not one for going out every weekend to get drunk, and if i do go out I would like to eat before drinking - aprt from a couple of moderate restuarants there is nothing of high calibre in the town - no San Carlo, No Piccolino's, No Pearl City, No Turkish, Cuban or any other minority themed restaurant in the town centre and teh pubs and clubs - well the big ones have closed and not been replaced (Ritzy's) and all those that used to be on Bank Street (thinking of Maxwell Plums which closed over 10 years ago) - Manchester has a much vibrant night-life than Bolton.

Then of course there is no entertainment in the Town Centre - yes there is the Octogan and teh Little Theatre, but if you wish to see the same production week after week after week then its ok!!!! But no cinema, no ice skating, no swimming (a-la Water Place), no roller skating - again one has to go out of town for these!!!

Yes I am moaning, but a lot more could have been done to stop the current mess that is currently Bolton Town Centre.

They do have attractions, but how often are they? The Food Event and the Triathlon event but tahts it - I know other toens that do something to attract visitors on at least a monthly basis and they do attract money to the town!!!

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Bob Shaftoe says...
1:11pm Wed 27 Feb 13

OK you say a lot more could have been done to stop the decline, so come on let's have some positive ideas and constructive opinions for a change or better still put up for the council as an independent. You'd get my vote pal.

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wsw69 says...
1:47pm Wed 27 Feb 13

This just shows how out of touch the council are. Cliff Morris is utterly clueless, devoid of any common sense and should have been put out to pasture donkeys years ago.

As for this pathetic plan that most certainly will have zero long term effect, the money would be best spent on more needy things.

Talk about the lunatics have taken over the asylum - they run riot in it, and have done so for a very long time.

There's more going on in tramps underwear than in Bolton Town Centre.

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BWFC71 says...
3:33pm Wed 27 Feb 13

@ Bob

Free Parking, in the town centes car parks for up to 2 hours
Should never have got rid of The Bolton Show
- Put in ideas from the private sector with regards to an Entertainment Zone (preferably behind Victoria Hall) which would include a cinema, bowling alley, skating (roller, ice or both), and a water-place style simming baths
- Carried through the idea of turning Nelson Square into a Contionental style square with outdoor seating around the bars and restaurants - instead of turning the hotel into Student Accomodation.
- Using current legislation to FORCE bus companies to stop at Bolton Interchange - even if making Newport Street buses only in both directions, whilst keeping and renovating teh current bus station!
- Never should have knocked down the old college building, instead renovate and rent out as office space
- Create a new urban park between Trinity Street and Great Moor Street (whilst re-aligning Bradshawgate between Trinity Street and Great Moor Street) which could hold a monthly Farmers market, Antique's Fair, summer art exhibitions, whilst on the "St Peters Way" side of New Bradshawgate would be an Enterprise Zone - Fully CCTV to deter any form of prostitution.
-Make Churchgate the hostoric area of town, knock down teh old cumbling buildings near the old canal basin and create an new tourist attraction in teh form of "Little Bolton" showing the history of Bolton from farmland through the industrial revolution to present day.
- Close off Bradshawgate (between Great Moor Street and Bank Street) on Friday/Saturday Nights and Saturday/Sunday Nights so that accidents cannot happen for Bolton revellers, also as many will be in one area will be easier to police!!!
- Promote Bolton as a prominant town in the North West to being in companies and investment and with easy connections to the motorway network and closeness to Manchester whilst keeping individuality - you will be surprised how many companies want that individualism
- Great Moor Street from Balmoral upwards to reonvate the buy teh buildings, renovate and rent out to pop-up shops, and niche shops thus creating a independent area of teh town.
- Get rid of the massive fat-frying fast food kiosks completely - we already have enough greasy spoons around town.
- Re-introduce Busker of the year competition and set around town various spots that buskers can rent
- The Victorian fayre should be moved and expanded from one weekend a year to replace to the so-called Christmas Continental Market. Let Manchester do their Xmas Market whilst we do our own alterntive which is completely Victorian England style, along with other Christmassy by-products such as a "sledge" run (Almere has one every year and check their website). Another new museum exploring the police in our town - could be doen with teh help of GMP and they don't need to build or regenerate a building as the old Police Station on teh Crescent would suffice!

Plus look at what they could do once a month, or more, in bringing people into the town centre - for ideas check the Almere website for what they do.

Thats just for starters.

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Wigan Trotter says...
6:46am Thu 28 Feb 13

If only the money was there!

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boltoncity says...
12:49pm Thu 28 Feb 13

1. dont offer free parking in a few car parks but offer a cheaper parking price in all. Maybe £1 or £1.50 all day, sunday free?

2. Then arrange for more external markets type stalls to be set up in spacial areas and walkways similar to what are set up around christmas time in manchester. Selling anything from food to home made items. this will increase footfall

3. once pedestrian numbers increase tempt the big shops back by offering them discounts on rental for a fixed period

lets get Bolton back to being a great place to shop as it was a few years ago.

and as for those who are anti bolton council , who did you vote for in the last local election ? if you voted labour youve got all you deserved

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BWFC71 says...
3:16pm Thu 28 Feb 13

Bolton cannot discounts on rent as the many retail units are actually owned by private landlords and NOT Bolton Council - so that will never happen, unfortunately!

I didn't vote in the last Locals due to the fact I was living overseas, but to see the dramatic degredance of my town in just over 6 years is incredibale and all councillors involved, in all parties, are to blame!!!

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BWFC71 says...
3:22pm Thu 28 Feb 13

Wigan Trotter wrote:
If only the money was there!
Bolton cannot discounts on rent as the many retail units are actually owned by private landlords and NOT Bolton Council - so that will never happen!

Money is there but Bolton is not a quick over-night fix. It may have been about 6 years ago but so much damage has been done over those years by ALL councillors that its going to take time to rebuid and fix the problems. The suggestions I made are a mid-term solution (approx 5-10 years) in basically remodelling between Great Moor street and Trinity street and slowly rebuilding the fantastic rapport we had with locals and visitors alike.

Also the £81million is reserves would go a long way to funding the projects!!!

But the short-term solutions would be to introduce at least monthly activities to get people back into the town cenntre and many activities do not actually cost that much considering the returns that the Town will get - as I say one needs to look at other towns in the country and overseas - I mentioned Almere which does something every month to get people into its centre and just looking online at the towns website shows what can be done on the cheap!!!

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azincourt says...
8:50pm Thu 28 Feb 13

to late mr morris the horse has bolted .

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Marzi30 says...
4:09am Fri 1 Mar 13

Anne Crompton, Community Correspondent wrote:
Why oh why is it that every time there is a bit of good news for a change do these pages get inundated with pessimistic people's comments. If shops are closing it can hardly be the fault of the Council. Have you ever considered the fact that it is you lot who praise the likes of Bury and suggest people are shopping there who are the cause of the decline of local businesses. If they don't get cusomers then they can't make a living! Yes Bolton has declined for some years but so have many other town centres. And there is more to Bolton town centre than Newport Street and Bradshawgate (which has never been a thoroughfare for much else than Solicitors and Estate Agents). You can't move in Primark of a lunchtime let alone shop in your dinner hour. The market is similarly busy as is Morrisons and Marks and Spencer. Come on people who love their birthtown - comment on these pages and show that these negative gainsayers are not the majority of Boltontians.
Anne Crompton, You are typical of the approach of the journalists of the Bolton News who instead of challenging the Council as to why their lack of imagination, failure to engage residents and business owners, and general apathy to watching how this once thriving Town has deteriorated massively over the last 10 years while Councillors' expenses steadily increase, do nothing but suck up to Councillor Morris and his out of touch cronies. You quote Primark, the Market, Morrisons and M&S as carrying our economic survival in your lunch hour, are You for real ? When Primark and M&S move out and the Council make a monumental **** up as per the Market Hall I look forward to marketing Bolton and our £48 million transport interchange bringing in coaches full of tourists to visit Morrisons. Either carry out your journalistic duties with some semblance of integrity or just keep quiet and stop trying to defend a Council that is so out of touch with its residents it thinks offering free car parking is going to regenerate the Town Centre. PS - which member of the Council are You related to ?

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Towntrader says...
9:30am Fri 1 Mar 13

This is fantastic news.......this must be the first time I've actually heard the council acknowledge that the town centre has a problem with poor trade!!

Talk about a council with its head in the sand!

I'm not one for Bolton Bashing, I love this place. I was born here and will most likely die here. Bolton council desperately needs to start more active dialogue with both the traders and the shoppers who still choose to visit.

Councillors I urge you to step out on to the town hall steps, take a look around and tell me what you see? If you can see a town centre filled with pound shops, betting shops and pawn brokers, its time to wake up and smell the god-**** coffee! Sit on the same steps and take a quick survey of the shopping bags people are walking around with!

The initial steps to a recovering alcoholic is to firstly admit there's a serious problem...which in Bolton there clearly is. Maybe this is Bolton's first steps??

I have a feeling that this initiative is just like performing open heart surgery on someone and patching them back up with a plaster!

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judyben says...
11:23pm Fri 1 Mar 13

Anne Crompton is burying her head in the sand too. Things have gone too far and further decline will surely follow. I hate the Trafford Centre and would much prefer to shop locally but as countless others have said there is nothing here to attract shoppers. Demographics play a big part and people who frequent the centre don't or can't spend money here. Some of the stall holders I spoke to on the continental market said they wouldn't come back to Bolton again as they couldn't sell anything.We are neither negative nor whingers ,just realists. I have lived here all my life and was a proud boltonian. Now I would dearly love to be able to move away. I no longer feel part of this town.

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Wigan Trotter says...
7:07am Sat 2 Mar 13

If some people think it is bad living in Bolton, they should try living in some other towns!

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BWFC71 says...
10:54am Sat 2 Mar 13

Just to note... I needed a new phone this week and I went to Burnden Park, at Carephone Warehouse, and whilst I was there did a bit of shopping at Asda and DW Sports , the difference between Burnden Park (and other out-of-town centres) and Bolton Town Centre is:-

Free Parking
Had what I wanted
Good Choice of shops with none of them boarded up
No drunk/drug chavs hanging around
No junk-food kiosks hanging around (that seem to be bigger than small newsagents!)
Clean

So what is the point of Bolton Town Centre - sorry to say but its the council that have messed up with allowing these out of town centres, and the council cannot see what to do next with the town centre - see my suggestions on a previous post - none are overnight, as it can't be anymore due to the depth of destruction!

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Sirrius7 says...
5:43pm Sat 2 Mar 13

Many of the stalls on the Market display signs in Polish and Urdu. I feel like a foreigner in my own Country.

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BWFC71 says...
12:42am Sun 3 Mar 13

Sirrius7 wrote:
Many of the stalls on the Market display signs in Polish and Urdu. I feel like a foreigner in my own Country.
Just like how the Germans feel on their markets with labels in Polish, Turkish, Mandarin

Just like how the Dutch feel on their markets with labels in Polish, English, Turkish and Japanese

Just like how the French feel on their markets with labels in Polish, English, Urdu and Afrikaan!

I am sick to death in many thinking that it just happens in the UK - IT DOESN'T!!!!! It happens all over the world - yikes in the USA they have Spanish and French speaking TV channels never mind the main networks!!!!

Ignorant people should lose theie xenophobic ideals and wake up to the real Earth community!!! In fact out of these ignorant people, how many speak another language. I speak 4, excluding my mother tongue of English, and it helps in this small world of ours.

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Bob Shaftoe says...
10:51am Sun 3 Mar 13

Sirrius7 wrote:
Many of the stalls on the Market display signs in Polish and Urdu. I feel like a foreigner in my own Country.
I shop on Bolton Market every week and I have never seen any signs written in Urdu, Polish or even double dutch.

Which stalls are you referring to?

Or are you just after scoring a cheap point with your last sentence.

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BWFC71 says...
11:13am Sun 3 Mar 13

Bob Shaftoe wrote:
Sirrius7 wrote:
Many of the stalls on the Market display signs in Polish and Urdu. I feel like a foreigner in my own Country.
I shop on Bolton Market every week and I have never seen any signs written in Urdu, Polish or even double dutch.

Which stalls are you referring to?

Or are you just after scoring a cheap point with your last sentence.
The poster is just after scoring a cheap ppoint as probably the poster doesn't even live in Bolton!

But, ihave to say, that it would never bother me anyway. I would find it enlightening knowing that our market traders are actually bilingual!!!

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Robert2012 says...
7:23pm Sun 3 Mar 13

You can't polish a turd...

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BWFC71 says...
7:31pm Sun 3 Mar 13

Robert2012 wrote:
You can't polish a turd...
Have you been looking in a mirror again?

As taht comment is so true.

So basically you are calling all those who have served for their country, and been made redundant as lazy benefits grabbing workshy misfits, because there is not enough work and they have to claim benefits!!!

I am so glad that you are patriotic to all the servicemen who work, or have worked for our country!

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Robert2012 says...
9:29am Mon 4 Mar 13

Put the crack pipe down and stop following me around you crank...

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BWFC71 says...
7:32pm Mon 4 Mar 13

Robert2012 wrote:
Put the crack pipe down and stop following me around you crank...
You think you have all the answer, don't you?

Wrong again!!!

I do not smoke, and never have smoked and cannot see the point in smoking!

I do not do drugs (apart from caffeine, alcohol and cocoa), I have never done drugs and do not see the point in drug taking.

So, therefore, I presume its you who smokes and takes the drugs as you seem to know what one needs.

Plus it seems that you have lost any standing or argument because you have come down and shown you true colours as just a plain old name-caller. All mouth and no action!

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Robert2012 says...
8:45pm Mon 4 Mar 13

So you admit your a crank then?

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