IT is Local Newspaper Week – an annual event highlighting the important campaigning role played by local papers in communities across the UK.

The Bolton News has a long and proud history of campaigning for our readers on issues that matter most to them — we have been fighting on your behalf since our first edition was printed in 1867.

Here, Andrew Bardsley looks at how our business coverage in the town makes a difference.

THEY say money makes the world go round — and The Bolton News continues to provide extensive coverage of business in Bolton, and how it is changing the fabric of the town.

There has been a feel good factor around Bolton recently, with major business and renovation projects, especially in the town centre.

And as well as this large scale investment, the pages of The Bolton News have been full of how small and medium sized businesses are bucking the trend and performing well amid financial gloom in other areas of the country.

Every Monday and Wednesday, The Bolton News has dedicated business pages which bring readers the latest business stories from the town.

From the opening of a new beauty clinic, which we reported on last week, through to the multi-million pound success of Middlebrook based white goods giants AO.com, the newspaper keeps readers in the know when it comes to Bolton business.

The Bolton News also holds its annual Bolton and Bury Business Awards, which celebrate firms and business people with a range of individual and team awards.

As well as good news stories, the newspaper also reports on job losses at local firms and on businesses going through tougher times.

Businessman Andrew Dickson, who ran multi-million pound travel company St Andrews Travel for 25 years, is a regular business columnist for The Bolton News.

He says our business coverage has been a vital source of information for him over the years.

Mr Dickson said: "The Bolton News business pages have always been really important to me to tell me about new businesses, events that are happening at local firms, and of course celebrating the success of local award winning companies.

"The pages keep me informed, supply me with ideas and motivation and provide lots of business leads.

"The Bolton News is our only local daily paper and provides a unique service, and the business pages are one area I want to read and actually would like to see more coverage and monthly supplements all about promoting local business. Long may it continue."

Another business person to regularly feature in the newspaper is Nikki Wilson Cooke, manager of the Market Place Shopping Centre, which has undergone an exciting renovation project.

New restaurants including Prezzo and Nandos have recently opened in the vaults of the centre, and a cinema is set to open at the end of the year.

She said: "The Bolton News has always been a great help in terms of coverage and letting people in the town know about the latest developments here.

"The paper has always been very supportive, and I am sure this relationship will continue in the future."