CAMPAIGNERS’ dreams of seeing the former Bolton Palais de Danse restored to its former glory have finally been dashed by the plans which will see it demolished.

Maggie Gallagher led the Save the Bolton Palais campaign and petition fighting to preserve the building.

The grandmother of four from Darcy Lever launched a petition to oppose any demolition of the building, which attracted more than 3,000 signatures of support.

While heartbroken to learn of the plans to replace a once famous dance hall with a hotel and car park, she vowed that campaigners would fight the proposals.

REVEALED: Major plans to pull down Ikon and Palais de Danse building and create hotel

Miss Gallagher said: “I’m devastated for all those petition members and disappointed for Bolton as well.

“We couldn’t have fought any more but we had no help and it felt like banging your head against a big wall. It is so upsetting.

“You can’t fight any of these big time property developers, but we will protest right until the bulldozers come. The fight will go on until the very end.”

The Save the Bolton Palais group have spent the last 10 months trying to find an alternative solution for the future of the building which is owned by the Moorgarth group.

An alternative proposal included restoring and converting the old Astoria Palais de Danse into a dance hall and centre for events including art and music. As part of the campaign the group also submitted an application to have the three-storey property granted a listed building status on the ground of special architectural or historic interest.

However, the proposals were turned down by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Karen Bradley MP, in August.

The rejection failed to deter the campaigners though and, inspired by the similar renovated venues in other parts of the country, the group revealed its vision for a restored venue and how it could become a viable business proposition through a specially designed website.

Fellow campaigner Bernard Cromarty, a Bolton folk musician and radio producer, has always cited the restoration of the Stockport Plaza as evidence of what could be achieved for the Palais.

He believes the Inception Holdings plans, which are stated to be ‘reminiscent of the original Palais de Danse’, go against the grain of what Bolton needs.

He said: “It defies belief! I was wondering what third bit of bad news was to come, we’ve had Brexit, we’ve had Trump, and now this.

“‘Reminiscent’ is not quite the word I would use to describe the designs, it just goes with the shape of the road. It beggars belief, it’s not as if the town needs another car park.

“There are many more buildings apparently in need of tearing down in Bolton, it’s a pity we can’t direct them in their direction.

“If it goes it will be the end of an era, we will have basically have lost another iconic building in the town.

“We will just have to keep fighting and hope it doesn’t come to that.”

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