BOLTON is classed as a "success city" in a report out today.

The London-based economic consultancy Business Strategies investigated employment growth in the years 1981-1995 in towns and cities across the UK.

Bolton is 16th out of 51 in a list which has Huddersfield at the top and Liverpool at the bottom. Wigan is 25th.

According to their analysts Bolton had a net loss of only 411 jobs in the period under review.

We lost 5,745 jobs through "the performance of the British economy" and created another 5,334.

But the survey does not distinguish between skilled manufacturing jobs and service industry employment which pays less.

Elsewhere, Huddersfield's jobs total rose by 30,167 over the same period and the picture was similar in places such as Milton Keynes, Leeds and Aberdeen City.

Cities with "special problems" over that period include Liverpool, which lost 114,203 jobs.

But Manchester (down by 31,956) is hailed by Business Strategies as one of Britain's most outward-looking cities.

It says the jury is still out on whether Manchester has turned the corner, but believes the signs are better than ever before.

Report author Richard Holt said major efforts had been made to transform the city and promote it to outsiders.

The £400 million re-development of the centre following the IRA bombing would undoubtedly have an important impact.

"Perceptions are turning positive and Manchester has a vastly better image than its neighbour, Liverpool," he said.

Business Strategies says infrastructure and transport links are favourable and that Manchester airport is a major benefit to the city and the economy of the wider region.

But the company believes the city is shackled by the poor economic performance of the North-west.

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