Now retired after more than 40 years in full-time journalism, Alan takes a wry look at life in the 21st Century. You can also read Alan's column every Monday in The Bolton News . . .
BACK in 1968 my wife and I, on our honeymoon in Majorca, had to endure the televised shame of seeing Cliff Richard's Congratulations beaten into second place by La La La, the Spanish entry sung by Massiel.
A RECENT Looking Back special in The Bolton News, by local author Anita Forth, featured the history of the National Children's Home established at Edgworth in 1872.
A RECENT edition of The Big Issue In The North - the magazine sold to help the homeless - had an illuminating profile of Paul, a 48-year-old Bolton man who has been homeless "off and on" for 20 years.
MY piece last week about the onward march of Twenty20 cricket was cut to fit the available space and ended on a note which suggested I am now a convert.
RECENT figures suggest that up to four British pubs are closing every day as they struggle with the effects of the smoking ban, rising costs and competition from cheaper alcohol offers in supermarkets.
SO, the statue of Fred Dibnah is in place in Oxford Street and there is a genuine expectation that it will help to attract visitors to Bolton town centre.
