THE news that yet another high street name had fallen victim to the combined forces of falling footfall and online shopping came as a blow last week. Here MATTHEW CALDERBANK looks at how that has hit Bolton, and what plans are in place to meet the challenge.

SHOPPERS in Bolton had a lot to be excited about in the spring of 1988.

In March that year, thousands of thrilled customers were thrust into “a new era of shopping excellence” with the opening of the Market Place.

The £70 million retail complex, hailed as a “showpiece for the town”, threw open its doors on March 24.

Its flagship store Debenhams was joined by big name brands including C&A, Littlewoods, Next and ‘electricity shop’ Norweb.

The town eagerly embraced the new shopping mall, with the Bolton Evening News reporting that the centre offered “tasteful space-age shopping” inside its 300,000sq ft of floor space.

“It enhances a town which has always been a mecca for shoppers”, said reporter Angela Kelly.

She added: “If ever a town looks set to boom, it just has to be Bolton.”

Fast forward three decades.

Now towns strive to attract shoppers as bricks-and-mortar stores continue to struggle in the wake of a ten-year recession.
Rivals have sprung up in the shape of out-of-town shopping centres: Middlebrook shopping park opened in 1996 and the the glitzy Trafford Centre followed two years later with free parking and cinemas, bowling, restaurants and shops. 
And then there's the retail revolution of internet shopping. A few taps on a smartphone now delivers parcels straight to your door — no need to bother with a trip into town and a trail around the shops in search of the perfect buy.

In January 2009, Bolton joined hundreds of towns across the country in saying goodbye to Woolworth’s. A cornerstone of Bolton’s high street for nearly 100 years, Woolworth’s in Deansgate became the first store to succumb. Its closure heralded a seismic shift in the fortunes of other high street retailers.

Over the next ten years, other giants would fall.

High street heavyweights including HMV, Mothercare, BHS, Beales, Prestons of Bolton and Toys R’ Us all fell like dominoes in Woolworth’s wake.

Crompton Place has struggled since then and its huge former BHS unit fronting Victoria Square has stood vacant since the homeware store folded in 2016.

Meanwhile, in 2017, on the outskirts of Bolton, Amazon opened a huge warehouse, larger than the grandest of shopping malls.

Inside the warehouse in Over Hulton, 1,200 staff process thousands of orders every day as people turn to online retailers such as Amazon for their shopping needs.

The rise of Amazon and the online retail sector in general has had a profound impact on Britain’s town centres, as more people opt to shop from home. As Debenhams announced it was closing 50 stores across the country last week, boss Sergio Bucher acknowledged that online shopping is a factor in its decision. He said: “It has been a tough year for retail and our performance reflects that. It’s no surprise that customers have shifted online, they buy less in store, they buy more online.

“That is the issue we are addressing with our announcement. We want to have fewer but better stores with a better shopping experience and we want to grow our online business.”

But Bolton Council does have plans in place to meet the changing face of the retail landscape.

A Town Centre Strategy and £1bn masterplan recognises the impact consumer trends and online shopping has had in Bolton, says the council. So its plan “is focused on changing the core of the town centre”.

Shops on offer won’t be widespread across the town centre. Instead more housing will take their place. And the Crompton Place redevelopment will include leisure and entertainment.

Council leader, Cllr Linda Thomas said: “People’s relationships with town centres are changing. We understand that and that’s why we are working towards bringing an exciting new entertainment destination to the town centre. We have great shopping on offer already in the Market Place. But this is a huge opportunity to attract more people and families.

"We want to revitalise the town centre, give the town a buzz and make it a place of destination.”

She said they were building on the success of the Market Place refurbishment, the improvements to Newport Street, and the £48 million Interchange. And don't forget the atttractions of the museum, Ironman, the Food Festival.

Bolton has never lacked ambition or vision. It broke the mould 30 years ago when the Market Place delivered something new and vibrant. But it will be the people of Bolton who ultimately decide whether the town centre thrives or falters.

The saying goes – ‘if you build it, they will come’. Time will tell.