THE curtain will come up on a new town centre restaurant in one Bolton’s grandest buildings at the end of June.

The Northern will be serving up much loved traditional dishes updated to cater for modern tastes in the recently refurbished Albert Halls.

Heathcote & Co is opening the restaurant in a joint venture with Bolton Council, with significant investment being injected into the old Dido suite canteen, sited at the entrance of the Victorian building.

Says Paul there are a handful of restaurants in buildings of this nature in the country — one being in Shoreditch, London.

Chef director and Bolton born-Paul Heathcote said: “The Northern’s logo is inspired by Bolton’s heritage of a working class town, honest, solid, strong, reliable and down to earth but with vision and foresight to develop and change. The restaurant will feature all off these characteristics, food drawing inspiration from the past, reinventing dishes for 2019.

“Who doesn’t love a great pudding sweet or savoury made well.”

He added: “The Northern will celebrate wonderful food from all over the North of England from Poor man’s crumpets with Potted Salmon to Pudding in’t Rag, Eccles cakes with ice cream ­— and of course Heathcotes renowned Bread & Butter Pudding.”

The new restaurant will reflect the building's rich history through the colour scheme of traditional British colours, such as racing green.

Paul said: “There is a lot of things happening in Bolton which is great news.

“It will be a fantastic addition in theatre land with The Albert Halls and the Octagon

“What we are doing at The Northern will be different to anything else that’s in Bolton, it will be in a unique building.”

And in keeping with the venue the restaurant is designed to have a fun feel to it, and said Paul includes dominoes tables.

“We have always had some presence in Bolton,” he said. “It is personal to me because my family still live in Bolton and I think that the opportunity with the council to do something different and to be part of a catalyst for regeneration of the area would be something we would be rather proud of.”

Kate Mycock general manager Heathcote&Co, said: “Quite a few people are interested in what is going on what kind of food we are gong to serve, it is really exciting.”

Leader of Bolton Council, Cllr David Greenhalgh, said: “When The Northern opens it will be the last piece of the jigsaw slotting into place for the Albert Halls.

“It complements all the work that has been put in already to turn the Halls into a function and wedding venue.

“It also fits perfectly with the vision in the town centre masterplan.

“This will be a high quality restaurant, in our wonderful civic building, opening in the heart of Bolton.”