A fine spring day in May 1966 certainly brought the crowds out to Bolton’s Victoria Square.

Just look at all the folk taking a seat and watching the world go by. The war memorial still stands but the fountains have gone.

Back then, traffic flowed freely in front of the town hall and you can see one of the bus shelters complete with cast iron elephant on the roof.

On the left of the photo is the service road which ran in front of the shops on the square.

This was before work on the new Acresfield shopping centre development began.