Bolton’s renowned Octagon Theatre has announced its ‘doors are open’ to people needing warmth as heating bills continue to soar.
This comes as the town centre theatre joins the nationwide Warm Spaces Initiative, which aims to provide safe spaces all around the county for people to use to the energy and cost-of-living crisis.
The scheme will give the venue funding to allow people from all over Bolton inside to keep warm, have a hot drink, use the internet and enjoy company free of charge.
Octagon box office manager Lucy Robinson said: “We understand the difficulties people are facing during the current cost of living and energy crisis.
“Many people are having to choose between eating and heating their homes, so we hope this initiative will provide a small respite to anyone who may need it.
“Our doors are open and we encourage anyone who could benefit from a warm space or hot drink to pop in.”
The Octagon has joined the Warm Spaces Initiative at a time when many of the borough’s families are facing crises as a result of the ever-mounting pressure put on them by energy bills and by the rising prices of food and other essentials.
Recent figures from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy showed that the average Bolton household is now paying twice as much for energy as they were last Winter.
As a result more people have been pushed further into debt, been forced to rely on charities and food banks and have been unable to afford to heat their own homes as the cold weather continues to bite.
This is where the Octagon and its staff hope that their involvement in the new scheme will be able to help people.
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The Warm Spaces Initiative will now run every Tuesday and Thursday between 11am and 2pm in the Octagon’s studio foyer.
As well as free hot drinks and snacks, visitors will also be able to access free books and games along with free wi-fi.
The scheme is already up and running and will continue to do so up to Thursday April 6 2023.
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