THE concern by Bolton town centre retailers about the proposed US-style shopping development at Middlebrook is entirely understandable. Such an enormous project of factory outlets selling famous brands at below high street prices is bound to hit them hard.
We may welcome Orbit's massive investment in the Bolton area generally, but if Bolton Council really wants to help town centre traders at the same time, it could act on parking. A system of subsidised parking linked to shopping has been tried successfully elsewhere - it could be a major move in helping to keep our town centre alive.
Previous news story
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article