The pall of smoke from the fire that badly damaged Bolton's architectural jewel in the crown could be seen miles away and the damage to the Albert Halls was extensive.
At one stage the fire, which started around 5pm on Saturday November 14, 1981, took hours to bring under control and at one time firefighters feared the whole of the impressive building would be consumed by the flames.
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 The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.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