June 18, 200422 yr Bit of research, what do you think about the town centre nowadays? Don't bother personally- maybe getting old, but prefer atmosphere of local. Decent ale, friendly atmosphere and don't feel like some idiot's likely to atempt to stove in your cranium if you accidentally brush past 'em, or catch sight of his bird. Too many 'themed' pubs have lost traditional ambience. That said, reckon there's room for introduction of more continental style cafe/bar culture, and relaxed approach towards suppin'. Spudwatter- alias 'old git'
June 18, 200422 yr I live in the town centre so it is my local. Most places on Bradshawgate I avoid. I find The Varsity is the most relaxed/pleasant bar though at closing time its the usual story. Man & Scythe is the only place with a relaxed supping up time. Bolton town centre could also do with a couple of decent restaurants. Pizza Express is probably the best. Still far too many knobheads as well.
June 18, 200422 yr I live in the town centre so it is my local. Most places on Bradshawgate I avoid. I find The Varsity is the most relaxed/pleasant bar though at closing time its the usual story. Man & Scythe is the only place with a relaxed supping up time. Bolton town centre could also do with a couple of decent restaurants. Pizza Express is probably the best. Still far too many knobheads as well. for a town the size of bolton the restaraunts in the town centre quality,quantity is piss poor. regarding pubs atmosphere is usually quite good in brass cat saturday nite, also quite a few old slappers as well.
June 18, 200422 yr what was that restaurant called.. think it was on bank street, had sand ont floor aussie beach party shit
June 19, 200422 yr It depends what you go in town for. If it's to: (a)Listen to good music, my advice is to stay at home as the town centre clubs/pubs are shocking with the worst offender being hawthorns night spot (indie pants or whatever it's called these days) which now has DJ's who think they are being alternative by playing "Only one I know" or "I am the resurrection" every week. That's if you get past the 19 year old door girl who will insist on checking your passport and threatening physical abuse if you don't remove your jacket. (b)Good conversation, this is possible unless you get interrupted by a doorman for not drinking quickly enough or having the wrong colour trousers on. ©Real Ale, forget it unless you try the Man & Sythe. The rest serve piss water in a pint pot or coloured bottles of fizz for three quid a go. (d)A fight, you're in luck as their is usually some bunch of lame arse numb heads pissed on © whoo will oblige. Apart from that Bolton is well worth a visit. The taxi queues are splendidly organised and the Local Pizza shops are alright.
June 19, 200422 yr This town centre is seriously lacking a good variety of restaurants. A few steakhouses, mexican, thai etc and a place or two for the romantics. Also it needs bars to cater for all ages. A few spots where you can find some live entertainment wouldn't go amiss (eg Mathew St L/pool is fab). This is 2004 now so why the fcuk do we still not have any lap dancing clubs yet? We need 'em. A few decent nightclubs too, Ikon is just utter wank full of kids/scrotes and knob head doormen. Also do away with fuckin last orders at 11 and 2 o'clock. The town centre need a cinema. A hotel that rents rooms by the hour too or as in garps case by the minute. The shops are wank, get some designers stores in, what do we have, Scotts and Originals? Basically we live in a shit town.
June 19, 200422 yr Basically we live in a shit town. well, move to manc then :D/ :D/ :D/ :D/ :D/ it's a lovely place toodle pip
June 19, 200422 yr i've got to say i like it around Nelson Square. Ok bit pretentious but it makes up for it in totty and at least you can have a late ale without paying to get into some shit club full of kids. Plus Bolton is based all around the centre, if your in Manc town you want to move from one bar to the next we're talking black cabs to make it before they shut the doors on you.
June 21, 200422 yr (a)Listen to good music, my advice is to stay at home as the town centre clubs/pubs are shocking with the worst offender being hawthorns night spot (indie pants or whatever it's called these days) which now has DJ's who think they are being alternative by playing "Only one I know" or "I am the resurrection" every week. That's if you get past the 19 year old door girl who will insist on checking your passport and threatening physical abuse if you don't remove your jacket. DJ Talkie T on a Friday perchance? I'll let him know of your appreciation!
June 21, 200422 yr Cheers lads, I was thinking of moving back in the next year or two you have just reminded me why I was so desperate to leave in the first place. I wouldn't go on a night out in Bolton for all the beer down Bradshawgate, last time I was back I went into that new BL1 bar, jesus, how bads that place. Still I used to enjoy a good friday night in Hawthorns so I wouldn't count on my taste.
June 21, 200422 yr i were surprised last time i went out in town before i went to uni best you could hope for was yates/maxims/ritzy nelson square and round there is pretty cool now, even some tasty birds out which never used to be the case still always end up in old man & scythe though for that cheap cider rocket fuel
June 21, 200422 yr Used to start with chester moonshines (now a chinese buffet), bergeracs, sams bar, corks', 3 crowns and onto ritzy to try and get a sticky finger ( or a sticky fist if she was very dirty). Looking back it was a load of old wank. Anyhow, there seems to be a better choice for drinking in town now, but as jay c says the restaurants are shite. Much better choice and quality of restaurant in and around Horwich now. Spanish, Italian, French, Greek, Chinese, Indian, Thai etc.. Bolton has a couple of chinkys,indian, italian and a spanish tapas bar and thats about it.
June 21, 200422 yr Is it true that Hawthorns has changed its name to Indigo and that the bar has moved to where all the fruit machines used to be? Please tell me it ain't so! Hawthons on a friday night with DJ Spam, a tenner in me pocket and some rough looking bird from the local sixth form.....happy days!
June 21, 200422 yr Sure is, although my brother went last week when clint boon was dj ing and said it was good.
June 21, 200422 yr Clint Boon, eh? It has gone up in the world! Think I may have to make a trip to visit the old place next time I'm back. Ifd they've changed it round does that mean there is no more queing down that flight of stairs near that grassy bit? Getting all nostalgic here, might go and stick on some Sleeper and Elastica and get into full on Britpop mode :D/
June 21, 200422 yr There was an old Sleeper record (inbetweener i think) on The Amp music channel over the weekend..it just reminded me how tasty the singer used to be... :br
June 21, 200422 yr Clint Boon was a one off on the sunday before the last bank holiday monday. it was a good night but just wasnt advertised enough so was pretty empty. He is much better at South in Manchester on a Saturday anyway.
June 21, 200422 yr some good pubs and some bad ones. quite like cromptons mule.. play alright music and pleny of young filth in there.. indego just annoys me.. most people in there look about 12 ... part from that not really anywhere else i go in.. always get to see a fight outside dali bar though.
June 22, 200422 yr cool, if you were going to open a bar in town what one thing would you do to make it different/better/a success???
June 22, 200422 yr First off you need to have a decent Marketing Company behind it - I'm not sure Bolton could sutain a decent nightclub as most people who want it already go to Manchester and have no interst of mixing it with the oiks in town. I'd make it a decent trad bar atmosphere with a late licence with live music and food
June 22, 200422 yr Look how succesful the comedy store is on Deansgate. Lets have something like that. Need some live music, comedians, and some decent restaurants, and err, massage parlours.
June 22, 200422 yr What you want is everything under one roof, some old mill or factory that's near the town centre, spice it all up to suit everyones taste apart from the scrotes, who can bugger off to Ikon. Something a bit like the Printworks with a stage for live music too.
Bit of research, what do you think about the town centre nowadays?