Read on twatter a post by Reebok Voice saying he had been in The Market Place and was suprised to see so many empty shops.

 

I think he said 20 odd closed. I went in sunday and also couldnt believe how many closed!

 

Well according to the Bolton News, another 2 are closing.

 

Top man and The body shop.

 

Place will be closed in 5 years!!

Edited January 23, 201313 yr by Horwich

The PC World one is busier since Dunelm Mill opened there.

 

The Trinity St one with Sainsbury's is busy, Go Outdoors, TK Maxx are busy. The problem with this is that no one crosses into town, as let's face it, none of us desperately need a kebab or a tattoo.

...its honestly like the council doesn't want people in the center.

 

You're right Franny, it's as if there was a conscious decision made to try and get people OUT of the town centre.

 

'Benign neglect'? Allow the town centre to become an absolute shithole, where anything would be preferable - then give the green light to residential development, promoting the area as being ideal for living/commuting into Manchester. Bungs ahoy!

 

I do know the fucking wankers are planning to increase the Council tax on residential 'empty' properties to 150%, perhaps similar moves are afoot for commercial ones, well here's a message to them. You can flog a dead horse until you're blue in the face, it won't spring up and run the Grand National...

Edited February 26, 201313 yr by Youri McAnespie

I reckon the land at Middlebrook is worth more than it would cost to rebuild in Bolton.

 

A regeneration around the stadium clearly works.

 

 

If the council gave the club land for free in the town centre and subsidised the building of the stadium it would be money well spent it could bring the town centre back to life and in the long run save the council money, and we would be back where we belong as a club back in the centre of Bolton.

If the council gave the club land for free in the town centre and subsidised the building of the stadium it would be money well spent it could bring the town centre back to life and in the long run save the council money, and we would be back where we belong as a club back in the centre of Bolton.

 

Why would having a stadium in the town centre make folk want to do their shopping in town? The roads are bad enough in and out of town as it is now, imagine what it'd be like with the additional football traffic.

 

It's a no from me.

 

 

I do know the fucking wankers are planning to increase the Council tax on residential 'empty' properties to 150%, perhaps similar moves are afoot for commercial ones, well here's a message to them.

 

Where have you heard that? Cannot see it at all. If you own an investment residential property which is empty then register yourself as living there as a single person and pay 50% of the regular rate.

 

Also whilst we are here the main reason there are so many charity shops on our high streets is that if you have an empty retail property you can lease it FOC to a charity and avoid paying Council Tax on it.

Why would having a stadium in the town centre make folk want to do their shopping in town? The roads are bad enough in and out of town as it is now, imagine what it'd be like with the additional football traffic.

 

It's a no from me.

 

I'd say a stadium in the town would drive people away rather than bring them in. We live in a town with a population of 266,000 (ish) and, for the sake of argument, have less than 10% of that population go to the area in and around the stadium on match days. Do you think the other 90%+ will venture into town if it was morew local for them? I don't.

Where have you heard that? Cannot see it at all. If you own an investment residential property which is empty then register yourself as living there as a single person and pay 50% of the regular rate.

 

http://www.thebolton...homes_tax_hike/

 

Under the current regime empty properties are exempt from council tax for six months, but if the changes are approved they would only be exempt for three months, then charged 75 per cent tax.

A property empty between six months and two years is currently subject to a 50 per cent tax, but under the new rules there will be no discount.

Homes empty for more than two years now pay 50 per cent tax but would pay 150 per cent.

single residents only get 25% discount btw

Edited February 26, 201313 yr by jayjayoghani

Where have you heard that? Cannot see it at all. If you own an investment residential property which is empty then register yourself as living there as a single person and pay 50% of the regular rate.

 

That's possible, but if you're on your own you can't live in two places at once can you? Also, knowing the Council's usual M.O. they'll investigate certain cases more thoroughly than others.

 

It's not hearsay, it's happening, and it's a fucking joke, especially when there are council buildings lying unused (hypocrites). The way things are at the moment, as long as property isn't going to rack and ruin, what's the problem of 'mothballing'? I've not even got a wheelie bin at one property, and soon I'll be paying council tax bill that'd make your hair curl.

 

I've a mind to let my 'second home', as they so grandly phrased it, out to the scutteriest, benefit claimantesque scumbags I can find, but I wouldn't be a wanker to my neighbours.

 

Edit:JayJayOghani has provided the info, if your property has been registered as empty for two years, I presume the 150% will be payable from the 1st April, not two years down the line.

Edited February 26, 201313 yr by Youri McAnespie

Why would having a stadium in the town centre make folk want to do their shopping in town? The roads are bad enough in and out of town as it is now, imagine what it'd be like with the additional football traffic.

 

It's a no from me.

 

Well its not stopped the shoppers from going to Middlebrook so your case does not quite hold water.

Well its not stopped the shoppers from going to Middlebrook so your case does not quite hold water.

 

Eh?

 

You're the one saying a football stadium would make the town better. I'm saying it wouldn't make a difference and if anything would make shopping in town less appealing due to the traffic.

 

People don't go shopping at Middlebrook because there's a football ground there ... and anyone with half a brain steers clear of Middlebrook on a match day.

Edited February 26, 201313 yr by DazBob

But many do avoid shopping when there's a game on. Mainly because they think football supporters should be avoided at all cost.

But many do avoid shopping when there's a game on. Mainly because they think football supporters should be avoided at all cost.

 

They're right to think that.

 

#vilebastards

 

 

It's not hearsay, it's happening, and it's a fucking joke, especially when there are council buildings lying unused (hypocrites). The way things are at the moment, as long as property isn't going to rack and ruin, what's the problem of 'mothballing'? I've not even got a wheelie bin at one property, and soon I'll be paying council tax bill that'd make your hair curl.

 

I've a mind to let my 'second home', as they so grandly phrased it, out to the scutteriest, benefit claimantesque scumbags I can find, but I wouldn't be a wanker to my neighbours.

 

 

You have an asset in the house which should be working for you. If you can forego that income then the additional Council Tax shouldn't be an issue.

 

And why can't you let it to normal folk?

You have an asset in the house which should be working for you. If you can forego that income then the additional Council Tax shouldn't be an issue.

 

And why can't you let it to normal folk?

 

Without going into too much detail on a public forum - the situation is complicated, the property needs renovating and other people have an interest (people currently with no capital to invest). I'm having to do the necessary work on my own/piecemeal and using money I've got/am earning rather than borrowing.

 

Concerning renting it out (if it was theoretically fit to let), well, after (begrudgingly) splitting it (any revenue from letting) with the other parties it'd hardly be worth the time, effort and liability involved in such an enterprise - well certainly not for the time being.

 

I just think it's a bit rich penalizing others, when the council themselves have plenty properties being used for nought.

 

I could easily stick a family member as living there 'on paper' - but, I'd no doubt be investigated and would prefer to keep things above board. You and I know there's tens if not hundreds of others in the town who'll juggle around occupants of their properties and dodge the increase...

Edited February 27, 201313 yr by Youri McAnespie

Youri, you should be able to do up a house to a decent rental standard for £10-12k, full kitchen, bathroom, boiler, windows, carpets etc.

 

That will be covered by 2 years rent, get a loan to cover it, all expenses can can be charged against tax.

 

There's a few on here who know what they are doing in this game (and me as well).

 

 

 

Saw a programme this week sometime where a private owner had got an interest free loan off the local authority to enable them to get an uninhabitable property habitable again.

I've just spotted the following quote in the Bolton News:

 

Bolton Council leader Cllr Cliff Morris said: “We’ve put some money to one side and we’re talking to town centre businesses.

“It’s £500,000 but it could be more or it could be less than that

 

He's possibly the biggest cunt the human race has ever managed.

Sure he wasn't misquoted?

 

 

Bolton Council leader Cllr Cliff Morris said: “We MAY HAVE put some money to one side and we’re talking to town centre businesses.

“It’s £500,000 but it could be more or it could be less than that

What's Fat Cliff's cut out of that?

Youri, you should be able to do up a house to a decent rental standard for £10-12k, full kitchen, bathroom, boiler, windows, carpets etc.

 

That will be covered by 2 years rent, get a loan to cover it, all expenses can can be charged against tax.

 

There's a few on here who know what they are doing in this game (and me as well).

 

I appreciate what you're saying, if I was alone in this enterprise that's exactly what I'd do (although I'd probably have to sidestep some principles regarding potentially taking on social funded tenants). I'm not alone in my interest though, it's currently better for me to drag my heels on this (renovating) - it reached an impasse around a year or so ago, when it gradually dawned on me I was the one investing time and funds, yet the profits would be split three ways - with not a chance of me seeing a red cent of my outlay back (they want to sell to a builder rather than renovate ourselves - they refer me back to this every time I object). Since then I've been concentrating on bettering my finances to get myself in a position to buy out the others.

 

It's suited me having the property empty, the one third share of any potential income I'd receive from letting would make negligible impact on my life as it stands.

 

Anyway, the point of my grumble was, I find it a bit rich Bolton Council trying to gain revenue in the name of 'raising funds to protect the most vulnerable' (as they phrased it) by introducing this, whilst the town centre and other areas has gone to wrack and ruin under their management.

What a fucking shithole

 

Eldest wanted sommat from bodyshop. Traffic centre on any day is a nogo area for me and I'd refuse to buy oxygen from wiggin so we goes to Bolton.

 

And it's shut. Moved to traffic centre.

 

Full of empty shops scrubbers and rayguns.

 

Come to bury instead. It's like a different country.

Ian Duncan-Smith was in Costa the other day, WTF? Some union bellend hurling abuse. Aye, your lot did such a sterling job, lets keep them in.

I met him and had a q & a session with him. Dunno what he said as i wasnt listening.

Ian Duncan-Smith was in Costa the other day, WTF? Some union bellend hurling abuse. Aye, your lot did such a sterling job, lets keep them in.

 

The solution to all our ills seems to be "spend more money"

 

Which is OK if it's yours to spend