Been searching for a kids nicked bike around Bolton today, I had a good drive round and saw some disgusting sights, took about 40 pictures of back streets with shit dumped everywhere, mattresses sofas the fuckin works.

 

Fuck you labour council

I don't think the council are responsible for the behaviour of scrotes.

Management visited her dad newly admitted to a town centre nursing home this week and afterwards went round the town centre for the first time in many months. Came home saying how depressing she found it. Middlebrook largely to blame?

Management visited her dad newly admitted to a town centre nursing home this week and afterwards went round the town centre for the first time in many months. Came home saying how depressing she found it. Middlebrook largely to blame?

 

How?

Presumably taking retail initiatives out of town?

Presumably taking retail initiatives out of town?

 

Middlebrook isn't the only retail park in/near Bolton, but I get your point.

Management here - just snatched ipad off better half...... Although Bolton is a dump I was very glad to see that The Olde Pasty Shop is still thriving

Shop owners will not return to the town centre until the council drop the high rents they,re charging oh and middlebrook is fucking brilliant

If Marks and Spencer's start to really struggle, the Bolton store will be first one potted.

 

That will be the end for the town centre.

 

The council should be fucking hung off the town hall clock

 

Drop the rents, fuck the car park charges off and beg some decent retailers to come back.

 

Tell pound shops and pawnbrokers to sling their hook and eventually it will improve,

Edited January 11, 201511 yr by Spider

If Marks and Spencer's start to really struggle, the Bolton store will be first one potted.

 

That will be the end for the town centre.

 

The council should be fucking hung off the town hall clock

 

Drop the rents, fuck the car park charges off and beg some decent retailers to come back.

 

Tell pound shops and pawnbrokers to sling their hook and eventually it will improve,

 

It's the same in every town in England. It's a shame, but the masses seem to prefer retail parks and massive supermarkets with acres of parking. Not to mention online shopping. Town centres aren't very relevant these days.

Was free parking on Saturday in the new car park and topp way and a few others.

Not sure how long that's been going on or is going on for

Why are folk asking for the Council to drop rents? How many units do they own in the TC?

 

Landlords are responsible for how much rent is charged shirley?

Why are folk asking for the Council to drop rents? How many units do they own in the TC?

 

Landlords are responsible for how much rent is charged shirley?

 

 

lets try rates then

Saw a headline earlier-4500 fly tips in a year. Its a problem in parts of every big place in the country. Only going to get worse

lets try rates then

 

Business Rates are set by central government.

Fair point Cas the council charge rates.

 

Rates would likely have fallen in Bolton but the government announced a decision to postpone the revaluation in 2012.

 

Whats your view on the rents then Cas? Too high or not? Or only too high if the Council is charging?

Edited January 11, 201511 yr by RoadRunnerFan

Fair point Cas the council charge rates.

 

Rates would likely have fallen in Bolton but the government announced a decision to postpone the revaluation in 2012.

 

Whats your view on the rents then Cas? Too high or not? Or only too high if the Council is charging?

 

It's not, because Bolton Council have no control over Business Rates.

Fair point Cas the council charge rates.

 

Rates would likely have fallen in Bolton but the government announced a decision to postpone the revaluation in 2012.

 

Whats your view on the rents then Cas? Too high or not? Or only too high if the Council is charging?

 

 

what makes you think rates wouldve fallen?

 

is there any evidence that they reduced pre 2012 - i don't know, so im interested

It's the same in every town in England. It's a shame, but the masses seem to prefer retail parks and massive supermarkets with acres of parking. Not to mention online shopping. Town centres aren't very relevant these days.

Fucking Hell, I agree with Mr Fromage

Cas - google 'Business Rates revaluation postponement' and theres loads of stuff out there - im unable to post links for some reason.

 

There has been significant disparity in property price growth between north and south in the period since the last revaluation.

 

Suggesting that businesses in Bolton lost out and many in the South gained from the postponement is a fairly uncontroversial view in my opinion.

Edited January 11, 201511 yr by RoadRunnerFan

im not doubting you

 

but the decline of bolton town centre is nothing new, is it

 

we could (and i'm sure we did ) have had this debate in 2011

Chester doesn't struggle for shoppers and the nearest you can park to their town centre is Warrington.

 

Retail parks are fine but town centres are still relevant.

Cas - a couple of posters criticised the council for high rents, I pointed out that the council aren't the main ones that charge rents.

 

You changed the debate to rates - I pointed out that rates would have likely gone down had the revaluation gone ahead.

 

Arguments were made that I considered to be red herrings so I offered information to counter. That doesn't mean I'm blaming the revaluation postponement for the decline in the TC either pre or post 2012.

 

 

If you want my view the decline of retail in the town centre is due to the Trafford Centre, Middlebrook and the local econcomic conditions .

 

The decline of the night time economy I'd put down to more drinking at home and growth of the Manchester night time economy. I don't think there is even one proper restaurant in the TC which is pretty shameful.

 

I think the council could have acted MUCH faster with things like free parking but they are well down the list for blame IMO. Is a complex issue for which some immediately choose the council as a convenient scapegoat.

Edited January 11, 201511 yr by RoadRunnerFan

Cas - a couple of posters criticised the council for high rents, I pointed out that the council aren't the main ones that charge rents.

 

You changed the debate to rates - I pointed out that rates would have likely gone down had the revaluation gone ahead.

 

Arguments were made that I considered to be red herrings so I offered information to counter. That doesn't mean I'm blaming the revaluation postponement for the decline in the TC either pre or post 2012.

 

 

aye, i can read

 

i asked you why you reckon rates would 'likely have gone down'

 

If you want my view the decline of retail in the town centre is due to the Trafford Centre, Middlebrook and the local econcomic conditions .

 

 

Yet you would be wrong. In the late 1980's Bolton town centre was light years ahead of Bury in terms of shopping visitors etc. Today Bolton is 5 leagues below Bury. Both have had out of town shopping, and the Trafford to contend with yet whereas Bolton spent 20 years in some ideological attack against the car driver, Bury took steps to welcome them.

Edited January 11, 201511 yr by bgoefc

Cas - a couple of posters criticised the council for high rents, I pointed out that the council aren't the main ones that charge rents.

 

You changed the debate to rates - I pointed out that rates would have likely gone down had the revaluation gone ahead.

 

Arguments were made that I considered to be red herrings so I offered information to counter. That doesn't mean I'm blaming the revaluation postponement for the decline in the TC either pre or post 2012.

 

 

If you want my view the decline of retail in the town centre is due to the Trafford Centre, Middlebrook and the local econcomic conditions .

 

The decline of the night time economy I'd put down to more drinking at home and growth of the Manchester night time economy. I don't think there is even one proper restaurant in the TC which is pretty shameful.

 

I think the council could have acted MUCH faster with things like free parking but they are well down the list for blame IMO. Is a complex issue for which some immediately choose the council as a convenient scapegoat.

Rotherham has been praised for the work done there in getting businesses back into the town centre, and have meadowhall and parkgate(?) on their doorstep as well as probably having similar economic conditions

 

It can be done but probably needs a realisation that town centres need to work in a different way to how they are traditionally seen