Just had a meeting on Churchgate. Sad to see the Bolton News offices empty. And in a week or two the Travel Counsellors building opposite will be empty. Another 200+ people spending approx £20 per week on parking and lunches in the town... plus whatever other services they spend their hard-earned on - all being lost. Very sad state of affairs.

 

When will it get better? Should these empty offices be turned into apartments?

I missed the earlier Argos chat but I served Ivan Campo and his Mrs a rug they bought from Manchester Arndale Argos when I worked there for about 6 months. 

Rudy vibes here but I know it happened... 🤣 

1 minute ago, stevieb said:

I missed the earlier Argos chat but I served Ivan Campo and his Mrs a rug they bought from Manchester Arndale Argos when I worked there for about 6 months. 

Rudy vibes here but I know it happened... 🤣 

I had a period around 2004 of pissing the bed when drunk, sometimes with company, sometimes not 

I discussed this with friends to see if normal 

One, a leeds fan, was learning Spanish and happened to bump into campo one night in Manchester in some restaurant 

He said hello in an attempt to practice his Spanish and talk football 

He came away with an autograph for me that read "dear dave, stop wetting the bed, ivan campo" 

3 minutes ago, Zico said:

I had a period around 2004 of pissing the bed when drunk, sometimes with company, sometimes not 

I discussed this with friends to see if normal 

One, a leeds fan, was learning Spanish and happened to bump into campo one night in Manchester in some restaurant 

He said hello in an attempt to practice his Spanish and talk football 

He came away with an autograph for me that read "dear dave, stop wetting the bed, ivan campo" 

Haha! 🤣 

I was in the back and my mate was a city fan who knew he was and was like "you need to give this out". 

Was campos Mrs with him stood well back looking around thinking I'm earning shit loads and have won the champions league why am I buying crap from the laminated book of dreams 

6 minutes ago, Zico said:

I had a period around 2004 of pissing the bed when drunk, sometimes with company, sometimes not 

I discussed this with friends to see if normal 

One, a leeds fan, was learning Spanish and happened to bump into campo one night in Manchester in some restaurant 

He said hello in an attempt to practice his Spanish and talk football 

He came away with an autograph for me that read "dear dave, stop wetting the bed, ivan campo" 

Half way through reading this anecdote I was worried it was going to end with Campo revealing himself to also be a pissed up (with or without company) bed wetter.

Having read through to the end, I'm pleased the high esteem in which I hold the man has not been diminished.

4 hours ago, Zico said:

I had a period around 2004 of pissing the bed when drunk, sometimes with company, sometimes not 

I discussed this with friends to see if normal 

One, a leeds fan, was learning Spanish and happened to bump into campo one night in Manchester in some restaurant 

He said hello in an attempt to practice his Spanish and talk football 

He came away with an autograph for me that read "dear dave, stop wetting the bed, ivan campo" 

Story could only be bettered if he'd addressed it to Portman Dave! 

6 hours ago, Zico said:

I had a period around 2004 of pissing the bed when drunk, sometimes with company, sometimes not 

I discussed this with friends to see if normal 

One, a leeds fan, was learning Spanish and happened to bump into campo one night in Manchester in some restaurant 

He said hello in an attempt to practice his Spanish and talk football 

He came away with an autograph for me that read "dear dave, stop wetting the bed, ivan campo" 

That’s ace

Off to town today for the food and drink festival. Went up to Rivington yesterday to check out that new brewery place. Really nice, tempted to book a yurt for a couple of days next summer. Avoided all the grapefruit beers as well, the Pilsner was nice though. Decent food as well.

elder casino is working for the definitely maybe lads over the weekend

i will have a mooch down

5 hours ago, Not in Crawley said:

Off to town today for the food and drink festival. Went up to Rivington yesterday to check out that new brewery place. Really nice, tempted to book a yurt for a couple of days next summer. Avoided all the grapefruit beers as well, the Pilsner was nice though. Decent food as well.

 

We stayed in one of those last week for the night...was decent.

7 hours ago, Not in Crawley said:

Off to town today for the food and drink festival. Went up to Rivington yesterday to check out that new brewery place. Really nice, tempted to book a yurt for a couple of days next summer. Avoided all the grapefruit beers as well, the Pilsner was nice though. Decent food as well.

They do a group 5k and 10k every Thursday at 6pm. 10% off your beer after too.

6 hours ago, donkeyshorn said:

They do a group 5k and 10k every Thursday at 6pm. 10% off your beer after too.

Yeah, saw them, made my teeth itch. I like my running, hate group stuff.

Also those bikers are not keeping their cholesterol down, fat gits.

Town needs shit loads of work, so much is shut.

Called in to the food festival today. Have to say I was a tad disappointed. Normally come back home with loads of different stuff. Just 10 cheeses this year 😀

Newport Street just seemed to be candles, dogs beds, charities and anything non-food

Looked really good if you were going intending to have a few drinks, a bite to eat, etc as there were loads of stalls selling hot food but seemed to be far fewer selling stuff that you’d normally see at a food fair

Massive blast from the past seeing Franca’s Italian stall. Used to live off their pizzas and pastas back in the day

Observations from walking around the town centre for the first time in a few years. By Christ we have some magnificent buildings in the centre. Entry into town off St Peter’s Way and up Bridgman Street looks really smart now. Really hope that someone has a proper think about regeneration. There’s so much potential 

Really enjoyed yesterday. It did help that I was able to do a few pubs after the festival. Nice to see the chaps I spoke to off here yesterday. 
 

I can’t remember the pubs being that busy for a long time. 
 

Food festival, I noticed a lot of football shirts from further afield like Stockport, Southampton and Tottenham. Not suggesting people travelled up from the south but my guess was they’d travelled further than Bolton.

12 hours ago, MancWanderer said:

Called in to the food festival today. Have to say I was a tad disappointed. Normally come back home with loads of different stuff. Just 10 cheeses this year 😀

Newport Street just seemed to be candles, dogs beds, charities and anything non-food

Looked really good if you were going intending to have a few drinks, a bite to eat, etc as there were loads of stalls selling hot food but seemed to be far fewer selling stuff that you’d normally see at a food fair

Massive blast from the past seeing Franca’s Italian stall. Used to live off their pizzas and pastas back in the day

Observations from walking around the town centre for the first time in a few years. By Christ we have some magnificent buildings in the centre. Entry into town off St Peter’s Way and up Bridgman Street looks really smart now. Really hope that someone has a proper think about regeneration. There’s so much potential 

Agree with all of this. 

Called in today had a chicken shawarma was OK nowt to write home about.

Always good to see town busy and nice too see Gethin, Lee, Baka & Morley signing stuff for kids on a stall just by the library. 

Saw something - on Facebook I think - saying it was the biggest food festival in UK  ??

3rd world shithole 

The festival is an asset for the town and great to see that it attracted thousands again, for me personally though its good to visit for 2-3 years on the trot then leave it a while as very little seems to change.

The bands at night make it for me though, if wasn't at Plymouth this weekend I'd have been there, True Order are ace.

went into town last night just to watch the bands after work.

appy mundays were really good,the rowetta lookalike was superb

oasis ltd- not the best but a good sing song

antartic monkeys- were very very good, way better than i thought they would be.

le mans crescent was packed from when i got there till i left after monkeys, looked like gary flitcroft had had a good drink and that elaine wilcox off granada tv would have to have it a tidy piece

Went to the food festival this morning.  Really busy and great to see the centre buzzing.

Only 3rd time this year I've been in town.  Some small signs of progress.  Good to see the development on Chorley Street finished  and not looking too bad.  Also good to see the development near St Georges Road/St Helena Mill underway, old Post Office flats finished and new YMCA building also complete.  Still lots to do though and they need to get this Arndale Centre/Crompton Place development sorted and then there might be somewhere decent to eat and I'll go in more.

Brilliant weekend, it was ace, again.

Bands class, food ace, pubs bouncing....and a couple of really nice bars on Nelson square now, and 1 more opening soon.

 

 

1 hour ago, Pablo said:

Brilliant weekend, it was ace, again.

Bands class, food ace, pubs bouncing....and a couple of really nice bars on Nelson square now, and 1 more opening soon.

 

 

Lies.

Everyone knows TC is a tramp/immigrant infested shithole. 

Some interesting thoughts about the festival. 

It seems to be developing away from the myriad food stalls slightly to encompass more things and also into eatery/events based.

No problems with that if that's what works, but for me, I like to buy food from different local suppliers. Try something different.

Seems to have reduced in number of stalls recently which is a shame.

Got an appointment at the town hall tomorrow. Not been in town for 20 years. Where's best to park?

15 minutes ago, mickbrown said:

Got an appointment at the town hall tomorrow. Not been in town for 20 years. Where's best to park?

Car park near the theatre, they are all cheap as chips.