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 prefer the updated version

 

On 28/11/2022 at 07:41, royal white said:

Art shop on Deansgate in Manchester was selling copies of this last year for 15k. Who the fuck pays 15k for a copy? 

I've got a copy of it in my hall, I think my mum paid about £30 for it 🙂  - I like it because it's inspired by Burnden Park, but I can see why some think it's a bit shit.

It's not as shit as that thing a few years ago, with Bolton players dressed as gangsters 😁  - I'm happy to admit I was a mug and bought a copy, as I thought at the time was was great. I was wrong, and it's now in the loft, with a load of other shit, waiting to go to landfill at some point. Anybody going to admit to having a copy, that they're still happy to have on display?

In town early this morning and loads of police and cordons on Crown st. 
 

looks serious whatever has happened 

4 minutes ago, fatolive said:

In town early this morning and loads of police and cordons on Crown st. 
 

looks serious whatever has happened 

Stabby

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/23251876.bolton-police-appeal-information-man-stabbed/

Struth that’s grim. 

Aye, where do they find these reporters

2 groups of 2 men

2 hours ago, Casino said:

Aye, where do they find these reporters

2 groups of 2 men

Also, photo of Elephant and Castle on Deansgate so let’s write about it being on Churchgate.

M&S going. Where else can I buy middle class sandwiches from now?

I'd say it's the biggest shop in the centre, by a considerable distance. Not good.

8 minutes ago, Carlos said:

M&S going. Where else can I buy middle class sandwiches from now?

I'd say it's the biggest shop in the centre, by a considerable distance. Not good.

It’s being turned into a processing centre for asylum seekers.

32 minutes ago, Spider said:

It’s being turned into a processing centre for asylum seekers.

Zaman’s Bolton

https://www.bolton.gov.uk/councillors-mayor/mayor

Waterstones will go next, after that I can’t think of any shops in the town centre worth a wank

1 hour ago, Carlos said:

M&S going. Where else can I buy middle class sandwiches from now?

I'd say it's the biggest shop in the centre, by a considerable distance. Not good.

First I've heard this, yet just seen that they're opening a number of new shops with around 3400 jobs.

Wonder where they're all going.

5 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

First I've heard this, yet just seen that they're opening a number of new shops with around 3400 jobs.

Wonder where they're all going.

Town centres up and down the country are dead now. The last two M&S that have opened near here, have been on out of town retail parks, where it seems most people do their shopping these days

1 minute ago, Sweep said:

Town centres up and down the country are dead now. The last two M&S that have opened near here, have been on out of town retail parks, where it seems most people do their shopping these days

Makes sense.

Just had a read and comments from an M&S man suggest similar. 

Would be good if rents came down on centres and some more independent places opened up again.

Waterstones is the only shop I go in when I have to go in town.

Diamonds closing is what killed town.

How many betting shops is there in the town centre?

30 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

First I've heard this, yet just seen that they're opening a number of new shops with around 3400 jobs.

Wonder where they're all going.

Migglebrook and Traf.

5 minutes ago, lobbypond said:

How many betting shops is there in the town centre?

5 i think - Paddy Power, 2 Ladbrokes, 2 Betfred

The council should hang its head in shame, Marks and Spencer closing has killed the Town Centre for good.The council has encouraged the retail park in Horwich to attract wealthier  Bolton people and filled the town centre shopping experience with poor local people, students and immigrants who aren't interested in paying £3.50 for a sandwich.There's plenty  flocking round the fridges at yellow label time though

Bolton will be going the way of Rochdale where even McDonalds has fucked the town centre off.Bolton is a bigger and wealthier town that needn't have gone that way

 

30 minutes ago, Sweep said:

Town centres up and down the country are dead now. The last two M&S that have opened near here, have been on out of town retail parks, where it seems most people do their shopping these days

Exactly

thing is with MS 

its full of Old Duffers 

and me nipping in for stuff for tea

If they ever Knock the shopping center down and Build 

1'000 000 000 flats 

young people will not be popping in to MS 

for anything Apart from food maybe 

38 minutes ago, Sweep said:

Town centres up and down the country are dead now. The last two M&S that have opened near here, have been on out of town retail parks, where it seems most people do their shopping these days

Rewind to (what seems like) a few years  and M&S, and the likes of W H Smith, BHS, Bon Marche and others were telling shoppers to order on line, or use self scan tills. As were the supermarkets. So people have done. You can't have it both ways.

Similarly with micro breweries and other small businesses, you can't expect people to drink the cans you're knocking out cheap and still come in the pub. Sorry, the last bit is my own pet grumble.

25 minutes ago, Roger_Dubuis said:

5 i think - Paddy Power, 2 Ladbrokes, 2 Betfred

And also a slot/fruit machine shop on Newport Street.

I rather be wrong, I can't see the vaults lasting very much longer either unfortunately.

It’s the Same folk that moan about churches and pubs closing who are moaning about M and S closing. 

 

Those that never use them 

Edited January 17, 20233 yr by royal white