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?

11 hours ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

I bought it already "off the bone". Bit more expensive, but easier too. No sucking noises neither.

I remember the tobacconist on Bradshawgate too- never smoked but went in on the odd occasion with my old fella. Had a wonderful aroma and was fascinating to see.

Also went in with my brother as kids, to get a Christmas present for him, but the old boy wouldn't serve us as we were too young.

Fair play to him for that.

"Off the bone" Most civilised 

Yes, never been a smoker or even remotely interested in it but the smell of that place was intoxicating. Only experienced similar in Amsterdam and that involved my grandad too. I was buying him a case of cigars.

He also used to smoke a pipe now and again. Always aromatic baccy. Borkum Riff was one of his faves. Loved the smell of that stuff - before he ignited it I mean!

My dad would occasionally put a splash of spirit onto his baccy and let it soak for a while. 

 

Not town centre, but something I'd never heard about before:

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/24141170.fylde-street-disaster-saw-giant-hole-swallow-bolton-homes/

7 hours ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

My dad would occasionally put a splash of spirit onto his baccy and let it soak for a while. 

 

There was an old chap used to stand near me in Manny Road South who used to get his briar going with some caramel baccy.

 Used to think it smelled lovely from 20 yards but one day his mate came and they were both on it, but closer to me and it was fucking horrible.

Even now pipe smoke makes my head ache like fuck.

Ganja is SO rife now that you can be stopped at traffic lights and still smell it in yer motor above yer vanilla magic tree.

On 23/02/2024 at 21:10, BobyBrno said:

Believe it or not, Arthur Morris Tobacconists is still open. Incredible when you think of the shops that have closed. 

Used to go in there late 70s/early 80s. As mentioned the smell was something else. It was the only place that I could buy Gaulouses and Gitanes when I was in my late teens sophisticated South of France smoking phase. The most rank cigs ever but it was the days of The French Connection 

9 hours ago, MancWanderer said:

Used to go in there late 70s/early 80s. As mentioned the smell was something else. It was the only place that I could buy Gaulouses and Gitanes when I was in my late teens sophisticated South of France smoking phase. The most rank cigs ever but it was the days of The French Connection 

Galoise and Gitannes; also Disque Bleu. We had a spell of smoking those too. I think probably driven by the fact they were the cigarette of choice for David Bowie.

By hell, they were rough as fuck! You drew the smoke into your mouth then inhaled.  At that point the smoke was supposed to enter your lungs in one deep breath but they always needed two attempts as your gag reflex prevented it first time around.

As a confirmed ex-smoker the very thought of that makes me gag!

Did you have to wear your jacket just slung over your shoulder, with a cravat, and look moody to smoke French tabs ?

Asking for un ami.

A £300m regeneration

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-68386471.amp

I'll believe it when I see it

9 hours ago, MickyD said:

Galoise and Gitannes; also Disque Bleu. We had a spell of smoking those too. I think probably driven by the fact they were the cigarette of choice for David Bowie.

By hell, they were rough as fuck! You drew the smoke into your mouth then inhaled.  At that point the smoke was supposed to enter your lungs in one deep breath but they always needed two attempts as your gag reflex prevented it first time around.

As a confirmed ex-smoker the very thought of that makes me gag!

The Disque Bleu were the Gauloise I used to smoke. White packet. Think there was also a blue packet. Same as you, the very thought of it now is horrific. There was no pleasure in them, it was all show

2 hours ago, FrancisFogarty said:

Did you have to wear your jacket just slung over your shoulder, with a cravat, and look moody to smoke French tabs ?

Asking for un ami.

No you had to look like you’d sourced your clothes from the local tip and drank paraffin

Quote

 

Corky Turnbull back centre.

26 minutes ago, MancWanderer said:

The Disque Bleu were the Gauloise I used to smoke. White packet. Think there was also a blue packet. Same as you, the very thought of it now is horrific. There was no pleasure in them, it was all show

Serge Gainsbourg used to smoke five unfiltered packs a day and it never did him any harm

3 minutes ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

Serge Gainsbourg used to smoke five unfiltered packs a day and it never did him any harm

Can't miss a chance to post this classic.

 

Called in Yates’ Wine Lodge last night on my way through town. There was me, MrsD and about 6 or 7 others.

8 or 9 folk in a pub on Bradshawgate! Rewind thirty years you wouldn’t be getting served for the first 15 minutes such was the quantity of people in there. 

Edited February 25, 20242 yr by MickyD

27 minutes ago, MickyD said:

Called in Yates’ Wine Lodge last night on my way through town. There was me, MrsD and about 6 or 7 others.

8 or 9 folk in a pub on Bradshawgate! Rewind thirty years you wouldn’t be getting served for the first 15 minutes such was the quantity of people in there. 

On Friday they called last orders at 9pm..... 

1 minute ago, jeep said:

On Friday they called last orders at 9pm..... 

to think, mid-1980s coaches would turn up dropping folk off for a night out in Bolton, such was the guaranteed great night. 

13 hours ago, MickyD said:

to think, mid-1980s coaches would turn up dropping folk off for a night out in Bolton, such was the guaranteed great night. 

Time moves on sadly. The pub will be a thing of the past in around 25 years. Young folk just don't seem interested. There are a few come into our village club, to play snooker and pool, and none of them drink alcohol, and just don't seem interested in doing so

43 minutes ago, Sweep said:

Time moves on sadly. The pub will be a thing of the past in around 25 years. Young folk just don't seem interested. There are a few come into our village club, to play snooker and pool, and none of them drink alcohol, and just don't seem interested in doing so

You mean can't afford to.

Happily buy vodka for house parties though. I mean most pubs are just stuffed full of retired, red faced blokes as far as I can see. Not somewhere anyone younger would want to hang out anyway.

1 hour ago, Sweep said:

Time moves on sadly. The pub will be a thing of the past in around 25 years. Young folk just don't seem interested. There are a few come into our village club, to play snooker and pool, and none of them drink alcohol, and just don't seem interested in doing so

So what they desire is something akin to an alcohol-free adult youth club. The issue with that is, when they kick off, it’s always been easiest to blame someone’s inability to drink responsibly. What do you blame it on if they didn’t drink?

1 minute ago, MickyD said:

So what they desire is something akin to an alcohol-free adult youth club. The issue with that is, when they kick off, it’s always been easiest to blame someone’s inability to drink responsibly. What do you blame it on if they didn’t drink?

Someone being a cunt? I doubt it kicks off very often - if ever - at sober gatherings. Every kick off I've ever witnessed has involved pissed people.

6 minutes ago, Cheese said:

Someone being a cunt? I doubt it kicks off very often - if ever - at sober gatherings. Every kick off I've ever witnessed has involved pissed people.

Yet I can get pissed with the best of them but rarely feel the need to have a scrap. I’m very much a friendly drunk. I wan’t to be pals with everyone. Others can be angry drunks and just wan’t to show others how super-hard they are.

1 minute ago, MickyD said:

Yet I can get pissed with the best of them but rarely feel the need to have a scrap. I’m very much a friendly drunk. I wan’t to be pals with everyone. Others can be angry drunks and just wan’t to show others how super-hard they are.

Same here. Cocaine also has a lot to answer for these days.

1 hour ago, Sweep said:

Time moves on sadly. The pub will be a thing of the past in around 25 years. Young folk just don't seem interested. There are a few come into our village club, to play snooker and pool, and none of them drink alcohol, and just don't seem interested in doing so

There'll always be pubs but I expect it's going to become more and more difficult to run a pub that doesn't serve food

19 hours ago, MickyD said:

Called in Yates’ Wine Lodge last night on my way through town. There was me, MrsD and about 6 or 7 others.

8 or 9 folk in a pub on Bradshawgate! Rewind thirty years you wouldn’t be getting served for the first 15 minutes such was the quantity of people in there. 

During the day there’s only a half decent crowd in E&C because it’s cheap, and ‘Spoons for the same reason, plus the handy plug sockets. Students from over the road come in and charge everything electric they can carry. Phones, laptops tablets and even a toothbrush once (honestly). Just come in, buy an all day coffee and they’re set up for the day.

That and supermarkets knocking out cheap beer, plus covid have fucked pubs up.