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?

Just now, Tonge moor green jacket said:

There was a case a while back where a guy couple sued a b&b for not allowing them to stay at their gaff.

The owners said their decision was based on religious grounds.

The owners lost.

 

Their difference there is that it would direct discrimination against two individuals (assuming the decision not to allow them to stay was on the basis they were gay)

2 minutes ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

Their difference there is that it would direct discrimination against two individuals (assuming the decision not to allow them to stay was on the basis they were gay)

I know.

Religion is also a protected characteristic though, so it was interesting to see which way the case fell.

Apart from a place of worship, it seems odd that religious belief can force a business to close- seems somewhat contrary to us being a secular state.

Parking that for a moment, why did the company buy the building knowing that an business of that type was using it?

A deliberate act, with religious undertones perhaps?

Hopefully they can get relocated quickly.

 

5 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

I know.

Religion is also a protected characteristic though, so it was interesting to see which way the case fell.

Apart from a place of worship, it seems odd that religious belief can force a business to close- seems somewhat contrary to us being a secular state.

Parking that for a moment, why did the company buy the building knowing that an business of that type was using it?

A deliberate act, with religious undertones perhaps?

Hopefully they can get relocated quickly.

 

I think it's a really shit thing to do but they aren't forcing the business itself to close, they're ending the tenancy agreement

It's possible to refuse to provide a service on religious grounds

There was quite a well-known case in recent years involving a bakery that refused a request from a gay man to bake a cake celebrating gay marriage and they won their case

The reason is that there was no direct discrimination against any individual because the bakery would also refuse to bake the same cake if a straight person had asked for it

It would be a different matter entirely if the bakery refused to serve a customer solely because the customer was gay

1 hour ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

I think it's a really shit thing to do but they aren't forcing the business itself to close, they're ending the tenancy agreement

It's possible to refuse to provide a service on religious grounds

There was quite a well-known case in recent years involving a bakery that refused a request from a gay man to bake a cake celebrating gay marriage and they won their case

The reason is that there was no direct discrimination against any individual because the bakery would also refuse to bake the same cake if a straight person had asked for it

It would be a different matter entirely if the bakery refused to serve a customer solely because the customer was gay

Therein lies the different interpretations that judges sometimes make from each other.

As I look at that, no straight couple would ask for a gay's marriage cake, which makes the point moot.

Seems a case of splitting hairs, when clearly the cake maker is only acting in the same way as the b&b owner by virtue of their religious belief.

Moreover, in this instance, if the business owners are Hindu, then they could perhaps claim they are being discriminated against because their religious belief is different from that of the building owner. As the tennant is from a protected characteristic, are they not being decriminated against, especially as the landlord has openly said it's on religious grounds?

Similarly, as atheism is also a protected characteristic, then the same applies. 

There are also innumerable off-licensed shops run my muslim people, which suggests that the claim that alcohol doesn't sit with their beliefs is somewhat selective in its application. 

It's a mine field, and it would be interesting to see it tested.

From a wider perspective, it's a dark day when religious belief can be used in such a way.

There would be outcry if a domestic tennant was served notice to leave by virtue of having a different religious belief to that of the landlord. 

 

I think I’m gonna sue the ritz for discriminating against my lack of affordability 

The landlord, yeah the chap who owns it, says he has other plans for the building

No amount of trying to make a weird divisive point is going to wash here

 

26 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Therein lies the different interpretations that judges sometimes make from each other.

As I look at that, no straight couple would ask for a gay's marriage cake, which makes the point moot.

Seems a case of splitting hairs, when clearly the cake maker is only acting in the same way as the b&b owner by virtue of their religious belief.

Moreover, in this instance, if the business owners are Hindu, then they could perhaps claim they are being discriminated against because their religious belief is different from that of the building owner. As the tennant is from a protected characteristic, are they not being decriminated against, especially as the landlord has openly said it's on religious grounds?

Similarly, as atheism is also a protected characteristic, then the same applies. 

There are also innumerable off-licensed shops run my muslim people, which suggests that the claim that alcohol doesn't sit with their beliefs is somewhat selective in its application. 

It's a mine field, and it would be interesting to see it tested.

From a wider perspective, it's a dark day when religious belief can be used in such a way.

There would be outcry if a domestic tennant was served notice to leave by virtue of having a different religious belief to that of the landlord. 

 

They aren't different interpretations but different circumstances

One example (the bakery) is not wanting to promote an idea (gay marraige) on a point of religious principle, the other example (the hotel) is refusing to provide a service to people because of who they are

The former being legally acceptable and the latter being unlawful seems the right balance to me

I'm not sure why you think a straight couple/people wouldn't order a cake celebrating a gay marriage either - they wouldn't have to be buying it for themselves

A landlord advising a tenant who happens to be Hindu that they are ending the tenancy agreement because they don't want alcohol to be served in the building wouldn't  be a case of religious discrimination against the business owner as the decision isn't being taken because of the business owner's religious beliefs but instead the landlord's own religious beliefs, and would be taken no matter whether the business owner was Hindu, Muslim, Christian or atheist

59 minutes ago, Casino said:

The landlord, yeah the chap who owns it, says he has other plans for the building

No amount of trying to make a weird divisive point is going to wash here

 

Mosque.

I heard that the owners haven't owned the building long and that they bought it with a sitting tenant who had a short time left on a lease.

That lease is now due to expire and there's a no alcohol clause in the new one.

If this is true, I see no issue.

11 hours ago, Traf said:

How dare they sell Indian food.

I'd see that as an attraction.

16 hours ago, bolty58 said:

I'd see that as an attraction.

Aye.

 

Not town centre but appeared on this thread before 

Hunter’s Bakery is closing on 28th June

Back to Carr’s then….

53 minutes ago, MancWanderer said:

Not town centre but appeared on this thread before 

Hunter’s Bakery is closing on 28th June

Back to Carr’s then….

Shame. Provided many lunches for me over a 10 year period and a few pasties for parties. 

Edited June 20, 2025Jun 20 by BobyBrno

47 minutes ago, MancWanderer said:

Not town centre but appeared on this thread before 

Hunter’s Bakery is closing on 28th June

Back to Carr’s then….

Sadly, the best ever lunch tip I've been given is a trip to Galloways. When in the pie cobblers area, their deep chunky steak pie is the best ever 🥧 

23 minutes ago, miamiwhite said:

Sadly, the best ever lunch tip I've been given is a trip to Galloways. When in the pie cobblers area, their deep chunky steak pie is the best ever 🥧 

Try Bowens in Chorley pal, its expensive but worth it.

53 minutes ago, Winchester White said:

Try Bowens in Chorley pal, its expensive but worth it.

Bizarrely, I know the owner mate. Cracking fodder 👍 

2 hours ago, MancWanderer said:

Not town centre but appeared on this thread before 

Hunter’s Bakery is closing on 28th June

Back to Carr’s then….

NO WHY 

17 hours ago, little whitt said:

NO WHY 

Dunno mate. Cost of leccy, etc I’d guess

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/25255725.hunters-bakers-announces-closure-120-years/

 

3 hours ago, MancWanderer said:

Dunno mate. Cost of leccy, etc I’d guess

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/25255725.hunters-bakers-announces-closure-120-years/

 

Shame that, used them for my dad's wake, cracking pasties

Fucking hell. 

Terrible. 

I would say that they seem to run out of stuff a bit too quickly, which maybe doesn't help.

Nevertheless, the quality is tremendous. 

Dutson's went a good while ago- wasn't the best for me, and the Allens. 

Only Greenhalghs now.

Wilsons may be getting a visit, as will the Cottage Loaf at Tottington.

On 20/06/2025 at 18:40, MancWanderer said:

Not town centre but appeared on this thread before 

Hunter’s Bakery is closing on 28th June

Back to Carr’s then….

Hunters and Bennett's Lane Chippy in the space of a week! 😭

24 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Fucking hell. 

Terrible. 

I would say that they seem to run out of stuff a bit too quickly, which maybe doesn't help.

Nevertheless, the quality is tremendous.

Yep. If you weren't in there by 10.30 on a Saturday you couldn’t guarantee getting the pie/pasty that you wanted. And they were expensive but worth it imo

26 minutes ago, MancWanderer said:

Yep. If you weren't in there by 10.30 on a Saturday you couldn’t guarantee getting the pie/pasty that you wanted. And they were expensive but worth it imo

Always been the case.

Going back years when we'd call in for some grub if in the area when working.

Can understand not wanting a load of stock left over, but if you're putting your ovens on, at least make enough to almost satisfy demand.

On 21/06/2025 at 20:40, kent_white said:

 Bennett's Lane Chippy in the space of a week! 😭

Daughter bear was at his funeral earlier

No joke, he went out to chippy tea

9 hours ago, Casino said:

Daughter bear was at his funeral earlier

No joke, he went out to chippy tea

It's what he would have wanted 😁