Bolton

Government clarifies rules in Bolton and other COVID hotspots

Bolton's local leaders have emphasised "there are no local lockdowns" following confusion over COVID rules.

The Manc The Manc - 26th May 2021

The government has updated its advice for areas worst-affected by COVID following ‘confusion‘ over what people can and cannot do.

Official guidelines are now asking residents in the likes of Bolton – where the more infectious variant is spreading fastest – to ‘minimise’ travel rather than avoid it altogether.

People in COVID hotspots should also “meet outside rather than inside” according to current rules.

The guidance is not law, and health officials in Bolton have since confirmed “there are no local lockdowns”.

There had been calls for ministers to clarify rules after The Manchester Evening News broke a story on Monday evening (May 24) that revealed official guidance for high-risk areas had been quietly edited online the previous Friday.

ADVERTISEMENT

The new advice urged residents to avoid gatherings and only travel if ‘essential’, but was not accompanied by an announcement.

Local leaders in Bolton were unaware of the changes, with Bolton South East MP Yasmin Qureshi saying she was “angry and upset” for her constituents who were looking at cancelling holidays and returning to work from home.

ADVERTISEMENT

A press conference on Tuesday saw Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham emphasise that he did not want to see Bolton in regional restrictions. He also sympathised with residents who thought the situation looked like a “local lockdown by stealth”.

Bolton Council leader David Greenhalgh added: “As long as they follow the guidance I don’t believe residents in Bolton should be cancelling holidays.”

Helen Lowey, Director of Public Health, Bolton Council also issued a statement that read: “Following the national coverage of recently revised COVID – 19 guidance, we have met with national officials and confirmed there are no restrictions on travel in or out of each of our areas:  There are no local lockdowns.

ADVERTISEMENT

“In areas where the new COVID variant is spreading, we are all working together to boost testing, vaccinations and to support self-isolation. 

“There are sensible public health precautions that people can take as individuals in line with the advice we have all been following throughout the pandemic. 

“We will keep sharing that and working with national officials to make sure people understand what they need to think about as they go about their daily lives.”

Featured image: Wikimedia Commons

Bolton

Greater Manchester museum crowned the best FREE museum to visit in the UK

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Inside Bolton Museum

A hidden gem museum in Greater Manchester has just been crowned one of the best free attractions in the UK.

With half term upon us and the Easter holidays not far off either, plenty of parents, carers, and guardians across Greater Manchester will likely be looking for a ways to keep the kids entertained and educated while schools are out, and without having to break the bank too – especially the classic rainy Manchester weather shows itself.

But luckily enough, one of Greater Manchester‘s popular museums has taken the top spot in a list of the best free museums and galleries to visit in the whole of the UK.

Not only that, but six other attractions in the region have also featured on the long list.

The list, which has been compiled by GoldCo, features some the UK’s ‘best-kept secrets for unforgettable family adventures’ – with all of the attractions described as being a ‘lifesaver’ during half term, thanks to their immersive learning experiences. 

Inside Bolton Museum
Inside Bolton Museum
Bolton Museum has been crowned the best free museum to visit in the UK / Credit: Bolton Council

Whether you’re interested in history, science, or art, these top-rated venues promise an engaging experience for all ages, and all without having to pay a penny.

Surprisingly, it’s Bolton Museum – which is found on the Grade II-listed Le Mans Crescent in the town centre, dates back to 1852, and has been a part of the leisure and education of Boltonians for over 120 years – which takes the number one spot on the list, with 93% of visitors giving the attraction a five-star rating and review.

The Council-owned public attraction is also home to an art gallery, library, and aquarium too, as well as the museum.

Some of the popular exhibitions inside the town centre-based facility include the Egyptology, Archaeology & World Cultures section, which is actually one of the largest regional collections in the UK, made up of over 10,000 archaeological objects, and a wide range of Zoology, Geology, and Palaeontology sections.

The museum is in the heart of the town’s centre, along with art the library, art gallery, and aquarium / Credit: Google Maps

There’s also an extensive local history section, with 38,000 objects from the 17th to 20th century relating to Bolton.

In total, Greater Manchester has seven free museums and art galleries that rank in the top 100 list, including Greater Manchester Police Museum & Archives at 13, the People’s History Museum in the 78th spot, and The Manchester Museum taking 89th place.

Read more:

The North West as a whole is the region with the second most free cultural attractions in the UK, with 28 free places to visit across the wider region.

Featured Image – Bolton Council

Bolton

Toxic Town – new star-studded Netflix drama series filmed in Greater Manchester airs next week

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A trailer and first look images for a gripping new Netflix drama series filmed in Greater Manchester have been released.

Viewers are being given a teaser of what to expect before it airs next week.

Produced by Charlie Brooker and Annabelle Jones, and based on one of the UK’s biggest environmental scandals, Toxic Town tells the story of the people at the heart of the 2009 Corby poisonings, that started decades ago in the 1980s, and focuses on a group of mothers who took on a David and Goliath-style battle for justice.

The four-part series written by acclaimed screenwriter, Jack Thorne, traces the years of the mothers’ fight and watches as a terrible truth comes to the surface.

The cast of the new drama is seriously star-studded, with local Northern actors Jodie Whittaker – best known for Doctor Who and Broadchurch – and Stockport-born Aimee Lou Wood – who is best known for the Netflix series Sex Education, as well as the BBC sitcom Daddy Issues, and is currently starring in the third series of HBO’s The White Lotus – taking on the lead roles.

Robert Carlyle, Brendan Coyle, and Rory Kinnear are some of the other famous names playing pivotal roles in the show, alongside Bridgerton’s Claudia Jessie, Game of Thrones’ and Skins’ Joe Dempsey, and This is England’s Michael Socha.

New star-studded drama series Toxic Town airs on Netflix next week/ Credit: Netflix UK & Ireland

Show creator Jack Thorne called it the “cast of dreams”.

“I couldn’t believe that we were able to get these people, and that they were prepared to be part of this story,” he commented. “And boy, did they all deliver.”

“Each of them just brought something new that I’d never seen them do before,” Thorne teased ahead of the show’s air. “And when you’re with a cast that’s doing that consistently, it’s so exciting to watch and it’s so beautiful.”

Despite the story being set in the Northamptonshire town of Corby, the majority of this new series was actually filmed here in Greater Manchester – primarily in Bolton.

Over the last decade or so, Bolton has developed a ‘Hollywood of the North’ nickname as the town’s centre and wider borough’s historic buildings and architecture, and striking rural landscapes, have become a favourite for production crews looking to replicate other well-known worldwide locations such as London, New York, and even Moscow.

Camera crews for popular TV shows such as Peaky Blinders, Happy Valley, It’s A Sin, Brassic, The Stranger, Fool Me Once, and A Gentleman in Moscow have all rolled into the town in recent times.

Read more:

Toxic Town lands on streaming platform Netflix on Thursday 27 February.

Featured Image – Netflix UK & Ireland

More Bolton

Peter Kay's rare public statement after 'humiliated' woman kicked out of his gig

Bolton

Peter Kay’s rare public statement after ‘humiliated’ woman kicked out of his gig

Woman driving a car

Bolton

Two Greater Manchester postcodes revealed as being hotspots for uninsured drivers

New Bolton manager Shumacher confirms coaching staff

Bolton

Steven Schumacher confirms new backroom staff after being appointed Bolton Wanderers boss

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches