A brand-new food hall offering a range of cuisines from across the world has just opened inside Bolton Market.
Fresh off-the-back of the town being named Greater Manchester’s new ‘Town of Culture’, Bolton is already proving why 2024 is its year, as the latest development in the wider £5.9 million transformation of its town centre-based Market is now complete, and officially opened its doors to the eagerly-awaiting public last Friday (7 June).
Bolton is already known as one of our region’s foodie capitals, largely thanks to the annual – and very popular – Bolton Food and Drink Festival, which will be making a 2024 return this August bank holiday weekend, but now the opening of the new food hall cements the town as champions of food all year round.
Visitors to Bolton Market’s new food hall will be able to tuck into a wide range of cuisines from all across the globe.
Japanese, Caribbean, Indian, Italian, are just some of the tasty cuisines food traders will be serving up inside the Market food hall, as well as gourmet burgers, healthy chicken, sandwiches, freshly-cooked kebab dishes, sweet drinks and desserts, and so much more.
There’ll be a variety of options available for lunchtimes, after-work treats, and weekend dining too.
Aside from the foodie offering, there’s also a new gin bar from The Bolton Gin Company, named Chill, and the new venue is also home to several sports screens set to show all the action from the upcoming UEFA EURO 2024 football championship.
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Then, as a way of making the venue a nighttime destination too, Bolton Market will be extending its operating hours and the food hall will stay open later on Fridays and Saturdays, with local musicians and acoustic acts invited along to entertain diners.
Both indoor and outdoor seating is available at the new food hall – with room for 200 people to sit indoors, and a further 160 seats on offer outside.
A new food hall with a gin bar, sports screens, and more has opened inside Bolton Market / Credit: Bolton Market
Jon Dyson, who is the Director of Place at Bolton Council, said he’s excited for the new food hall to offer “even more variety” to the town.
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He continued: “After more than 70 food and drink traders toured the premises and expressed interest, the final selection was based on individual business cases and how we could provide a variety of options for customers.
“With Bolton being a popular place to work and study, this new venue will offer more dining choices for lunchtime breaks, as well as being a great addition to the town’s weekend hospitality scene, offering live music, entertainment, and sports on screens.”
Bolton Market Food Hall is now open from Tuesday and Thursday from 11am-5pm, Friday and Saturday from 11am-9:30pm, Sunday from 12pm-6pm, and closed on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Featured Image – Paul Heyes (via Bolton Council)
Bolton
Former Bolton Council employee jailed for stealing nearly £900k from client benefits accounts
Emily Sergeant
A former Bolton Council employee has been sentenced to jail this week after admitting to stealing from client benefits accounts.
Richard Shaw transferred £893,296 to himself from benefit claimants’ accounts held by Bolton Council between 2015 and 2023 – which he had been managing as part of the Council’s Financial Protection Team, before he was subsequently suspended when mismanagement of appointeeship cases was discovered.
He was then sacked for gross misconduct in March 2023, after the Council identified and reported the possible fraud to Greater Manchester Police (GMP).
A lengthy investigation by GMP’s Economic and Cyber Crime Unit then began, with ‘full cooperation’ from Bolton Council, which went on to show that Shaw had been transferring the money to his own accounts for a number of years.
He also transferred money between clients’ accounts in an attempt to hide his fraud.
Investigations in 2023 showed several bank transfers to nine personal accounts held in Richard Shaw’s name – with just over £250,000 transferred to one account, and £215,000 to another.
During the investigation, it was established that Shaw spent £100,000 buying a holiday home in Lancashire, and almost £18,000 on garden improvements.
It is estimated to Shaw’s failure to act in the best interest of his clients meant he lost them a total of £129,749 in unclaimed benefits.
Two BMW cars and several high-value items – including computers and bikes – were seized during a warrant at Shaw’s home address of Harrier Close in Bolton on 27 April 2023, when he was initially arrested on suspicion of fraud by abuse of position and money laundering.
Shaw failed to attend his first court appearance on 23 September 2025 and was then arrested on the same day in Blackpool. He initially denied fraud by abuse of position, but then went on to change his plea to guilty at Bolton Crown Court in December 2025.
He was finally jailed for four years and eight months at Bolton Crown Court yesterday (18 February 2026).
Speaking following Shaw’s sentencing this week, Detective Sergeant Daniel Sanchez, from GMP’s Economic and Cyber Crime Unit, said: “In his role as an appointee officer, Shaw was responsible for managing 120 client cases. Shaw abused his position of trust within the council, transferring clients’ money to accounts he had set up in his own name.
“His systematic theft and haphazard spending was uncovered by our financial investigator.
“There will now be a Proceeds of Crime hearing to reclaim the rest of the money so the council can be reimbursed.”
Featured Image – GMP
Bolton
Four people arrested as part of investigation into fatal head-on crash in Bolton last month
Emily Sergeant
Four people have now been arrested following a devastating and fatal head-on collision in Bolton last month.
Simultaneous warrants – which were conducted alongside Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) and Trading Standards – took place in Ladybridge and Bolton town centre this week, and resulted in four people being arrested.
A 42-year-old woman and 46-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of fraud offences, while a 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods, and an 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of aggravated vehicle taking.
All four people arrested currently remain in police custody for questioning, as the investigation into the serious collision continues.
The arrests have been made after officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were called out to reports of a collision on Wigan Road in Bolton at around 12:45am on Sunday 11 January, where a Seat Leon was travelling down the road and collided with a Citroen C4 Picasso – which was a taxi.
The driver of the Seat, and two passengers – who were all aged between 18 and 19 – died following the collision, and the driver of the Citroen was also sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
The three teenagers who died have been named by GMP as Muhammad Danyaal Asghar Ali, Farhan Patel, and Mohammed Jibrael Mukhtar, all from Bolton, while the taxi driver was named as Masrob Ali from Blackburn.
Four people have been arrested as part of an investigation into a fatal head-on crash that happened in Bolton last month / Credit: GMP
Five passengers from both vehicles were taken to hospital for treatment, and it has been revealed by GMP that a 29-year-old woman who suffered ‘life-threatening injuries’ during the incident is now in a stable condition.
“Our investigation into this tragic incident has led to four arrests from two warrants in Bolton,” Detective Inspector Andrew Page, of GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, confirmed.
GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) is still appealing for information and witnesses, and are urging anyone that may be able to help to come forward. This includes anyone who saw the vehicle driving before the collision, witnessed the incident itself, or has dashcam / CCTV footage.
Emily Sergeant -
11th June 2024 
