Bolton

Streets in Bolton town centre to be pedestrianised as hospitality venues apply for outdoor licenses

The Manc The Manc - 15th April 2021

A number of prominent streets in Bolton town centre are to be closed off to traffic as visitors return over the coming weeks.

During earlier coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdowns, Churchgate – the town centre’s main thoroughfare – had been closed over the weekends to allow people to sit outside at bars, restaurants and cafes, but Bolton Council has confirmed this will now be reopened to cars.

Nelson Square, however, will remain closed to traffic from Thursday to Sunday each week to allow more outdoor space.

In preparation for lockdown restrictions to continue easing further as part of the government’s “irreversible” roadmap, it’s been confirmed that hospitality venues across the town have been applying for pavement licences to begin serving customers.

It’s a move that could see Nelson Square mirror the current pedestrianisation of several streets in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.

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Hospitality businesses were finally permitted to reopen for outdoor service earlier this week.

Explaining plans for the town centre going forward, a spokesperson for Bolton Council said: “Following on from the announcement of the pavement café licences back in July last year, we originally closed Churchgate Friday – Sunday to support the hospitality sectors in this part of the town centre.

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“We’ve monitored the feedback and usage of pavements during that time and have revised the plans. 

“Individual bars and venues will be able to use the section of pavement outside their premises but Churchgate will remain open for traffic.

“Elsewhere, it’s planned that Nelson Square will be closed to traffic Thursday to Sundays when we move into Step 3 to allow outdoor space to be used, and we have had applications from other venues around the borough”.

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What restrictions are being lifted from 17th May?

If the data allows it, further restrictions will be lifted on 17th May as part of ‘Step Three’ of lifting England’s lockdown, which are:

  • Up to 30 people from different households will be able to gather outdoors.
  • Indoor hospitality will reopen, as well as indoor entertainment venues such as cinemas, hotels, children’s play areas and indoor group sports and exercise classes.
  • The limit on guests attending weddings, receptions and wakes will increase to 30.

The government has also said it will update advice on social distancing measures no later than this stage, and this will also be the earliest date at which international holidays may be able to resume.

This will all be subject to a prior government review.

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For the latest information, guidance and support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the UK, please do refer to official sources at gov.uk/coronavirus.

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Bolton

Paddy McGuinness admits he thinks Bolton is ‘still in Lancashire’ not Greater Manchester

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Paddy McGuinness has admitted that he believes “Bolton still falls under Lancashire” and not Greater Manchester.

The famous comedian and TV presenter – who was born and raised in Farnworth in 1973, back when it genuinely was still categorised as Lancashire – made the somewhat controversial declaration to his millions of followers on Instagram this week as he shared some pictures of himself that are currently featuring as part of a photography exhibition.

McGuinness is one of dozens of local famous faces forming part of the ‘Greater Mancunians’ project by The Manchester College.

150 students have participated in the landmark photography project – which is currently on display down at Manchester Central Library’s Main Exhibition Hall – and it features images of some of Manchester’s most famous and influential people shot at numerous locations across the city.

Noel Gallagher, Johnny Marr, Ricky Hatton, Andy Burnham, Angela Rayner, Maxine Peake, Jonathan Warburton, and Professor Erinma Bell MBE are among the 100 contributors featured in the project, alongside McGuinness.

The 50-year-old, who is most well-known for his acting and presenting roles in Phoenix Nights, Max and Paddy’s Road To Nowhere, Take Me Out, and Top Gear, says it was “a real honour” to be featured in the exhibition.

McGuinness wrote on Instagram: “It was a real honour to take part in the Greater Mancunians project with the students at The Manchester College. The exhibition is full of people from music, comedy, politics, poetry, television, medicine and beyond.”

He then said it’s “well worth popping in if you’re in town”, before dropping the final Bolton-related bombshell: “PS, I’m still saying Bolton falls under Lancashire.”

In case you’re unfamiliar with the borough’s history, Bolton was considered to be a part of Lancashire until Greater Manchester was formally established all the way back on 1 April 1974 – but still to this day, the town is located within the historic county boundaries of Lancashire.

Paddy McGuinness admits he thinks Bolton is ‘still in Lancashire’, not Greater Manchester (Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

After making the bold claim about Bolton’s geographical location, McGuinness has been met with praise and has received hundreds of comments from other Bolton and wider Greater Manchester residents agreeing with him and sharing their similar opinions under the post.

“I think they should redefine Lancashire back to its old borders, it would bring unity to the area and create a northern powerhouse,” one person commented.

Another fan wrote: “Bolton will always be in Lancashire for me”, while a third commented: “ALWAYS Lancashire. Can’t move land boundaries, they’re not pieces of paper,” a fourth shared a similar sentiment: “They can tell us we’re Greater Manchester, but I know Im a Lancashire lass,” and a fifth added: “Lancashire all the way lad.”

“BOLTON WILL ALWAYS BE LANCASHIRE,” another clearly strong-viewed comment reads.

Read more:

It’s always very ‘Stockport is Cheshire‘, isn’t it?

What’s your take then? Do you think Bolton is still in Lancashire, or is it part of Greater Manchester? What about the rest of the boroughs?

We know full well we may have opened a can of worms with this one but that’s all part of the fun.

Featured Images – BBC

Bolton

Greater Manchester clubs and Kellogg’s team up for free kids’ football camps this summer

Danny Jones Danny Jones Kellogg's free summer football camps in Greater Manchester 2024

A whole host of Greater Manchester clubs are teaming up with cereal brand Kellogg’s this summer to hold tens of thousands of free football camps for kids this summer.

Joining the nationwide initiative alongside dozens of other teams across the country, local sides including Manchester City, Bolton Wanderers, Salford City and more will be taking part in a glorious sporting summer helping the opportunity to stay active and entertained during the holidays.

Kellogg’s Football Camps and similar schemes from the company have been running for many years and this latest edition is set to be the biggest yet, with 300,000 completely free days of footballing fun set to be offered out to children aged 5-14 all over the UK.

With the multiple clubs from in and around the region enlisting their help, not to mention Euro 2024 and the Olympics just on the horizon, it’s going to be a great couple of months for the little ones.

With the likes of Stockport County, Wigan Athletic and other nearby organisations such as the Foundation 92 (the educational charity arm formed by the Man United’s Class of ’92 group) getting involved, the physical activity-driven programme will be a great outlet for kids this school break.

This fresh push for physical activity comes after recent research found that 90% of parents in the North West would like their child to experience less screen time and take part in more outdoor activities and 7/10 of mums and dads from the region feel there aren’t enough accessible activities local to them.

Entry for the Kellogg’s camps kicked off this month and will run until 24 June, with around 2,500 places released every week. The sessions themselves will run throughout July and August 2024 as well as a handful in June and September.

To mark the occasion this year, they also revealed the world’s longest football scarf featuring a total of 74 different teams from England, Wales, and Scotland, measuring approximately 100m long.

Half-and-half scarves can still do one but this is pretty ace, right?

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The vast majority of parents polled said they felt participating in team sports can help build crucial life skills and that’s exactly what the campaign is hoping to achieve. Brilliant stuff.

Kellogg’s has long held not only a local connection to Greater Manchester but a partnership with English football in general (if you have one of those old footy cereal bowls you know all too well), so it’s nice to see them still getting involved and help parents keep their kids occupied for a little while this summer.

The sign-up process is pretty simple: merely grab a promotional box of the brand’s cereal which millions of British kids already eat for their cereal, scan the barcode to validate the purchase and then select your desired club via email to book your kids onto the free football days. You can see the T&Cs HERE.

As it happens, they aren’t the only food brand offering similar sporting freebies this year:

McDonald’s set to deliver free football coaching to thousands of Greater Manchester kids

Featured Images — Supplied/Bolton Wanders FC (via X)

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