Bolton’s legendary bakery Carrs Pasties has revealed some huge plans to expand across the UK for the first time ever.
Founded all the way back in 1938, and known as the ‘pride of Bolton’ with the town at the heart of everything it does, family-run bakery Carrs Pasties may not be known worldwide, but it has been “baking perfect pasties” for the past 83 years, with an original recipe that has been passed down through three generations.
The beloved bakery – which runs three shops in the Bolton borough – “takes great pride” in what it produces, admitting that it wants every single pasty to taste as good as the next and working extremely hard to achieve this feat.
Over the years, the company has gone from humble beginnings, to launching a click and collect service and a nationwide delivery service.
But up until now, it’s been pretty tricky to get your hands on the delicacies outside of Bolton.
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Carrs Pasties has been “baking perfect pasties” for the past 83 years / Credit: Carrs Pasties
For the foodies that are keen to tuck into a pasty on the road, Carrs has announced that it has submitted a planning application to upgrade the main Summerfield Road site to predominantly be a production and distribution facility.
It comes after the COVID-19 pandemic was said to have forced the business to revise how it operates going forward.
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Speaking on the huge expansion plans, managing director Joe Carr told Bolton News: “The blessing of COVID was that we had to innovate, and those who did innovate benefitted [so] we stopped serving fresh from the oven to all our partners and they now have to bake off frozen products.
“It’s fresher and better quality.”
He continued: “It’s opened up the whole of the UK and it has been a great success so far, so we hope to serve more and more people with what this town is proud of.”
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Mr Carr added that the company is “very excited” about the prospect of expanding across the UK, and says that “everywhere you see a Costa Coffee machine, we hope you’ll see a Carrs stall. In petrol stations and retail shops. You’ll see us up and down the country.”
The Carrs Pasties original recipe that has been passed down through three generations / Credit: Carrs Pasties
A big part of the Carrs expansion also aims increase employment opportunities, and to adopt an eco-friendlier set-up, with the company aiming to reduce its gas use and make every pasty van electric within the next decade, and Mr Carr adding: “Everyone is driving towards a better, greener future. It’s the right thing to do. We never even questioned that we wouldn’t do it.
“Our target is to also reduce the gas we are using for our ovens and every van in our fleet will be electric in 10 years.
“As we continue to expand, there will be more retail shops in what we call the Greater Bolton area, so you might see one pop up in Manchester, for example, but it has to be the right opportunity.”
Featured Image – Carrs Pasties
News
A Manchester barbershop is offering a ‘pay what you can’ service this month
Danny Jones
Amidst the tidal wave of January deals on food and drink in Manchester, a local barbers is championing their own ‘pay what you can’ offer to help people along this month.
Jefe’s Barbershop, located in the heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter, is one of the best barbers in the city centre, offering a wide variety of cuts and facial hair grooming services – they even offer a subscription service that helps people save money on regular trims.
That being said, they are well aware of those January blues and the mounting obstacles and anxieties that come with weeks of penny-pinching to make it to month’s end, as well as the general toll it can take on people’s mental health.
But this January, Jefe and his team are doing something different – as he puts it, “something special”: the barbershop is allowing customers to simply pay what they feel comfortable handing over and, in the case of those struggling, whatever they can afford.
It’s a simple gesture with a big purpose which helps ensure no one has to miss out on a feel-good moment or the confidence that comes from a fresh trim.
“All we do is laugh and joke about life—that’s why people come here,” Jefe explains. “I don’t want anyone to lose the chance to be present, to feel good, and to laugh with us.
“Men often need more help than they’re willing to let on and we want to be a helping hand they can rely on.” Now that’s a cause all of us can and should get behind.
Community support has remained at the core of Jefe’s Barbershop since the beginning when he swapped a basketball career for providing a much-needed service to Mancunian men.
From partnering with Manc sandwich shops and offering free haircuts for the homeless, to hosting street parties with local events companies and providing £5 trims to promote men’s mental health in 2023 when the cost of living crisis really kicked in – Jefe’s is always trying to make a difference in the area.
You’ve got to love businesses that go the extra mile.
If you want to make the most of this wholesome deal or just feel like you’re in need of a trim, you can book HERE or call them directly on 0161 818 7659.
The ‘pay what you can’ offer runs Monday to Thursday, 9am-7pm, subject to availability. You’ll find Jefe’s Barbershop on Stevenson Square
Because as the man himself puts it, “Everyone deserves to feel their best”.
Police appeal for witnesses after possible attempted kidnap of 11-year-old girl in Irlam
Emily Sergeant
An appeal for information and witnesses has been issued following the possible attempted kidnap of an 11-year-old girl in Irlam.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that at around 8:30am yesterday (14 January 2025), the young girl – who was walking to school at the time – reported being approached by a male and female on Silver Street in Irlam, close to the junction of Cutnook Lane.
It is believed the pair had been driving in the area in a car and a van, according to police.
The two then grabbed hold of the girl, before she was able to run away and later inform an adult of what had happened.
The male the police are hoping to gain information on is described as white, approximately 5ft 9 inches tall, with short dark hair and clean-shaven, and he was wearing blue jeans and a black hoodie at the time, while the female is described as white, and was wearing leggings and a black hoodie.
The car is described as a black four-door vehicle, while the van was small, white, and new-looking and with a sliding door.
#APPEAL | Detectives are appealing for information after a girl was approached and grabbed in Salford.
At around 8.30am today, an 11-year-old girl walking to school reported being approached by a male and female on Silver Street, Irlam.
In the interest of public safety while police are currently investigating the incident, extra officers have been deployed to the local area for reassurance as their enquiries continue, GMP has confirmed.
Appealing to the public, officers are also asking anyone who lives in the area to check for any relevant dashcam, CCTV, or doorbell footage from around the time of the incident, and anyone who may have witnessed anything suspicious is also asked to contact police.
“This is of course a concerning and distressing incident and I would like to reassure the community that we are doing all we can to investigate the circumstances,” explained Detective Inspector Justin Bryant, from GMP’s Salford district.
“We are keen to hear from anyone who may have witnessed something or has footage from around the time of the incident, and we would urge anyone with any information to please get in touch, as your assistance could be greatly beneficial to our work.
“We are ensuring that the girl and the family are being kept-up-to date and supported at this time.”
Information can be passed on to 101 or via the GMP Live Chat service at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 1205 of 14/01/25, or alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Emily Sergeant -
24th February 2022 
