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
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An iconic vintage train is set to pass through Greater Manchester this summer
Danny Jones
Calling all railway enthusiasts: another historic vintage locomotive is set to visit two Greater Manchester train stations this summer.
Whether you’re a passionate trainspotter or just a nearby resident curious to see what all the fuss is about, the cult favourite retro carriages will pass through the pair of Manc boroughs and surrounding areas early next month.
Despite an adjustment in the initial plans, locals will still be able to witness and board the train at multiple stops along the way in the Stockport (Reddish South station) and Rochdale areas.
So, if you consider yourself a bit of a ‘Francis Bourgeois’ figure, or a general public transport connoisseur, pay attention.
Designed by Sir Kenneth Granger and officially launched back in 1976, the fleet was named as such after the top speed of 125mph – simple as that.
Once again, it’s worth noting that the originally proposed route and stops have now been changed due to issues with Network Rail.
As a result of there currently being no standing approval to use the connection from Paignton to Bury on the East Lancs Railway line, they have been forced to change the start and terminus points.
Writing on the dedicated 125Group website, they say: “We are reviewing our options to start as close as possible to the advertised departure point, and it seems likely that Rochdale will become the start and finish point, with all other previous pick-ups retained.
“For those in the far south west, we are looking to see whether we can offer an Exeter to Paignton return – subject to availability of space. We will add this to the booking site shortly, although we may have to limit numbers sold until we are more certain of booking levels to Bristol and Exeter.”
Two 125s, including ‘The Mancunian Princess’, travelled through the SK region earlier this year.
They have reassured that the journey will still be going ahead and have simply advised those hoping to catch it to keep their eyes peeled on the website and their socials for the latest updates.
Kids’ tickets start from just a tenner, and standard passes for the full tour cost £99, with first-class the class option priced at £149 (there’s also a table for two supplement available for £50).
You can see the full map, find out more information, and grab your seats right HERE.
Bet the internet signal on this relic isn’t far off the current standard either, to be fair…
Temporary location for ‘Number 10 North’ in Manchester city centre reportedly confirmed
Emily Sergeant
The temporary location for the new Number 10 North project has been announced.
You may remember that earlier last month, it was revealed that Andy Burnham had intentions to create a Number 10 North if he was to become Prime Minister, and now that he is, more details on this move to Manchester have been revealed.
Number 10 North is expected to be a ‘dominant driver of the UK’s economy’ once it’s officially up and running, Government ministers say.
According to BBC News reports, civil servants working for Government departments based in London have been offered relocation packages to encourage them to move to the northern base in Manchester, which is said to be being overseen by cabinet minister and ally of Andy Burnham, Louise Haigh.
The temporary location for ‘Number 10 North’ in Manchester city centre has reportedly been confirmed / Credit: gov.uk (via Wikimedia Commons)
Haigh – who is the first secretary of state – has reportedly been asked, according to the BBC, to have been asked to lead a new Office for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet (OPMC), which will give her control of key decision-making bodies across Government.
The OPMC will include No 10 and No 10 North, as well as other teams within the Cabinet Office.
It is understood, according to the same BBC reports, that the initial temporary location of No 10 North will be Heron House, just off Albert Square in central Manchester, which is the same building that currently houses offices for the intelligence service GCHQ, and where eyewitnesses have spotted police officers guarding in recent days.
🚨 NEW: No 10 North will temporarily be based at Heron House in central Manchester
Whitehall civil servants have been offered relocation packages to encourage them to move pic.twitter.com/BVyUkNfxRr
The longer-term base for Number 10 North, however, is expected to be at the new Government ‘Digital Campus’, which is currently under construction in the Ancoats and is not due for completion until 2032.
Alongside Whitehall officials who are willing to move to Manchester, it is also likely there will be a significant movement of staff from Burnham’s former mayoral team at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), the BBC reports.
You can discover more about the plans for Number 10 North here.
Emily Sergeant -
24th February 2022 
