A bid for £25 million from the ‘Towns Fund’ toward a regeneration project in Bolton has been finalised the council leader saying he will be “very, very surprised” if the application is not successful.
The Greater Manchester borough of Bolton was announced as one of the 101 towns across the UK which would be eligible for support from the government’s £3.6 billion ‘Towns Fund’, which was announced back in September 2019.
The fund intends to drive the economic regeneration of towns to deliver long-term economic growth.
If Bolton’s finalised application can convince the government of the scheme’s value for money, the borough could have up to £25m allocated to it, which will need to be spent by the end of March 2026, according to the Bolton News.
The borough has already received £1 million in advance funding and a decision on the rest is expected before the end of the year.
Each town nominated for funding is required to establish a Town Deal Board – which is the body through which the vision and strategy for the town is defined – and the board must be chaired by a representative of the local business community.
The Bolton board has now finalised its priority schemes for the bid, while rejecting others.
Among the schemes which have been put forward in the finalised Bolton regeneration plan are for The Wellness Centre to have a high-end spa and leisure facility next to the already-planned Le Mans Hotel in the heart of the town centre.
Bolton Council say this luxury spa is intended to “draw in day visitors” to the town.
Flickr / Mikey
Speaking at a council cabinet meeting – which approved the bid this week – Bolton Council leader David Greenhalgh, said: “Everything is positive so far. We already been allocated £1m to get proposals up and running and we should hear back by end of the year.
“The government want to see development happen very quickly with timescales starting in March and April.”
The ‘Towns Fund’ bid is said to be entirely separate from the £100m investment planned for elsewhere the town centre over the next decade – which is to go toward leisure and culture, office and residential development – and the council hopes it will be combined with up to £1bn of private sector investment.
When challenged by opposition leader Nick Peel on what Bolton Council’s ‘plan B’ was if the funding was denied, Cllr Greenhalgh responded: “The Towns Fund is an important part of our regeneration plans but not the whole picture. It’s not an either or within the main regeneration plans – All our eggs are not in one basket.
“These words could come back to haunt me, but I shall be very, very surprised if we don’t get some proportion of our bid for the towns fund.
“If it doesn’t happen, it won’t mean these plans will go to waste.
“We will have some very good schemes built up, oven ready as you may want to call them, to move ahead whenever any more grants come together whether from Greater Manchester or government.”
The Trinity Gateway Development – Bolton Council
Other schemes forming part of the bid include another priority project to improve pedestrian connections to the transport interchange, Le Mans Crescent and Newport Street, all in and around the town centre, and a third scheme could see further extension and upgrade to Bolton’s Central Museum and Art Gallery to “provide an improved destination and focal point to the civic quarter”.
Among the schemes left out of the proposal are plans to redevelop Elizabeth House.
This is said to be due to Bolton Council not being in ownership of the building and “the case for public intervention at this time is unclear”.
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Walkers launches TWO new permanent crisp flavours for the first time in decades
Emily Sergeant
Walkers has launched two new crisp flavours to its permanent lineup for the first time in decades.
We all know the legendary crisp manufacturers have been no strangers to bringing out weird and wonderful concoctions and collaborations over the years – with Marmite, spicy tomato ketchup, fish and chips, steak and ale pie, and even Christmas pudding being just some of the foods turned into crisp form by the company over the years.
These limited-edition Walkers flavours usually have shoppers flocking to their nearest supermarket to stock up before they sell out.
But this time, there’s no need to dash, as these two new flavours are staying for good.
Walkers has launched two new permanent crisp flavours for the first time in decades / Credit: The Manc Group | Mustafa Bashari (via Unsplash)
It’s been a long time – decades, in fact – since Walkers announced permanent crisp flavours that would be stocked on UK shop shelves for years to come, but all that’s set to change, and we have a feeling they’re going to be pretty well-received.
Inspired by the authentic flavours of Japan and India, the two new Walkers crisp flavours are Sticky Teryaki and Chicken Masala.
These new additions come following a year of ‘rigorous’ testing of 63 different potentials, and Walkers said its research and development team finally landed on two flavours that are ‘so delicious’, they simply ‘had to be added’ to the permanent lineup.
The new Sticky Teriyaki flavour provides a balance between sweet and tangy, and it’s sure to hit your senses with an array of flavours from Japan.
The new Masala Chicken, on the other hand, packs a punch of flavour and provides the rich and spicy taste that makes Tikka Masala a firm favourite dish in the UK.
“Our development team has been on a mission for the past year to find two new flavours that meet the highest standards,” commented Wayne Newton, who is the Senior Marketing Director at Walkers, ahead of the crisps being launched.
“After thousands of crisps crunched, flavours tested, and bags rustled, we’re pleased to bring something entirely new to the table”.
Walkers’ new Sticky Teriyaki and Masala Chicken crisps are available to buy now in stores across the UK, so keep your eyes peeled.
Featured Image – Esperanza Doronila (via Unsplash)
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Britain’s top five neighbour ‘red flags’ revealed in an eye-opening new survey
Emily Sergeant
The top five ‘red flags’ of neighbours have been revealed, according to an eye-opening new survey of hundreds of Brits.
In an ideal world, we’d all be friendly with those on our street – but despite everyone’s best intentions, it doesn’t always work out that way, as the dream can begin to unravel once you find out the neighbours aren’t quite what you hoped for.
It’s no secret that who lives next door can shape your day-to-day life, regardless of whether you own or rent your home.
Unlike a dodgy paint colour or a bathroom that’s is need of some modernisation, neighbours aren’t really that easy to change.
Britain’s top five neighbour ‘red flags’ have been revealed in a hilarious new survey / Credit: James Feaver (via Unsplash)
But what exactly is it that really gets under Brits’ skin when it comes to their neighbours? In a bid to find out, Rightmove conducted a new survey and asked members of its research panel, Living Room, to share the neighbourly habits that raise the biggest ‘red flags’ in their books.
The number one neighbour red flag was discovered to be those who ask to borrow your WiFi password if theirs isn’t working or is yet to be installed, with 87% of survey respondents calling it a ‘no-go’, saying it’s not just cheeky, but can also slow down your connection too, meaning you’re left buffering when you don’t need to be.
So-called ‘bin offenders’ take the second spot. You know, those with overflowing bins spilling onto the street? Seven in 10 Brits say it’s a major red flag.
‘Parking pinchers’ take the third spot, with more than half of people (51%) said they’d be unhappy if a neighbour took their parking spot, 71% saying they are irritated by people parking outside their homes, and 70% disliking it when non-residents use their street.
70% of Brits say nosy neighbours are a ‘real issue’, meaning so-called curtain twitching is a red flag, and then 38% say knocking on or inviting round for a surprise cuppa is a ‘boundary-crossing’ move, as peace and quiet matters and unexpected visits can ‘throw off your home’s calm’.
Rightmove also found that 59% of Brits considering a moving to an area will drive by the property at different times of the day and week to check the ‘vibe’, and 43% will check local community groups for neighbour disputes that may apply.
58% say they are open to new areas if it means better neighbours.
Emily Sergeant -
7th October 2020 
