Every town has a house that’s the talk of the community.
You know the type of house we’re referring to and you could very well be thinking of it right at this moment in time – we’re talking about a house that catches the eye, for whatever reason that may be.
Perhaps it appears oddly placed? Maybe it’s slightly out of the ordinary, or a bit eccentric? It could be that it simply doesn’t mirror the other ‘two up, two down’ terraces that line the vast majority of streets surrounding? It may have a garden so jaw-dropping that you have no choice but to stop and marvel at it? Maybe it’s one of those houses that goes ‘all out’ for Christmas time – your town’s very own version of a house that could’ve been featured in the 2006 festive flick Deck The Halls? You get the picture.
It’s a house that stands out from the rest.
There’s plenty of well-known local examples of houses that fit this description. By now, there’s not a person either side of the Pennines who hasn’t heard the story of Scott Hall Farm, more commonly and aptly known as ‘Motorway Farm’, or the house that’s sandwiched slap bang in the middle of the M62, and last month, we also discovered that the iconic cottage right next to Dukes 92, overlooking the canal and sitting in the shadows of Beetham Tower, was advertised to rent on AirBnB, which gave us a glimpse inside a property that had long been a talking point for Mancunians over the years. But, have you heard about the house in Bolton though?
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Found near the traffic lights of a busy crossroads close to the town centre, this little corner house is a pretty big deal in the Greater Manchester borough, but not everyone outside of Bolton is aware of its existence to quite the same extent.
So, what is it that makes this house so well-known to Boltonians then?
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Yes, the central location and the close proximity to traffic means plenty of eyes are on it daily, but that’s not why. It’s also not solely the fact that it goes ‘all out’ at Christmas time by completely covering the front of the house with an array of multi-coloured festive lights and a number of eclectic decorations each year either, although that’s certainly part of it.
It’s that the show isn’t exclusive to December – if you’re looking for a source of entertainment, you’ll find it at this Bolton semi all year round.
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There’s been an ever-changing selection of quirky decorative features to the front garden of this property over the years that have made it near impossible not to stare at whilst driving past. We’re talking a traditional red telephone box, a (what we presume isn’t an in-use) postbox, a Police lamp post, toy trains, classic car parts, a blow-up Santa scaling the roof, and much, much more – even the elephant sculptures, which were removed from Bolton town centre a few years back, were rumoured to have made an appearance there too at one point.
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Every time there’s a new addition to the garden, it’s sure to get people talking.
As it often does, this house became the talk of the town on local community Facebook group I Belong to Bolton over the weekend, after a picture showing the property in all its glory was posted by an ex-resident querying the story behind the ‘show’. The post amassed hundreds of interactions and comments from other residents, some equally sharing in the intrigue, others offering their two cents into the sights they’ve seen in the garden over the years and plenty praising the property owners for continuously helping to put smiles on the faces of those passing by.
One complimentary group member commented: “I love looking at this house. Always brings a smile to my face.”
Another added: “It does put a smile on my face whenever I drive past and always curious to see what new things they have.”
“As a newbie to Bolton, this house definitely caught my eye. Original, unique and quirky. Wouldn’t life be boring if we were all the same?” said another.
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“Driving past this house always put a smile on mine and my kids faces. This person makes an effort to amuse people which he does. Credit to him. Well done.” another comment read.
We couldn’t have said it any better ourselves. It’s clear to see that this house is so well-loved by many and it certainly has good reason to be.
Yet another reason why “Greater Manchester’s greatness is keeping it great”.
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Sportsbet.io Tour Championship 2026: Manchester welcomes some of snooker’s best
Danny Jones
This Monday marks the start of the World Snooker Tour’s 2026 Sportsbet.io Tour Championship, which is back in Manchester once again– and there are some big names on show.
Returning to our city for a third consecutive time, this year’s Tour Championships began at 1pm, with the likes of world number one Judd Trump playing some of the opening frames against Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen, along with Barry Hawkins taking on 2026 World Open winner, Thepchaiya Un-Nooh.
These are just the first two opening fixtures in what is set to be an eventful week-long tournament that will span a total of 19 matches, concluding in the final on Sunday, 5 April.
Hosted once again over at Manchester Central, this elite field of in-form players is basically only missing Ronnie O’Sullivan, who the aforementioned Thai tour start beat in last week’s final.
Only the top 12 players from this season’s highly competitive rankings earned a place in the draw, so all pretty much all the greats and the next generation are shooting for the title.
Defending champions John Higgins – a four-time world champion – will be breaking off against Mark Williams on Tuesday, 31 March.
Meanwhile, other names on the schedule of play include World Champion Zhao Xintong, Mark Selby (who Higgins beat in Manchester last year), Shaun Murphy, Neil Robertson and Mark Allen.
Put simply, this isn’t just another big sporting event landing in our city centre, but a showcase of some of the very best talent in the discipline.
With tickets starting from just £25, these games are also some of the most affordable premium sports you can enjoy in central Manchester.
Better still, it’s also worth noting that the official Fanzone over in the foyer of the venue is open to all, even without a ticket.
There’s completely free coaching for players of all ages, interactive games, and even the chance to try a proper full-sized professional table – a perfect day out for the Easter school holidays.
The event itself is being aired on Channel 5, but if you’re interested in going along to see the action up close and personal, you can grab your seats right HERE.
Featured Images — Press shot (supplied via Manchester Central)/The Manc Group
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The Oldham Man and The Sea: the documentary about the Latics owner’s record-breaking Atlantic voyage
Danny Jones
It doesn’t matter if you’re not an Athletic fan or native to the borough; we think everyone should go along to watch the much-anticipated documentary about football club owner Frank Rothwell and his record-breaking journey across the Atlantic Ocean: The Oldham Man And The Sea.
One of the simplest and most satisfying names for a film we’ve heard in a long time.
For anyone who doesn’t know about the Oldham Athletic FC chairman turned OBE’s incredible story, Frank Rothwell has set multiple records with his impressive sea-faring feats in recent times.
This new doc, which just premiered at this year’s Manchester Film Festival, charts his latest trip across one of the biggest bodies of water on the planet in March 2024.
As you can see from the recent trailer, it’s almost as arduous a tale as the original Hemingway story.
This movie – produced by Journeyman Pictures and Chief Productions – made its full debut at the Odeon in Great Northern Warehouse for MFF 2026, and is set to have a number of other screenings in and around Greater Manchester in the coming weeks and months.
One of those is happening rather soon, in fact, over at Saddleworth’s Millgate Arts Centre on Saturday, 28 March, which is ideal for those local to the region; grab your tickets now.
ln fact, there’s also one happening even closer to his hometown the following month, with Oldham’s very own Queen Elizabeth Hall also hosting a special screening of Rothwell’s incredible achievement.
You can reserve your seats for that one right HERE.
Having not only become the eldest (70) Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge finisher back in 2021, but now holding the Guinness World Record for the oldest person to ever complete the crossing while rowing solo at 73 years old, he’s become nothing short of a local hero – and that’s just his stewardship of the Latics…
The film does, obviously, touch on his time at the helm of the League Two side, who finally returned to the EFL last June, but the heart and soul of this inspiring watch is the sail itself.
More importantly, it also documents not just the gruelling nature of the 64-day, seven-hour and 53-minute trek, but also how Frank has now helped raise more than £1.4 million on behalf of Alzheimer’s Research UK.
What an absolute icon.
Hopefully, this should be just about all the reason you need to watch The Oldham Man And The Sea the very next opportunity you get to do so – and, of course, all proceeds from ticket sales will also be going to charity, because just the kind of bloke he is.
And here’s hoping we get a streaming version sometime soon.
The Manc -
6th July 2020 
