Hidden away among numerous overgrown bushes and trees lies the remains of a former nursery school in Bolton that was once loved by many.
The Elms Private Nursery School – on Blackburn Road, in the Sharples area of the Greater Manchester borough of Bolton – first opened its doors to the public back in 1990, and went on to nurture hundreds of children before it closed for good in 2018 / 19.
The former nursery owners Dorothy and Brian Wrigley converted the downstairs of their home and the property next door into the business, while they moved into a flat above.
“At that time, there were only 11 other private early years settings in Bolton,” Mrs Wrigley told the Bolton News in 2011.
“I felt I was about to jump out of the frying pan into the fire.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I was the headteacher of a local primary school and was not sure what the future held, as the private sector was not always looked upon favourably at that time, with The Children’s Act only just being written and implemented, and social services being responsible for registering and monitoring settings.”
Mr and Mrs Wrigley ran the business for 17 “very happy” years before their daughter, Joanne Haworth, eventually bought it from them in 2007 to carry on the legacy, until it became “no longer financially viable”.
ADVERTISEMENT
And now, the Victorian building has sadly been left to decay.
Photos revealing the state of disrepair that the building currently lies in have gone viral on social media this week, after the nursery premises became the latest point of interest for Abandoned UK – “a small team of urban explorers that love to travel and explore”.
And it’s not hard to see why it’s got people talking either.
ADVERTISEMENT
There’s boarded up windows, rooms gutted inside, smashed glass throughout, rotting walls and ceilings, old playground swings and slides still intact outside, and much more that make it a shadow of its former self.
But regardless of whether you knew of the nursery in its prime, it’s still an eerie sight.
The post caught the attention of people right across the borough.
It amassed hundreds of shares and comments by members of the local community, with some shocked at the state the building had been left in, and others sharing fond memories of times when they or they’re children attended the nursery.
Former members of staff also chimed in to remember the good times, and many also expressed their sadness at the thought of the building falling further into disrepair with time.
ADVERTISEMENT
Others were completely unaware the nursery had even closed down at all.
The post also went on to generate conversation as to what may come of the building in the future, or rather, if there even is a plan for the building.
Several speculations were made as to whether the new owners may have intended to restore the building to its former glory – potentially through the opening of another commercial premises, with references made to another once-thriving commercial building that has also gone to ruin a couple doors down, or through conversion into residential property – but had ran into complications, or funding issues along the way.
But for now, they remain as speculations, and the future appears unknown.
Greater Manchester cinemas to screen family-favourite films for just £2.50 this spring
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester cinemas will be screening family-favourite films, and some new releases, all throughout this upcoming spring holidays.
The best bit? Prices start from a massively-affordable £2.50 a ticket.
With Easter right around the corner, and schools across Greater Manchester set to be on their spring holidays in a couple of weeks time, parents and carers will likely be looking for ways to keep the kids entertained while schools are out.
But now it’s time to take care of those film lovers… and also those keen to plan budget-friendly events that also take into account the classic Manchester April showers.
Cinema chain Vue has announced its lineup of family blockbusters showing at venues across Greater Manchester this spring – including Printworks, Lowry, Bolton, Altrincham, and Bury.
Arriving in time for the school holidays, A Minecraft Movie welcomes fans to their favourite cubic wonderland, while the whole family can instead transport themselves into Disney’s reimagining of the 1937 classic Snow White if they’d prefer.
Also returning to the big screen are childhood classics like Wallace & Gromit: Curse of The Were-Rabbit, 20 years after its original release, and the beloved Babe, to celebrate the film’s 30th anniversary.
Greater Manchester cinemas will be screening family-favourite films for just £2.50 this spring / Credit: Disney | Aardman Animations
And as part of Vue’s ‘Mighty Mornings’ offering, film fans can enjoy pre-releases of family-friendly flicks like Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Moana 2 every day throughout half term, all from just £2.49 per ticket when booked online.
“A trip to Vue this Easter break is the perfect opportunity for families to immerse themselves in the magic of their favourite big screen characters,” commented Rob Lea, who is the Head of Screen Content at Vue UK & Ireland.
“More than just entertainment, it’s a chance for children and parents to switch off, connect, and create lasting memories together.”
Featured Image – Krists Luhaers (via Unsplash)
Trending
Pep Guardiola delivers gutting news as Man City are hit with Erling Haaland injury blow
Danny Jones
Pep Guardiola has passed on some gutting fitness news for Manchester City fans as star striker Erling Haaland is confirmed to be injured for several weeks and could even miss the rest of the Premier League season.
The title might be out of reach this year, and the Champions League knockout against Real Madrid was definitely hard for Blues to take, but with Man City into the semi-finals of the FA Cup, there’s still a very strong chance they could end 2024/25 with a piece of silverware.
However, they’ll have to make it through another two massive rounds at Wembley and seemingly the remainder of the season without Haaland and his goals, as the Catalan coach revealed that the club expects him to be out injured for “six to seven weeks.”
Not exactly how City fans would have wanted to see the rest of an already frustrating season play out.
🗣️ "We don't have another player with his skills."
Relaying diagnosis from the medical team, Pep said the hope is that the big Norwegian number nine could be back for the very tail end of the campaign, but at the very least, he “will be ready for the [FIFA Club] World Cup.”
He went on to add that “these kinds of things happen” and that he feels “sorry” for all of the other injuries that have befell his squad up till now, adding that they can only hope for a speedy recovery and for him to return as soon as possible.
The 24-year-old hasn’t had too many big injury problems in his career thus far, although his longest spell on the sidelines did come at the end of 2023 when a stress fracture kept him out until the new year.
This time around, Haaland suffered an injury to his ankle during the City’s FA Cup win over Bournemouth on Sunday following a challenge from defensive midfielder Lewis Cook.
He was forced in the second half and was seen leaving the Vitality Stadium on crutches after the game.
Erling Haaland seen leaving Bournemouth in a protective boot and crutches. 🤕
Having led the golden boot race for a good chunk of the season – as he’s become accustomed too since he arrived in England – City‘s sub-optimal season has seen him slink into second behind high-flying Mo Salah on 27, but he still has a couple dozen goals and a trio of assists to show for it.
Speaking of Salah, the soon-to-leave ‘Egyptian King’ has been the talisman for Liverpool this season, and his contributions could see them lift the trophy in Arne Slot’s first season as early as 13 April, depending on how fellow title rivals Arsenal fare in their next two matches.
As for how City round out their domestic campaign, reclaiming the FA Cup after last year’s derby disappointment looks like the main goal.
You can watch Pep Guardiola’s press conference ahead of the game against Leicester City at 19:45pm tomorrow (Wednesday, 2 April) in full HERE.