Shopping
From Bolton Interweb
Bolton is, to be honest, a rather good regional shopping centre, complete with all the chains, two department stores, a couple of covered malls, including a very impressive converted old Market Hall plus the more recently built Crompton Place (formerly an Arndale Centre), and a growing number of retail parks on the periphery of the town centre, plus the massive out-of-town Middlebrook complex at the Horwich exit of the M61 alongside the Reebok Stadium and Bolton Arena. Plus a traditional market and covered stalls inside the old revamped Market Hall. Parking in the town centre is not cheap nor plentiful but if you are determined enough you'll find somewhere to park within walking distance. Many but not all shops are open on Sundays.
Most of the good stores in the town centre are located near the Market Hall, through to Deansgate and around the Town Hall. The southern end of the main shopping streets are a bit run-down though.
For food shopping there is a large Marks and Spencer food hall in the centre of town and, unusually, major Morrisons and Sainsburys supermarkets to the southern end of the centre near the railway station, which means people don't have to have a car to buy their groceries.
Very close to the town centre there are three retail parks with large car parks, housing DIY and electrical applicance chains, a Toys'R'Us, a Staples, a PC World, a pet superstore, a Hobbycraft, furniture and bedding stores, and the obligatory sports clothing and footwear outlets.
Keeping all this variety in or around the town centre, despite the Middlebrook centre in Horwich, means Bolton has kept its commercial heart where other towns have given up the fight against out-of-town developments.
Though not in Bolton, the massive and nationally recognised Trafford Centre is within 15 minutes drive of Bolton via the A666 and M60. By public transport though you would need to get the train into Manchester, change onto the Metrolink, and then get a shuttle bus from Stretford.
About 6 miles from Bolton town centre is Bury town centre. Sorry to say on a website promoting Bolton but I much prefer Bury to Bolton when it comes to shopping. A more compact town centre, easier and cheaper to park, all the shops but in smaller versions so quicker to get around, a reasonable number of independent shops, retail parks all around the ring road and within reasonable walking distance, and a massive Tescos (and smaller Asda). Best of all what is claimed to be the "World Famous" Bury Market. Certainly, BBC Best Food Market 2009. In fact every year it seems to win some Best Market award of some kind. Some of the best black pudding anywhere. Just north of Bury is Ramsbottom with its independent shops and sausages to die for - take a trip on the steam train from Bury town centre.
See also Directory
