Your childhood memories of bolton town centre

No. what was it?

ah you youngsters   it was an aviary in the Arndale, can't remember what kind of birds it had in it though, i presume it was budgies and the like?

Norpig wrote:ah you youngsters   it was an aviary in the Arndale, can't remember what kind of birds it had in it though, i presume it was budgies and the like?

That must have been the days when Bolton town centre had some decent birds knocking about.

I seemed to spend most of my childhood in W.H Smith,C&A and Gregory and Porritts.

I remember those bloody budgies.

I remember the time before the Arndale was even built.

There used to be a previous (small) shopping roofed thoroughfare leading on to Bradshawgate, where Clarks shoe shop used to be and where I was always taken for my shoes (I don't think trainers had even been invented back in my day).

They had a sort of x-ray machine they used to check out how the shoes fitted once you had them on - probably highly dangerous and completely banned these days!

I also remember catching the bus for home from the stop at the bottom of the Town Hall steps and also the time before the fountains were built outside WH Smiths and going to a family party in the Commercial Hotel (pictured below).

you must be ancient Sluffy 

Where was the Commercial Hotel? I can't work it out from that picture

pissheads, pigeons and polish accents.

you missed out on the golden era Boggers, Friday and Saturday night down Bradshawgate, every pub rammed and then off to Ritzys, Central Park or for me, Pink Panthers, Happy days 

Norpig wrote:you must be ancient Sluffy

Where was the Commercial Hotel? I can't work it out from that picture

I am!

It is on the Town Hall Square and was turned into Mothercare's.

The picture is on the diagonal, where the car seems to be parked on the left is the bottom of the Town Hall steps.  

The thing in the centre of the picture is the war memorial thingy (directly facing the Town Hall) and the Commercial is the big white building to the left.

If you walked past it (in the direction the car is pointing) you would pass Boydell toy shop and the Army and Navy store on your right - heading towards the Market Hall.

Note Boydell's toy store used to be originally at the top end of Newport Street opposite roughly where the Wheatsheaf was but I would think you would be too young to remember in there.

Norpig wrote:you missed out on the golden era Boggers, Friday and Saturday night down Bradshawgate, every pub rammed and then off to Ritzys, Central Park or for me, Pink Panthers, Happy days 

used to be a set route that everyone followed because you used to bump into the same people in every pub. We used to start in the Man & Scythe, over to the Brass Cat, round to Swannies across to Yates's for an Aussie White and then Maxims then Ritzy's. Went to Sundowners as well which was a dive but you always pulled in there.

Sluffy, are you from the Cloggs era?

thanks Sluffy, it looks so different to now, i've seen pictures of when you could drive past the town hall but was before my time. I remember Boydells and the Army & Navy store though

whatsgoingon wrote:

Norpig wrote:you missed out on the golden era Boggers, Friday and Saturday night down Bradshawgate, every pub rammed and then off to Ritzys, Central Park or for me, Pink Panthers, Happy days 

used to be a set route that everyone followed because you used to bump into the same people in every pub. We used to start in the Man & Scythe, over to the Brass Cat, round to Swannies across to Yates's for an Aussie White and then Maxims then Ritzy's. Went to Sundowners as well which was a dive but you always pulled in there.

 we did similar but i think it must be a town thing because in Manchester people tend to stay in one place and not move on very often.
When i first started seeing the wife (she's a Manc) she couldn't believe it was one drink then move on 

Never heard of Sundowners, where was that?

karlypants wrote:Sluffy, are you from the Cloggs era?

When I was little there was an old woman who lived on the same street as me who wore clogs and a shawl, Mrs Whittle I think her name was.  

My mam used to send me up to her house every so often to see if she wanted me to bring her anything from the corner shop in the next street.

I also remember that she always gave the kids in the street cups of black peas and treacle toffee on bonfire night.

True story - so yes I guess I am, just about.

Norpig wrote:

whatsgoingon wrote:

Norpig wrote:you missed out on the golden era Boggers, Friday and Saturday night down Bradshawgate, every pub rammed and then off to Ritzys, Central Park or for me, Pink Panthers, Happy days 

used to be a set route that everyone followed because you used to bump into the same people in every pub. We used to start in the Man & Scythe, over to the Brass Cat, round to Swannies across to Yates's for an Aussie White and then Maxims then Ritzy's. Went to Sundowners as well which was a dive but you always pulled in there.

 we did similar but i think it must be a town thing because in Manchester people tend to stay in one place and not move on very often.
When i first started seeing the wife (she's a Manc) she couldn't believe it was one drink then move on 

Never heard of Sundowners, where was that?

Back Street behind Newport Street it was the Bus Inn prior to that, I'm sure half the women in there were hookers

whatsgoingon wrote:

Norpig wrote:you missed out on the golden era Boggers, Friday and Saturday night down Bradshawgate, every pub rammed and then off to Ritzys, Central Park or for me, Pink Panthers, Happy days 

used to be a set route that everyone followed because you used to bump into the same people in every pub. We used to start in the Man & Scythe, over to the Brass Cat, round to Swannies across to Yates's for an Aussie White and then Maxims then Ritzy's. Went to Sundowners as well which was a dive but you always pulled in there.

Now it's, start in hogarths, the. Man n scythe if you fancy a thatchers, over to Yates, possibly dragon fly/C2 then off to courtneys to pull the best looking bird you can find

I'd not been out in Bolton for years until about a year ago and i was amazed how quiet it was on Bradshawgate, Hogarths was busy but the rest of town was dead which is a shame as i've had many great nights out in Bolton town centre over the years

anyone used to go to the kids versions of the Dance Factory and Ritzy's? We used to buy a bottle of Strongbow each and drink it in Queens Park before trying to act sober and get in 

Norpig wrote:anyone used to go to the kids versions of the Dance Factory and Ritzy's? We used to buy a bottle of Strongbow each and drink it in Queens Park before trying to act sober and get in 

We used to drop opened bottles of Poppers on the floor at the Dance Factory. Not when there were any kids there of course! Had some good times (and fights) in there.

used to spend a lot of time in here playing 5 a side, badminton and squash on occasion, everyone recognise it?