Looking Back: Bolton department store Whitaker's at the heart of the town

The ever-changing nature of Bolton’s high street has been a topic much in the news recently.

In Looking Back we have featured a number of the shops and businesses which people may remember and here’s definitely one which Boltonians will look upon fondly.

Taken in 1985 it shows Whitaker’s department store on Deansgate. Whitaker’s began trading in 1829 as a drapers. It moved into the distinctive Tudor-style building in 1907 and in 1996 became part of the Beale’s chain of department stores but the doors were closed for the last time on December 31, 2016.

This photo gives a good indication of how large a store it was, effectively occupying an entire block.

Source

Can anyone remember the shop next door? I can't quite read what it says.

Another famous old shop in Bolton ruined! Are there any shops left in the town centre now that aren't a Greggs, vape shop or pound shop?

KP didn't they have a sports shop at the bit you're asking about? Can't remember if it was part of Whittakers or had a different name?

Norpig wrote:Another famous old shop in Bolton ruined! Are there any shops left in the town centre now that aren't a Greggs, vape shop or pound shop?

KP didn't they have a sports shop at the bit you're asking about? Can't remember if it was part of Whittakers or had a different name?

By looking at the photo it would seem that the building would be part of Whittakers with it having the same matching canopy over the windows as Whittakers have.

The sign on the building says something like whales but the canopy over the footpath I think says Whittakers.

Perhaps that whole block was Whittakers at the time?

I have to say that it is a nice taken picture though. There's not one bit of rubbish floating gpast in the wind unlike there would be today!

The street is absolutely clean, it's nice!

Norpig, the Mrs went into town last Sunday to meet up with her friend she hadn't seen in a long while. They both had a short walk round the precinct and thought sod it and they both went to the Trafford Centre instead.

karlypants wrote:Norpig, the Mrs went into town last Sunday to meet up with her friend she hadn't seen in a long while. They both had a short walk round the precinct and thought sod it and they both went to the Trafford Centre instead.

Probably a good idea!

Many years ago when one of my best mates left school (I stayed on to do my A levels) he went to Whitakers sports department (which was down stairs in the basement I seem to remember) to buy himself a set of tungsten darts (which were quite pricy back then!).

He asked - or was offered (I can't remember now) to have a practice with them before he bought.

He lined himself up, threw his dart and hit the bull.

He said these would be fine and bought them.

He obviously impressed the salesman - expensive darts, bulls eye first throw, his cockiness and chat, etc, that they got talking, learnt he'd just left school, that there was a vacancy as a junior in the section and would he be interested - which he was and started there the following Monday!

He was a bit of a character as you possibly might have gathered!

The thing that made me laugh though was he told me that he had aimed for the treble 20 and hit the bull instead!

He said he didn't want to throw another arrow as he knew he couldn't possibly do that again if he chucked another 100 darts at the board!

The salesman obviously thought my mate was a good sportsman (in fact he was - not at darts though!) and had a bit of something about him and took a punt on him.

My mate stuck it for a year or so - the pay wasn't good, and ended up working in the Town Hall for a few years until he had yet another career change!

I lost touch with him when I moved down south but hope he is still going strong and his darts have improved by now!