This week, we’re looking back at some of the biggest stories Bolton saw over the last year.
Covering July to October, we saw the summer kick off with the general election, new government and the country was shaken by a wave of protests.
July
The biggest news story of the month was the UK General Election on July 4, leading to the first Labour Government in 14 years.
Labour’s landslide saw all three of Bolton’s wards return a Labour MP, with two being newcomers.
Phil Brickell replaced Chris Green as MP for Bolton West and Kirith Entwistle replaced Mark Logan as MP for Bolton North East.
Bolton Council announced sweeping changes to bin collection, including new bin lorries (Image: Bolton Council)Bolton Council announced that bin collections would be changing from July 15, with bins collected on different days and less often.
A Bolton headteacher responded strongly to train operator Northern’s pleas on her to help tackle fare evasion among her students.
The train company called on Sam Gorse, headteacher of Turton School – and other heads across the North West – to tackle what it calls ‘persistent, calculated fare evasion’ by students.
They claimed that the school was in the ‘top five’ for fare dodgers.
An explosion tore through a town centre pub in the early hours of July 21.
The Greyhound pub on Deansgate saw its large front window smashed out onto the pavement just before 5am.
Gas engineers drilling through the road outside the Greyhound Pub (Image: Phil Taylor)
August
The biggest story of the month was the riots that shook the UK after starting in Southport at the end of July.
Greater Manchester Police were given extra powers to tackle the disorder and “mass civil unrest” broke out in Bolton town centre on August 4.
Police were out in force to prevent far-right and counter demonstrations from clashing in Victoria Square (Image: Phil Taylor) Police were out in force to prevent far-right and counter demonstrations from clashing in Victoria Square.
Bolton at Home drew controversy after refusing to allow a resident to install an electric vehicle charger at his property.
Mark Nuttall bought his hybrid car earlier in the year believing he would have no issues when it came to powering it up at home.
The Spread Eagle pub in Eagley came under new ownership, being bought by the former head chef of a Little Lever restaurant.
September
Bolton’s first night buses were launched in September, with the fully-electric 36 taking passengers to Manchester and back throughout the night.
The Bolton News reported on the very first bus to leave Bolton Interchange, documenting the 65 minute journey.
An inquest into the death of a young man found that he had died when a fire broke out at a cannabis farm where he had been working as a farmer.
The fire above the Lime Tree restaurant on Bolton Road in Farnworth broke out in November, killing 22-year-old Geri Rapo.
The fire broke out at the Lime Tree restaurant in Farnworth (Image: Newsquest) Planning permission was granted to transform a popular pub into a children’s nursery.
The Cotton Tree, in Halliwell, would be closing after a history spanning around 60 years.
The Nest Nursery said they needed to expand to the premises since some pre-schoolers were waiting around a year-and-a-half to get a place.
October
Thousands of people flocked to support a farming couple who were facing eviction from land their family has occupied for centuries.
David and Karen Yates were notified that they were facing eviction from Earls Farm in 2022 but refused and took their case to Manchester Civil Justice Centre.
Karen (left) and David Yates (right) received a flood of public support after facing eviction from their land (Image: Public) A train passenger was given a criminal record and a bill of more than £400 – over a £1.60 mix-up.
The Bolton News found that passengers who bought tickets advertised as being valid ‘any time of day’ were being fined and taken to court for using their ticket before 10am.
A Bolton man went viral on TikTok for sharing his love of hospital food, saying he has eaten lunch at a hospital every day for two years.
Omar Shaf, who lives in The Haulgh, says his arrival on his motorbike always puts a smile on patient’s faces.
Officers out on Operation Avro (Image: Newsquest) At the start of October, GMP launched a day of action as part of Operation Avro.
A Bolton News reporter tagged along with police as they raided properties and seized goods.
As part of the operation Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service staged a display in Bolton town centre using a wrecked car.
Police seized five vehicles over the day and arrested one driver on suspicion of drug driving.