Austin Powers would have loved a night out in Bolton. It has everything, the pubs, the clubs, the glamour, the vibrancy of being a 24 hour city......ok I am lying ! But after you get past the initial disappointment of not seeing anywhere to go, you can then scratch the surface and realise there are places to go if you know where to look. There are a few decent pubs, couple of clubs and a few eaterie type places that are well worth visiting. And if that isn`t enough, for around a pound on the train, you can go to Manchester !! Personally, that is what I do most of the time, but Bolton still has plenty to offer. Well, where to start ? How about the pubs ?
PLEASE NOTE>>>THIS PAGE VERY MUCH STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION !!
"George !! Quick !! There`s 2 seats spare in the 3 Crowns !!"
Well, one thing Bolton isn`t short of is pubs (unless you live in Great Lever !!). Virtually every area is full of them. Thing is, I don`t go to "every area" and neither does the majority of the town. So to make things a little simpler, I will confine this guide to the area I perhaps know best....The Town Centre. If you on a night out, chances are this is where you are going to be. And if you are doing a town centre pub guide, then I guess there is only one pub you could start with......
"THE OLD THREE CROWNS" (Deansgate):The first port of call for a lot of people going out, and for some the only one !! The pub has a lot of negative aspects - poor service, poor beer, no spare seats, a good number of idiots and drunks etc. However, it also has it`s good points - everyone goes there, it is lively, the food is good (and cheap) and it has one of the town centre`s few beer gardens. Key nights are Tuesday - "Indie Disco Night" where a guy masquerading as a DJ plays a mixture of obvious indie and whatever odd dance record he has bought that week. Actually better than it sounds. Also Friday and Saturday - "Absolutely Packed Nights" where it seems everyone comes in at some point in the night. Also avoid when everyone (especially Virgin staff) has been paid.....it is fair busy then !!
"THE DOG AND PARTRIDGE" (Bank Street):Bolton`s best kept secret ? Just round the corner from the "Old 3", the "Dog" is a decent place to get a drink AND a seat. Good pool table, decent beer.....nothing flash...but what do you want from a pub ? Main nights I would say are Wednesday - "Boardy`s Quiz Night". The aforementioned Boardy will ask a variety of questions, giving you the chance to win beer or other bits and pieces. Go along and cheer the miserable sod up !! (Only joking !!). Friday - "Ivan`s Top Disco". Ivan plays what the hell he wants (no doubt lots of Jon Spencer and a bit of indie and punk) to the waiting masses. Still in it`s infancy, so an opinion is reserved.
"THE BLUE BOER" (Deansgate):Was similar to the "Old 3" for a while, but has become a bit quieter and more like a normal pub of late. It is a decent place, decent food and beer, big screen TV and...erm....that`s it !! No real main nights, weekends are busy, also busy when big footy games are on the big screen. Perhaps Thursday - "Mark`s Quiz" because it is dead easy and the majority of teams are thick.....so pretty much a guarantee of free beer !!
Bolton is not what you would call the centre of clubbing in the North West....it is quite the opposite. There are a few clubs scattered around, but none of them are particularly good. Again, maybe having Manchester so near to hand hinders the growth of clubs in the town. Or maybe the restrictive licensing laws ? Whatever....there are 3 clubs effectively, and none you would make a point of going to.
"HAWTHORNS":Perhaps the best place to head, as long as it is Thursday to Saturday.....it`s only opening times. All 3 nights follow the tried and tested indie disco format, but with subtle differences each night. Thursday - "Neil`s Request Night". Plays what you want, as long as he has it !! The least busy night, but perhaps the most fun. Friday - "Indie Night". Busiest night of the three, all music, packed to the rafters, get there early !! Saturday - "Band And Indie Disco". Potentially the busiest night,but many give it a miss as the venue insists on putting on a ropey "6th Form" type band on in the middle of the night. It certainly isn`t what you want on a Saturday. Or any day. If a decent band is playing, be prepared to pay through the nose.
Copyright © 1997 David Walker
Here are a few links that may be of interest (or maybe not....I cannot read your mind !!):
David Walker
DWalker295@aol.com
This Home Page was created Wednesday, September 24th, 1997
Most recent revision Thursday, September 25th, 1997