Bolton Reviews

Living in Bolton

Yup, you're in the right place! The home town of famous DJs, comedians, children's TV presenters, boxers and actors, Bolton isn't short of claims to fame.

Lots of new students are nervous about fitting into their university town, but a recent survey found that the local people of Bolton are some of the friendliest in Britain. Awww! Bolton is one of Britain’s largest towns and has more than enough happening to cater for all the needs of students at the University of Bolton, and now you know they’ll be happy to see you too.

There’s a real love of sport in Bolton. Boxing champion Amir Khan was born here, and the town is home to several successful sports teams including the the Bolton Wanders Premier League football team and Bolton Hockey Club. The Reebok Stadium is just outside the town, and the Bolton Arena Leisure Complex comes complete with courts and pitches, gyms, and fitness classes for you to get stuck into.

For nightlife begin at Nelson Square, where you’ll find a good cluster of clubs and bars, and as you head towards Bow Street you’ll find a good range of venues in between. It’s also worth mentioning that Bolton has more pubs per person than any other city in the UK, so a good brew is never far away. The oldest pub in Bolton is Ye Olde Man and Scythe, so pop in for a pint and you might get a story as well. If clubbing’s not your thing then there are Cineworld and Vue cinemas on different sides of the town. There’s also a couple of theatres, with the Octagon, Bolton Little Theatre and Albert Halls covering all the bases. Between them they host a mix of comedy, music acts, drama, and the occasional movie too.

The Marketplace and Crompton Place shopping centres are both a short 15min walk from the main campus, with the main retail zone covering the area between the two. If you find yourself with a few hours to spare, head over to the Bolton Museum and Art Gallery. If art’s not your thing, don’t worry because they have an Aquarium on the lower floor!

Out and about

• City break: Liverpool can be reached within an hour, and Manchester is just 30mins away.
• Country retreat: With a bit of ingenuity, you could be in the Pennines, Yorkshire Dales or even the Lake District in just a few hours. Perfect for a post-exam holiday, or a short break with your mates.
• Manchester Airport: If the student budget can take it, the international airport could have you anywhere in the world by this time tomorrow.

Good to know

• Taxi: Bridge Taxis
• Car: If you’ve got one. Bolton’s a pretty big place and there’s a lot in the surrounding area to visit, so a car could be handy. If you’re probably going to stay mainly around the centre a bike might be more useful.
• Train: There’s a direct links to Manchester which takes just over 20mins.