Amid cost of living crisis and reneged promises, Thursday’s outcome could swing on more local concerns
On a typically grey day in Greater Manchester, the diggers are rumbling along the roads outside Bolton market. Half a decade since the last departure from the old Moor Road bus station, the council’s “masterplan” for redevelopment is still a work in progress.
“It’s a big disappointment,” says Phyllis Waits, stopping with her husband, John, to buy fish in the market. “Bolton used to be thriving. It’s a Friday morning – it should be absolutely buzzing, but there are only a handful of shops left. Everywhere has closed.”
