Is Bolton Losing Its Identity to Manchester’s Influence
Concerns rise as Bolton’s institutions drop the town’s name, sparking fears of losing local identity
Bolton, Manchester, University of Bolton, Bolton at Home, Be One Homes, Councillors
Bolton: There’s been a lot of chatter lately about Bolton possibly being ‘Manchesterised’. Some folks are worried that the town is losing its identity. This all kicked off when the University of Bolton decided to drop the town’s name and rebrand itself as The University of Greater Manchester.
And it doesn’t stop there. Bolton at Home, which takes care of a bunch of social housing, is also changing its name to Be One Homes. This is happening after they merged with another housing group. During a recent council meeting, people expressed their fears about what this means for Bolton’s identity.
One councillor, Roger Hayes, who’s been around for 50 years, voiced his concerns. He’s proud of Bolton and doesn’t like seeing the name disappear from important institutions. He asked what the council leader plans to do to keep Bolton’s name alive.
Council leader Nick Peel responded, saying the university is in a tough spot, trying to attract more students, especially from overseas. He pointed out that Manchester has a strong brand, and the name change might help the university draw in more students and funds.
Peel also mentioned that while he understands the university’s decision, he thinks the name change for Bolton at Home was unnecessary. He believes they could have kept the Bolton name, especially since they merged with a smaller provider.
He highlighted that Bolton Wanderers, the local football club, is a big deal and could help promote the Bolton brand. He thinks everything from events to the town’s rich heritage should be branded with the Bolton name.
When the university announced its name change, the vice chancellor said it better reflects their influence across Greater Manchester. Meanwhile, the CEO of Bolton At Home explained that while Bolton is their heart, they’ve been expanding outside the borough and wanted a name that reflects their broader mission.
In the end, it seems like there’s a real push to keep Bolton’s identity strong, even as some institutions are making big changes.