Sadness as town-centre bar announces ‘heart-breaking' closure
The Courthouse, which is located on Mawdsley Street, will be closing its doors on May 26 after last orders.
The Grade II listed building was taken over in 2018 from previous owners who had run it as Harvey's Café Bar. Before that, the bar was known as Henry's and opened in 1996.
Owner Husky Faldu in front of The Court House. (Image: Martini Archive)
It underwent a £350,000 refurbishment when it was taken over.
Speaking to The Bolton News owner Husky Faldu said: "We want to thank our customers for their support over the years, we have been on an incredible journey and couldn't have done it without them.
"They're a part of our memories just as we are a part of theirs. We're grateful for the special times shared over the past eight years."
One of the groups that used to meet at The Court House was the Chapter 25 book club, a communal space for women of all backgrounds to connect with others.
Kate Ainsworth, 25, who was a member of the club said: "Chapter 25 has two Bolton groups, each with about 40 people.
"There's a big sense of community. Everyone at the group identifies as a woman so its become more than just a book club, the age range is from 18 to 65.
"I've met some wonderful people, including neighbours who I didn't even know lived right by me!
"It's a lovely community that The Court House has fostered, it means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.
Katie regularly used The Court House for the Chapter 25 book club. (Image: Katie Ainsworth)
"Now, we don't know about the future of the club. We need more night venues, especially in places like Bolton. This area used to be so thriving, with independent companies cultivating community.
"It's sad to see that this has become more difficult in recent times."
Taking to social media, a spokesperson for the Courthouse said: 'It's with incredibly heavy hearts that we have to let you know we will be closing our doors on Monday 26th May.
READ MORE:
'This is not a decision we ever imagined having to make, and certainly not one we've taken lightly.
'The building we've called home for almost eight amazing years has recently changed ownership.
The team at The Courthouse from previous years. (Image: Martini Archive)
'We're absolutely heartbroken. This place has been our life – and yours – for so long. From celebrations to casual dinners, first dates to family reunions, we've loved every minute of being part of your memories. Closing this chapter is devastating.
'We are currently exploring every possible option to relocate, and we're so grateful to Bolton Council, who have been incredibly supportive throughout this difficult time.
'We truly hope this is not the end, just a pause while we jobs" target="_blank">work out our next steps.
'To those with bookings – please bear with us. We'll be reaching out to each of you individually, so we kindly ask for your patience while we work through this.
'Lastly, we ask everyone to please show kindness to our team during this period. They're heartbroken too, and your understanding means everything.
'If you have any questions or concerns, we'd much rather hear from you directly than have misinformation spread. Please don't hesitate to contact us.
'Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for your support, love, and loyalty over the years. You've made this place what it is, and we'll never forget it.
'With love, Husky & All of The Courthouse Team.'
Commenting on the post by The Courthouse was leader of Bolton Council Cllr Nick Peel, who said: "We will/are doing our level best to help relocate you. Don't get too down Husky Faldu. Hopefully this could be a new dawn.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Rutland Arms Hotel in Suffolk, UK, is up for sale
Property adviser Christie & Co has announced that The Rutland Arms Hotel, a historic Grade II-listed property in Newmarket, Suffolk, UK, is listed for sale. The sale is being facilitated by business property adviser Christie & Co and local commercial agent Cheffins. The Rutland Arms Hotel, which first opened its doors as a hotel in the 19th century, ceased trading in 2019. This four-storey red brick building dates back to the 17th century and was once connected to an annexe over Palace Street, which was demolished in 2020. The current property features an approved plan for a partial renovation and a partial new build 72-bedroom hotel. The proposed development encompasses four meeting rooms, new public areas, a bar, lounges, restaurants, and back-of-house facilities. An adjacent new build would accommodate 44 of the 72 guest bedrooms. Christie & Co Hotels director Simon Jackaman is overseeing the sale jointly with Cheffins. Jackaman said: 'Considerable care has taken place within the scheme to protect and preserve all the original features within the property, as well as the integrity of the building's listed status. The consented scheme will see it transformed into a 72-bedroom boutique hotel, retaining features such as decorative ceilings, fireplaces, and stained glass in the current designs. 'The Rutland Arms Hotel offers a unique opportunity to acquire a landmark freehold property in the centre of a well-known town and establish a high-quality operation, or explore possible alternative uses, subject to the appropriate necessary planning approvals being granted.' Last month, Christie & Co unveiled the sale of The Beaufort Arms Hotel in Monmouthshire, Wales, which has a freehold asking price of £1.5m ($2m). "Rutland Arms Hotel in Suffolk, UK, is up for sale" was originally created and published by Hotel Management Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Britain's biggest toy shop chain handed over to staff
The founder of Britain's biggest toy shop chain has handed the company over to its employees. Gary Grant, founder of The Entertainer, is preparing to transfer his family's 100pc ownership of the firm to an employee ownership trust (EOT), with the transfer to be completed next month. The move exempts his family from potential death duties ahead of Rachel Reeves's inheritance tax (IHT) raid. The retailer said the step would 'ensure the group remains independent with its employees as beneficiaries, while preserving both the family's legacy and the family feel of the business'. It comes amid a shake-up of IHT rules by the Government, which will cap tax relief on family businesses handed down to descendants at £1m from April next year, resulting in higher bills for those inheriting businesses. Under the previous system, company owners could leave assets to their families without paying death duties. The reforms, announced by Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, in her maiden Budget last October, were designed to clamp down on tax avoidance and raise money for public services. However, they have outraged the owners of many family businesses, who argue that the changes will result in soaring IHT bills that could force their descendants to sell up. While the change at The Entertainer will allow the Grant family to avoid higher death duties, it is understood that exempting the company from IHT was not the sole motivating factor in moving the toy chain into employee ownership. Mr Grant said the decision had not been 'taken lightly'. He added: 'We couldn't be more proud that this still remains at the heart of the business today, thanks to the daily enthusiasm of our staff – many of whom have worked for us for many years. Because of this, ensuring our employees have a place in the Group's future is hugely important to us.' Under the EOT model, a controlling stake in The Entertainer will transfer to a trust which is indirectly owned by the employees, removing the need for staff to actually purchase shares themselves. The Grant family will receive payments for the business out of its future profits, although the company did not disclose a valuation. Any proceeds received by the Grant family will be tax-free. Advocates of employee ownership say it rewards staff better, increases loyalty and productivity. Examples of prominent businesses that use this model include the John Lewis Partnership and retail chain Richer Sounds. James de la Vingne, the chief executive of the Employee Ownership Association, said there was 'a growing trend for retailers making the move to employee ownership alongside calls to help save the high street'. Founded in Buckinghamshire in 1981, The Entertainer today runs more than 160 stores across the country and over 1,000 concessions in stores such as Tesco, Matalan and Marks & Spencer. As well as its eponymous stores, it owns the Early Learning Centre and Addo brands. The Grant family were paid a £15.62m divided during 2023, according to the latest available accounts for The Entertainer's parent company Teal Group Holdings, despite a fall in both sales and profits. Last November, Andrew Murphy, The Entertainer's chief executive, said the company had been forced to cancel two new store openings because of higher National Insurance contributions levied on employers in Ms Reeves's Budget. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
AI can make us UK's biggest firm, Rolls-Royce says
Rolls-Royce's plan to power artificial intelligence (AI) with its nuclear reactors could make it the UK's most valuable company, its boss has said. The engineering firm has signed deals to provide small modular reactors (SMRs) to the UK and Czech governments to power AI-driven data centres. AI has boomed in popularity since 2022, but the technology use lots of energy, something which has raised practical and environmental concerns. Rolls-Royce chief executive Tufan Erginbilgic told the BBC it has the "potential" to become the UK's highest-valued company by overtaking the largest firms on the London Stock Exchange thanks to its SMR deals. "There is no private company in the world with the nuclear capability we have. If we are not market leader globally, we did something wrong," he said. Tufan Erginbilgic has overseen a ten-fold increase in Rolls-Royce's share price since taking over in January 2023. However, he has ruled out the idea of Rolls-Royce seeking to list its shares in New York as British chip designer Arm has done and the likes of Shell and AstraZeneca have considered in the search for higher valuations. This is despite the fact that 50% of its shareholders and customers are US-based. "It's not in our plan," said Mr Erginbilgic, a Turkish energy industry veteran. "I don't agree with the idea you can only perform in the US. That's not true and hopefully we have demonstrated that." AI investment Rolls-Royce already supplies the reactors that power dozens of nuclear submarines. Mr Erginbilgic said the company has a massive advantage in the future market of bringing that technology on land in the form of SMRs. SMRs are not only smaller but quicker to build than traditional nuclear plants, with costs likely to come down as units are rolled out. He estimates that the world will need 400 SMRs by 2050. At a cost of up to $3bn (£2.2bn) each, that's another trillion dollar-plus market he wants and expects Rolls-Royce to dominate. The company has signed a deal to develop six SMRs for the Czech Republic and is developing three for the UK. But it remains an unproven technology. Mr Erginbilgic conceded he could not currently point to a working SMR example but said he was confident in its future potential. There are also concerns about the demands on water supplies from the data centre and SMR cooling systems. In response, companies including Google, Microsoft and Meta have signed deals to take energy from SMRs in the US when they are available. Next generation aircraft Rolls-Royce sees SMRs as key to its future, but its biggest business is aircraft engines. Already dominant in supplying engines to wide-bodied aircraft like Boeing 787 and Airbus A350, it plans to break into the next generation of narrow-bodied aircraft like the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320. This market is worth $1.6tn - nine times that of the wide-bodied . Rolls-Royce is a bit player in a market that has powerful and successful leaders, and that rival Pratt and Witney lost $8bn trying and failing to break into. The market is dominated by CFM International – a joint venture between US-based GE Aerospace and French company Safran Aerospace Engines. Industry veterans told the BBC that market leaders can and will drop prices to airline customers long enough to see off a new assault on their market dominance. But Mr Erginbilgic said this is not just the biggest business opportunity for Rolls-Royce. Rather, it is "for industrial strategy... the single biggest opportunity for the UK for economic growth". "No other UK opportunity, I challenge, will match that," he said. Share price up ten-fold Although Rolls-Royce sold its car making business to BMW nearly 30 years ago, the name of the company is still synonymous with British engineering excellence. But in the early part of this decade that shine had worn off. The company was heavily indebted, its profit margins were non-existent, and thousands of staff were being laid off. When Mr Erginbilgic took over in January 2023, he likened the company to "a burning platform". "Our cost of capital was 12%, our return was 4% so every time we invested we destroyed value," he said. Two and a half years later, the company expects to make a profit of over £3bn, its debt levels have fallen and shares have risen over 1,000% - a ten-fold rise. So how did that happen? And is Mr Erginbilgic right to think that Rolls-Royce's roll is only just starting? 'Grudging respect' The timing of his appointment was fortunate according to some industry veterans. Rolls-Royce's biggest business – supplying engines to commercial airlines – has rebounded strongly from the Covid pandemic. The company's most successful product – the Trent series of aircraft engines – are at the sweet spot of profitability as the returns on investment in their development over a decade ago begin to pour into company coffers. Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 arguably made it almost inevitable that its defence business would see higher spending from European governments – which has been confirmed by recent announcements. Unions have not always been fans of Mr Erginbilgic's hard-charging approach. In October 2023, one of his first major move was cutting jobs, which drew criticism from Sharon Graham, the boss of the Unite union. "This announcement appears to be about appeasing the markets and its shareholders while ignoring its workers," she said at the time. However, overall global headcount has grown from 43,000 to 45,000 since 2023 and union sources say there is "grudging respect" for Mr Erginbilgic. Those sources give him one third of the credit for the turnaround around in the company's fortunes, with a third credited to market conditions and a third to his predecessor Warren East for "steadying the ship". So does Mr Erginbilgic really believe that Rolls-Royce can be the UK's most valuable company – overtaking the likes of AstraZeneca, HSBC, and Shell? "We are now number five in the FTSE. I believe the growth potential we created in the company right now, in our existing business and our new businesses, actually yes – we have that potential." Rolls-Royce is undoubtedly a company with the wind at its back – and Tufan Ergenbilgic certainly believes he has set the sails just right. What is AI, how does it work and why are some people concerned about it? Warning AI could use as much energy as Netherlands
