The owner of a gift shop has paid a heartfelt goodbye to Crompton Place Shopping Centre as she prepares to move to Market Place. Belles of Bolton is a shop that sells handmade gifts and homewares. Michelle Oxford, 47, started the business five years ago, originally as a pop-up store before moving into a unit in Crompton Place.
The move comes after the shopping centre was bought by Bolton Council in 2018 with plans to demolish the building and redevelop the area. On Saturday, Belles opened as usual, but at closing time said goodbye to the unit for good. She said: “It’s had a steady decline, I’d say, especially since Marks and Spencer has moved, it has gone quieter.
“I’m Bolton born and bred, so seeing Crompton Place decline over the years knowing it was such a busy centre – so many shops have been here...
“Even when I started five years ago, the amount of shops were double what it is now. “So it is sad, it’s a sad time to say goodbye to it. “But I do think it’s necessary, I think it’s time to go on to pastures new.
” She runs the business with her husband Peter Slater, 49, and hopes the move will help them to grow and reach new customers. Michelle said: “I just love being part of the town centre and meeting all my customers and just being a part of the centre as a whole. “I think it possibly is my favourite part of running the business, just getting to meet everybody and hear people’s stories.
“I mean, they’re not just my customers, I’ve bu.
