Emma Gatrell

Highlights recommended cafés, parks, historic sites and evening entertainment options for a day trip from Bolton to Lancaster, featuring brunch spots, Williamson Park, Lancaster Castle, independent eateries and The Dukes theatre.

A new exhibition at Bolton Museum showcases rarely displayed historic items selected from the museum’s extensive stored collections. The display includes objects tied to Bolton’s past, such as a Bolton School Board banner and a photograph of Sarah Reddish, as well as international artefacts like a Chinese pillow and fragments of an Egyptian temple wall. Designed to evoke a museum storage area, the exhibition runs through autumn and is open during the museum’s regular hours.

Peter Kay’s return to Bolton for three sold‑out hometown shows is being complemented by a Phoenix Nights‑themed dining experience at the Albert bar and restaurant. The special menu pays homage to the comedian’s classic TV series and runs as part of The Albert’s growing pre‑show dining programme. Bolton Council praised the initiative for boosting culture and the visitor economy, while proceeds from the shows will benefit Bolton Hospice. The charity expressed gratitude, and fans welcomed the rare opportunity to see Kay perform at Albert Halls again.