The British Heart Foundation occupied the premises which once house The Dome for a short while in the early nineties. Image taken April 2012. Copyright Google Street View.
A pub so short-lived it failed to make Gordon Readyhough’s
reference book on the subject, the Dome was situated on Knowsley Street in the
former Gregory & Porritt’s building. The pub’s name came from its distinctive dome-shaped
roof in the centre of the premises.
The Dome opened towards the end of 1989 when a local beer
drinkers’ magazine proclaimed it was offering the seldom seen (in Bolton, anyway) Bass Special Bitter on handpump. [1]
However, the same magazine stated just months later that the pub was already up
for sale. [2]
An estimated £600,000 was spent converting the retail
premises into a pub, but it had a capacity of 250 standing and 150 seated and
the pub failed as it was claimed it just didn’t have the right atmosphere.
Like Ben Topps just a few hundred yards away at the top of
Bath Street, the Dome tried to capitalise on the pre-club crowd on their way to
Ritzy at the top of Bridge Street. However, just a few people in a pub with a capacity
of 400 people gave the pub a reputation of always being empty – even at the
weekend - and within a few years it was back as retail premises.
[1] What’s Doing, the Greater Manchester beer drinkers’
magazine. February 1990 issue.
[2] What’s Doing, June 1990.
