Bolton Hits Fever Pitch

June 23, 2014 Mums&Dads 0 Comments Bolton, football

More than 23,000 shoppers flocked to a shopping centre in Greater Manchester last weekend to see the colours of Copacabana when a Brazilian carnival came to town.

Bolton Market Place Shopping Centre celebrates football fever

To mark the most exciting sporting event of the year, Market Place Shopping Centre invited carnival dancers, drummers, football freestylers and face painters to the Bolton retail centre.

Throughout the afternoon on Saturday, June 14, a record number of shoppers were entertained at the centre, marking England’s first football match in the FIFA World Cup 2014, in Brazil.

Saturday’s (June 14) footfall figures soared to 23,600, an increase of 5.5% on last year’s total.

Bolton Market Place | Rowen Pegler demonstrates his football skills — Rowen Pegler demonstrates his football skills

Nikki Wilson-Cooke, Centre Manager of Market Place Shopping Centre said: “Saturday’s in-store entertainment certainly brought the carnival spirit of Brazil to Bolton, it was wonderful to see so many smiling faces in the centre.

“The samba drummers, dancers and football freestylers were incredibly talented, our face painters were very popular with little ones too!”

Bolton Market Place | Chloe tries her luck with penalty shoot-out — Chloe tries her luck with Market Place’s penalty shoot-out

Bolton’s budding football superstars tested their luck throughout the day with Market Place’s penalty shoot out competition, for their chance to win a Bolton Wanderers FC family season ticket, with a promotion that spans the length of the World Cup tournament.

A sports arena, held in association with Bolton Wanderers Community Trust, also raised more than £1,000 for Marie Curie Cancer Trust and kept children entertained throughout the afternoon.

Bolton Market Place | Benjamin Ainsworth and Nathan Bolton — Bolton Wanderers Community Trust’s Sports Arena proves a hit for Ben Ainsworth (L) and Nathan Bolton (R)

Little Boltonians could choose from games including; golf, hockey and boxing in Market Place’s miniature Olympic village and visitors were also treated to a celebration of Asian cuisine with an array of Indian, Chinese and Malaysian specialities on offer.