THE manager of Bolton's Crompton Place shopping Centre is to leave his post after being appointed as the boss of Hartlepool's 180-store Middleton Grange Centre.

Mark Rycraft, who was named the UK's Town-Centre Shopping Centre Manager of the Year in 2005, and who is a finalist in the Bolton and Bury Business Awards tonight, handed control of the centre to Malcolm Angus this week. Mr Angus was previously with a marketing company in Consett, County Durham Mr Rycraft's work on waste management and energy reduction ensured the centre scooped second place in the North West Business Environmental Awards.

He was also a director of the Bolton Town Centre Company, a member of the Safer Shopping Committee and worked with local chaplains on a stressbuster programme aimed at all retailers in the town.

Mr Rycraft, who worked at the centre for three years, said: "I would like to thank everyone who has made my stay here so rewarding. I have really enjoyed my time in Bolton and made lots of good friends."role."