TODAY Bolton boasts a vibrant club scene featuring a large assortment of venues.

The town centre is home to various bars, restaurants and clubs, with Bradshawgate and Nelson Square attracting nighttime revellers.

However, a number of the most iconic venues are no more. We take a look back at some of the town's top club venues through the decades.

One of the most cherished historical locations is the Astoria Palais de Danse — Bolton's first club — which opened its doors on October 19, 1928.

Better known to locals at The Palais, the non-licensed dance hall with its ornate ceramic tiled exterior was situated at the corner of Bridge Street and St George's Road.

The Bolton News:

The venue was created by local builder Thomas Bolton, a Christian teetotal, who developed the site as somewhere that parents could safely allow their daughters to attend.

The dance hall's vast floor space, covering an area of more than 6,300sqft, could hold approximately 600 dancers.

Pre- and post- Second World War, most of the local mills held their dances at The Palais. These were eventually stopped in 1968, however, because the functions upset regulars.

The iconic building attracted thousands of ballroom dancers until July 1966 when a fire broke out, causing losses in the region of £1 million.

It was just three months after owners Mecca Leisure had forked out for a £300,000 refurbishment.

It wasn't until two years later that the building reopened, this time as a bingo hall and basement disco venue called Cinderella Rockerfellas — a music hall for the over 20s.

In this picture we see a shot of the building in 1986.

The Bolton News:

The venue reinvented itself on many occasions, becoming Ritzy’s, when it was hit by yet another fire, then Central Park, and later Ikon and basement club Jaxx, owned by Luminar Leisure.

Offering live entertainment six nights a week, there was something for everyone.

But Ikon (below) shut its doors for good on January 21, 2012, after trade fell by more than £1 million.

The Bolton News:

Despite efforts to sell the premises for £500,000, and later £450,000, the building came to its ultimate demise in 2017 when bulldozers moved into the site.

The Bolton News:

During the sixties, seventies and eighties, people flocked from miles around to enjoy Bolton's lively nightlife.

In 1962, Eddie Grindrod founded a nautical themed venue called The Beachcomber Coffee Bar in Bank Street.

Little did he know that the venue would revolutionise the music and dance scene in the town.

Its popularity meant that Mr Grindrod and his business partners could expand into the cellars of the old dairy next door to launch The Dungeons.

Eventually the club would change its name to the Cromwellian.

The venue played host to many up-and-coming names over the years, including Elton John and Rod Stewart before they became famous.

It later became The Playmate Club and then Maxwell's Plum.

The Bolton News:

Most recently the venue was known as the Late Club and Club Ice.

The Late Club ceased trading in 2012 but firefighters have repeatedly been called to the building after blazes broke out in August 2016, May 2017 and June 2018.

In September 2014, a huge cannabis farm was found on the first floor of the building after a large scale police operation.

At the time, owner Bolton Council said it was planning to demolish the building.

On Wednesday, it was announced that demolition of the two former town centre nightclubs would begin on Tuesday, April 23, and is expected to take 16 weeks.

The building, at 22-28 Bank Street, falls within the 'gateway' zone — Church Wharf — that Bolton Council is targeting for major regeneration as part of the town centre masterplan.

The Bolton News:

Another popular venue was The Temple dance club in St George Street – subsequently known as Eden – which was famed for having a swimming pool on its first floor.

But the nightclub burned down in a mysterious blaze in October 2001, with hundreds of clubbers forced to flee from the building.

In 2004, owner John Musso told the Bolton News he hoped to reopen The Temple, but the same year plans to demolish part of the building and build 53 apartments were approved.

The Bolton News:

Another popular Bolton venue in the late 90s and early noughties was Atlantis which was located inside the Valley Centertainment complex, in Waters Meeting Road.

At the time of its opening in January 1998, Atlantis was Bolton's largest nightclub with a 2,500 person capacity. The owners' vision was for it to be "a super club for the Millennium."

The £5 million club boasted six bars, two dancefloors, a diner and VIP lounge, and attracted chart toppers including Girls Aloud and Busted.

However, the Astley Bridge club hit financial hardship after failing to attract enough clubbers to its out-of-town location. and closed down in March 2004.

In October that year plans to demolish the building and replace it with 92 flats were approved.

Today, the site, known as The Valley leisure park, is occupied by a fitness and health club, 15-screen Cineworld, Frankie & Benny's and other food outlets.

The Bolton News:

There are countless venues in the town centre today which give people the opportunity to let their hair down.

Nelson Square remains a focal point for nights out with haunts over the years including Red on the Square.

The Bolton News:

J2 Nightclub in Nelson Square closed its doors in July 2015, reopening after a £700,000 refurbishment as popular venue Level.

On Tuesday, The Bolton News also announced the arrival of a new nightclub SYN at the former home of bar and live music venue Blind Tiger.

Owner Chris Roberts said the club will feature a circus-themed floor and a games area.

The Bolton News:

What are your favourite memories of Bolton's dance and clubbing scene?

Send us your photographs of clubbing days gone by. Email newsdesk@theboltonnews.co.uk.