For a town with a strong history of mills and nailmaking – as well as the first pit head bath building in the country – today’s Atherton is famously green and eco-friendly. The Atherton Green Partnership regularly leads the way with ‘big tidy up’ events. The community of Howe Bridge, to the south of the town centre, are well known contributors to ‘Borough in Bloom’, scooping major prizes for their work landscaping and transforming the distinctive promenade into a festival of flowers.
Market Street and the surrounding streets boast a wide range of shops and other local services, and the railway station and regular bus services connect the town with the local area, Manchester and beyond. Howe Bridge sports centre includes two pools, squash courts and outdoor facilities, as well as lively sporting clubs. And by contrast, the Bents and Bongs beer festival offers a lively annual celebration of real ale.
Atherton has a population of just over 20,000 people. It is represented at Westminster by the MP for Bolton West and on Wigan Council by six elected members for the wards of Atherton and Atherleigh (which are shared with the Leigh township to the south).
Township Forums are the local element of the Wigan Borough Partnership and contribute to the delivery of the Sustainable Community Strategy and the Local Area Agreement.
Township Newsletter: Updated August 2011
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