A STALWART of Bolton industry has been honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Bolton and Bury Business Awards.

John Entwistle, aged 73, is a true Boltonian and a giant of Bolton business. He founded the British Turntable Company in the old Flash Street Mill in 1959 at the age of 24 and has only just retired from day-to-day operations, becoming chairman. His son Tim is now managing director.

The business, which engineers turntables and rotating displays for a number of different uses, is now based in Emblem Street, Bolton and sells products into 120 countries. It celebrates its 50th anniversary next year.

He said: “I am absolutely delighted to be honoured, it’s a complete surprise. I became chairman of British Turntable on April 1 this year, but I have thoroughly enjoyed almost 50 years with the business from start to finish.”

He was honoured for the huge impact he has had on Bolton’s economic development. He started his career in the 1950s as an engineer with the De Havilland Company in Lostock, that then became British Aerospace (BAe). A decade ago he was instrumental in keeping a substantial BAe operation in Bolton by bringing the chairman to the town and running a round table meeting to discuss the future of BAe in Bolton.

He is also founder and chairman of the Bolton WIDE Partnership, which aims to foster and encourage business in the M61 corridor around Bolton.

Mr Entwistle said: “I have been involved with a number of groups in Bolton, including the Chamber of Commerce, the Engineering Employer’s Federation, and various inward investment and infrastructure groups. Latterly I have chaired the Bolton WIDE Partnership which has raised nearly £13 million in inward grant aid for Bolton. I really believe that I have taken more from these experiences than I have put in.”

He added: “Most of the work has been done by other people, but at least I started it.”