BOLTON – Former world boxing champion Amir Khan has unveiled a new luxury wedding venue next to a car wash and fly-tipping spot in Bolton.
He calls it ‘The Balmayna’
The lavish complex – named ‘The Balmayna’ – has eye-catching features with glass walls, a waterfall and palm trees inside – along with greenery and a floral design.
But the venue, set to open just weeks away in March, is still surrounded by a building site and sandwiched between two car washes – despite its website promising a ‘royalty experience’ and ‘a touch of magnificence and excellence in every celebration’.
Those who live in the area are far from happy with the design, with one person writing on Instagram: ‘It’s an absolute eyesore!!!! A blot on the landscape!!! It’s a huge lack of class! It also doesn’t look anything at all like the image portrayed.’
Since 2013
Khan, now 37, has been planning ‘The Balmayna’ – which translates to ‘enamelled’ in Arabic – since 2013, with the complex already taking bookings despite its surroundings appearing largely unfinished.
After announcing that the venue is taking bookings, the Balmayna’s Instagram page wrote: ‘With immense joy, the wait is nearly over! We will soon unveil the grand opening of@thebalmayna, Bolton’s newest wedding haven. A splendid project between Excellency Midlands and Amir Khan, where elegance seamlessly meets excellence.’
What Commenters Said
But one person said the building looks like it ‘belongs in Dubai‘ on social media, while another wrote: ‘Seriously? Couldn’t come up with something original? The design is about 10 years out of date.’
One took issue with the venue describing itself as ‘presitigious’, writing: ‘Please explain what you mean by prestigious here… That requires reviews, feedback and a degree of longevity / history.’
Work on the site has taken far longer than expected, with Khan speaking about his plans to ‘make Bolton better’ by building the facility more than a decade ago.
