EXTRA help is required to encourage traders to make a success of Nelson’s half-empty Pendle Rise shopping centre, a councillor has insisted.

No fewer than two anchor stores, including the former Iceland outlet, and eight smaller shops, are now vacant within the complex.

The premises of Boss Furniture closed last weekend and Farm Foods is set to relocate to the former Hourglass pub, in Leeds Road. But town hall bosses say their doors are open if retailers want to take up opportunities at Pendle Rise but need assistance to get started.

Coun Eileen Ansar, who runs Slick in Manchester Road, said: “Once Farm Foods has gone there will not be the footfall needed for most business to thrive, because there will be nowhere that can fulfill a demand for fresh food, bread and milk.

“I’ve been talking to traders in Scotland Road who would be willing to move into Pendle Rise but they cannot afford the high business rates there.”

Council leader Coun Joe Cooney said that he had met with the administrators in charge of Pendle Rise just over a fortnight ago.

He said: “They are constantly trying to get new businesses into the centre and we have said to them that if they have interested parties then we are prepared to have discussions with them.

“Most of them will probably qualify for small business rates relief and we will be happy to guide them through the process.”

Coun Cooney said that the shopping centre had been invited to send a representative to town team meetings and a pledge had been made to hold regular talks with the administrators, to discuss progress, in the coming months.