BLACKBURN'S market traders have revealed concerns about the town centre revamp.

The £66million shopping centre planned for the Mall will include a new £5million market on the ground floor. The existing market site will possibly be turned into a retail and leisure facility.

While many have welcomed the scheme for its regeneration benefits, current market traders say that it could leave many of them jobless.

Raymond Goldstone, chairman of Blackburn Market Tenants, said: "The new market area is smaller than the one we have now, so there's real concern that there won't be space for all of us.

"We also felt that we should have been consulted more, because we knew almost nothing.

"But we have now met with people from the council who have promised to have regular meetings with us to give us updates. They said they couldn't say much before now because the deal wasn't officially signed.

"It's important that we're kept fully informed from now on."

Earlier today we revealed that fashion giant Primark is in line to be the anchor site at the redevelopment, which will stretch from Debenhams to Textile Warehouse.

Mr Goldstone added: "Primark will be a competitive rival but we sell mostly specialist produce and services, not clothes, so I don't think it will be anything to worry about too much."