BOSSES at a major store are still committed to finding a new home in Blackburn - despite closing to make way for a £66million redevelopment.

Liverpool-based retail giant TJ Hughes has confirmed that it will finally close the doors on its Church Street branch within the next two weeks.

And the company, the last remaining tenant surrounding the soon-to-be bulldozed Lord Square, has admitted that some redundancies will follow the branch being axed as part of the Mall project.

But managers said they are doing everything possible to minimise job losses and are still actively seeking a new site in Blackburn.

The branch has been the subject of a closing-down sale for the past few weeks and has now closed the ground floor of its store to customers.

A TJ Hughes spokesman said: "We are closing our store in Blackburn centre due to the development of the site. We are actively searching for another site in Blackburn, but haven't secured suitable premises at this time.

"Staff within the Blackburn store are being encouraged to apply for positions in other TJ Hughes stores in the area and there is also a vacancy board displayed in the staff area showing vacancies from the local job centre and mall. There will be redundancies as a result of this closure but we are keen to minimise these as far as possible."

The chain's nearest stores to Blackburn are in Curzon Street, Burnley, Trinity Street, Bolton and Fishergate, Preston.

Coun Alan Cottam, executive member for regeneration, said: "We are happy to work with town centre stores who, due to the £66m refurbishment, have been given notice to quit but who wish to relocate within the town."