The hopes and dreams of 6o's fan Mr. Hemmingway took a crashing blow today when the demolition men moved to destroy his much loved architectural icon that was Lord Square in the centre of Blackburn.

He may be the only person in the entire area to mourn the demise of an eyesore in the town that has always been seen as reminiscent of the inside of a gents urinal.

The real tragedy within this flawed scheme to regenerate the Mall Corp owned proporty is the tragic loss of the towns last piece of art deco architecture namely the old Woolworth building.

As a child in the 50's, I remember the glory of that building and the ecxitement of using the swing doors that adourned the frontage.Walnut doors with huge brass banded handles which looked like something out of New York. F.W.Woolworth was an Aladins cave of goods from sweets to provisions.

I was once banned from the store as a young teenager because my pet white mouse escaped from my coat sleeve to run amock all over the place. My Mum went mad when they said that I could not go into the store again unless I promised to leave 'Minnie' at home.

I still yearn for a revival in the fortunes of my birth town but have little faith in cheap pound shops and/or glass boxed shops selling Chinese junk being the way forward.

Long live the dear old market traders of Blackburn, they may yet find a happy home!