THE boss of one of Blackburn’s best-known businesses has blasted the lack of progress on the town’s planned £66million shopping centre.

Two months after building work was expected to begin, Lord Square has been flattened, but no announcements have been made by owner The Mall on who will build the replacement.

Now Neal Atherton, who runs Mercer & Sons, in Northgate, has become the first prominent business person to speak out publicly over the situation.

Councillors and traders had stopped short of criticising The Mall, except to say they were being kept in the dark.

But Mr Atherton said the lack of progress was ‘ruining his business’.

Mr Atherton said: “This is getting really serious.

“How many businesses are going to be affected before someone takes a pick and shovel and starts building?

“How long can The Mall keep saying there’s no news? They’ve demolished half the town centre.

“It’s fine for them to say no comment, but what about our businesses? It’s a disgrace.”

Mr Atherton also blasted what he called the council’s “laid back” attitude to the delays. In February, The Mall promised a “seamless hand-over” when it was announced construction giant Balfour Beatty, which knocked down Lord Square, had not been given the contract to build the new centre.

Bosses promised work would begin in June and the centre was set to be finished in spring 2010.

It is believed new tenders have been received, but negotiations have been taking place in an attempt to reduce the costs of the project.

Mercer’s, which sells toys, ironmongery, kitchenware and trade materials, has been in the town for 168 years.

Trade sales manager Hilary Middleton, who works at the firm’s trade centre in Pump Street, added: “We are putting our heads above the parapet here, but it’s got to be affecting other people.

“If it’s taking this long to appoint someone, how long will it take to build?”

Blackburn Chamber of Trade chairman David Cottam said: “The Mall are not saying anything but, in the current climate, I don’t want to push things.

“I think people have got used to it at the moment.

“But the way I read it I’d expect an announcement any time soon.

“I will never do Blackburn down, and my message will always be that we are very much open for business.”

The Mall declined to comment.

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