A THRIVING night time economy is vital to the future prosperity of Blackburn town centre, according to one of the town’s design gurus.

Celebrity designer Wayne Hemingway was speaking at the official opening of the Blackburn Rovers Enterprise Centre, Ewood Park, today, and he believes that the town centre needs more than just bars and shops to ensure success.

The Blackburn Rovers fan, who owns Hemingway Design, was initially involved in talks with The Mall over the regeneration of the former Lord Square site following its demolition.

But Mr Hemingway believes that development of the town centre, which has been delayed by months, should incorporate restaurants and cultural attractions that offer more than just alcohol.

He said: “All successful towns and cities have an evening economy not built around just getting drunk.

"There are smaller towns than Blackburn that have that economy where you can go out to a restaurant in the centre at night.

“Can you do that in Blackburn? I don’t think you can and that is so wrong.

"Therefore, the job of any developer is to do that but I doubt if The Mall will do it.”

Mr Hemingway also called on developers to integrate the town’s history and heritage into the development of the shopping area and make an area of community pride.

And while he praised the Blackburn Rovers Enterprise Centre, which has been funded by the Government’s Local Enterprise Growth Initiative, he called into question the direction the town centre has been pushed in during the last 20-years.

He said: “When I grew up here you would not go to Preston or Bolton, you would shop in Blackburn and it’s sad that it was allowed to fall below those two when it came to shopping.

“This area has a big population and the town should have a good shopping facility.”