TRADITIONAL high street retailers are looking to Oswaldtwistle Mills to help them cut costs.

Oswaldtwistle Mills has had inquiries from High Street retailers to open up as traders in the site as they look for ways to ride out the recession.

Bosses at the Moscow Mill Street complex said that the economic climate meant factors such as lower overheads, easy start-up, month-to-month leases and shopping tourism were proving increasingly attractive.

Retail director Boyd Hargreaves said that the Oswaldtwistle Mills style of shopping, with a number of retailers under one roof, was showing significant growth.

He said he was now receiving new enquiries weekly from businesses interested having a presence at the site - some from "surprising and unexpected sources."

National shoe retailer Pavers, which operates 76 stores and concessions across the UK has just opened an outlet at Oswaldtwistle Mills, where sales are already exceeding expectations.

And National retailer Yankee Candle also revealed that sales at its top-performing concessions were up by 20 per cent in 2008, compared to the previous year.

Boyd Hargreaves added: "There has been a step change in quality retailers seeking space and we expect that trend to continue.”