A LANDMARK street in Blackburn could get a new name if cathedral bosses have their way.

Traders and leading clergy want council bosses to give Church Street a fresh start and consign its name to the history books.

Councillors have agreed to look at changing the name to Cathedral Street, but warned that costs to local businesses of changing the name could make the project a non-starter.

The idea of changing the name was brought up by clergy during a consultation meeting about the future of Blackburn town centre.

A new strategy is being drawn up as a result of the meetings, and a report to councillors includes the idea of changing Church Street's name.

Over the past 18 months, Church Street has been transformed from a traffic-clogged two way street which spilt the town centre in two into a cobbled pedestrian-priority area with a series of statues running down the middle.

In the long term, the council hopes to attract pavement cafes on to the street, which cost £2.5million to revamp.

And Cathedral bosses believe that the transformation of the street provides the ideal opportunity to consign the street's rundown past to the history books.

Canon Andrew Hindley of Blackburn Cathedral said: "We're very pleased indeed that the council is now looking at the idea to change the name of Church Street.

"It would help to recognise the importance of the Cathedral in the town and its community.

"The opening up of Church Street is of great importance to the Cathedral especially considering the proposed enhancement of the Pavilions, it helps bring the Cathedral into the town centre community."

Phil Ainsworth from the Darwen Street Traders Association, said: "I think now is the ideal opportunity to wipe the slate clean with Church Street, although I prefer the name Cathedral Way.

"It has been synonymous with negative things in the past, such as being a barrier for people trying to walk across the town and has been underdeveloped for years.

"It now looks very good and I think a change of name is very appropriate now."

But Ray Goldstone, president of the Blackburn and District Chamber of Trade and a trader on the town's market, said: "Improvement is one thing, but change for change's sake is another.

"Church Street is a historical name and everyone knows it as Church Street.

"I think the name should stay. We have had ideas to change names before, like Market Way to Nelson Mandela Way, and that wasn't popular."

Coun Andy Kay, in charge of regeneration, said: "A name change is something we are prepared to consider but I think it would be very expensive.

"As well as changing the name, we would have to consider whether we would be liable for the costs incurred by businesses on Church Street for changing their stationery and so on."