REGARDING Standard Life putting Blackburn's shopping precinct up for sale and it being reported that a number of investment companies have shown interest in buying it (LET, October 11), I think this might be a false hope.

I believe that Standard Life, in the years they have been involved, have seen the decline of the whole development and will get out at any price. The orbital route is to blame -- it has a stranglehold on the whole of Blackburn town centre and people are using other outlets to shop.

No vehicles -- no business.

The type of businesses that makes things tick today are the big multiples, but Blackburn centre has not got the space. Things were all right for the 1960s but when the market was built it only catered for stalls and the dream was small.

JOHN SHORROCK, Marlton Road, Blackburn.