AS someone who lives in Blackburn and runs a business from the town centre and has an interest in another there, I must reply to M Wignall (Letters, September 10) who is 'disgusted' that Blackburn with Darwen Council has rejected plans for a caf bar.

I have yet to meet anyone from the town who wants to see the Darwen Street premises turned into yet another public house. Even the most hardened boozers seem to agree that eight pubs and two night clubs between Church Street and Jubilee Street are more than enough.

Mr Wignall hits the nail on the head when he says that we want a diverse, full town and it is because we need to develop diversity that the council was right to reject this planning application.

Diversity is not about having a whole block turned into yet another drinking den. This would result in only people wanting to drink going to Darwen Street and reinforcing the night-time economy in the area.

What is needed in Darwen Street, where the caf bar is proposed, is a selection of independent retailers to complement the development now taking place in Fleming Square.

At present, small, independent retailers are being priced out of Darwen Street and the large leisure companies are inflating property prices to levels only they can afford.

I wonder when Mr Wignall was last in Blackburn town centre after 10pm at the weekend. That is when he would see and hear more reasons why this area of the town does not need yet another bar.

In this instance, the council has definitely acted in the best interests of the town centre and in accordance with the wishes of the locals!

PAULINE VAUGHAN, Higher Church Street, Blackburn.