AS council bosses bid for almost £1million of government money to rescue the problem-plagued Pavilions project at the heart of Blackburn's town-centre regeneration efforts, it is vital the importance of the scheme is brought home to the purse-holders.

For the transformation of the long-neglected, run-down listed buildings is vital to the redevelopment of Church Street and to the aim of making the town centre more attractive, vibrant and prosperous.

Unless they are restored and repaired -- a task currently thwarted by delay and soaring estimates for the work -- the danger is that the ambitious revamp of Church Street, recently pedestrianised as part of a £2million scheme, could be seriously stalled.

And though the Cathedral authorities, who were offered the Pavilions for a knock-down £45,000 by their council owners a year ago, have dropped out of the ambitious plan to turn them into an up-market bar-restaurant operated by celebrity chef Nigel Haworth, the council have been perfectly right to take on the burden -- for two reasons.

The first is that the restoration of the Pavilions and linking them together -- to either form a bar-restaurant in their entirety or to also include retail space -- is the anchor scheme for Church Street's and the town centre's rebirth.

The second is that, despite their condition and all the problems entailed in saving them, the Pavilions do have immense potential and are a prize part of Blackburn's heritage, of which too much has been lost in the past.

It is unfortunate that the extent of the work required on them is so considerable that it has delayed Church Street's lift-off, but this does not mean that it cannot be achieved. It is vital that the North West Development Agency to whom this near-£1million bid is made realises how much depends on their approval of it -- and promptly consents.