WORK has started to demolish the first of two outdoor market pavilions in Accrington as part of an £8million town centre development which will create 65,000 sq ft of new shops.
The process of safely removing the external structures of the purpose-built open market structures , which were created in 1962, is expected to take a couple of weeks.
The removal of the buildings, which housed the outdoor market for three decades, will make room for the new development by Helical Retail and contractors Pochins.
This will include 65,000 sq ft of new shops between Broadway and Peel Street as well as new market pavilions on the north and east sides off the Victorian market hall.
Shoppers and other visitors to the town will be kept updated on the development by a set of storyboards.
They will to be set up in the area and give the market's history.
The first has now been set up in Broadway and others will follow in Peel Street and Blackburn Road.
The boards feature a simplified plan of the new development and photographs of the spot from 1868 to the present day.
Nigel Rix, director of Hyndburn First and regeneration, said: "These boards will depict the history of the market and will include photographs of it through the ages.
"There will also be a an image of where shoppers will find their way around the new-look market and this will be updated as the development progresses.
"This is an innovative way of conveying as clearly as we can exactly what is happening in the development, as well as giving shoppers something new and interesting to look at."
The development is expected to be completed by May 2003 and will create an additional 150 jobs in Hyndburn.
Preliminary work has already been completed at the site to:
Relocate the open market traders to Broadway and Blackburn Road in front of the Market Hall
Set up a temporary fish market, trading from kiosks, at the top end of Broadway close to Whalley Road
Close the public toilets on Peel Street and set up temporary public conveniences in Church Street close to St James' Church.
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