SHOPPERS will turn their backs on Blackburn town centre unless rundown Lord Square is improved, an independent report has revealed.

And officials have been warned that unless the more space is found for big-name retailers, the town centre will become dominated by value and discount shops.

Today, Coun Andy Kay, the man in charge of regeneration at Blackburn with Darwen Council, revealed he wanted major changes to be carried out to the square, which links the recently redeveloped Church Street to the rest of Blackburn Shopping Centre.

The need to refurbish the out-dated square is listed as a top priority in a report which outlines what needs to be done to maintain the regeneration of the town.

Earlier this year, the Lancashire Evening Telegraph launched a campaign for action on Lord Square, with the backing of town centre leaders and shoppers.

Two options have been presented. Some want it to be knocked down -- creating space for new big chain stores to develop outlets -- while people like fashion designer Wayne Hemingway have asked for it to be preserved and restored to enhance its 60s architecture.

The new town centre strategy, by independent consultants Donaldsons, updates the one published in 1999. Among the things called for three years ago were a transformed railway station, a pedestrianised Church Street and an end to through traffic using the town centre.

All of these -- and others -- have been implemented but the new report gives a new list of threats scuppering Blackburn's bid to become the shopping centre of choice of people living near the M65.

Top of the list is Lord Square -- the only part of Blackburn Shopping Centre not to be have been refurbished by owners Standard Life.

The report states that attractive shopping centres are key to keeping shoppers coming back again and again, and that Lord Square will affect the rest of the town centre unless action is taken.

The report highlights Preston and the multi-million pound project to replace its bus station and run down buildings with a brand new shopping area.

Lord Square was earmarked for an £18million refit two years ago but Standard Life pulled the plug on that plan, replacing it with a simple 'tidy up.'

Last month, a second 'minor refurbishment' was started, including retiling and repainting.

Standard Life has said it cannot afford to carry out a major overhaul, although it has said it is still looking at ways of improving the square. Nobody from the company was available to comment today.

Other threats highlighted by the report include the fact that only value and discount stores want to be move into the town centre.

Coun Kay took over regeneration at the council last month from Coun Ashley Whalley, who had backed calls for Lord Square to be pulled down.

Coun Kay stopped short of calling for the whole square to be razed to the ground because he doesn't think it was realistically going to happen.

But he said: "We need to see more action in there. It is an important part of the town centre and it does need to look better than it does now.

"For a start, the lift shaft in the middle needs to be removed. It doesn't serve any purpose any more and is very unattractive.

"Another major area which could be improved quickly is the underpass which runs from Lord Square to Ainsworth Street. It is dark and very unwelcoming for shoppers.

"A new lighting system in there would be quite inexpensive yet very, very effective in improving Lord Square. These are ways of improving the square without spending fortunes."

Big name retailers are showing an interest in Blackburn, said Coun Kay, but they want to develop their own sites to suit their own needs rather than moving into standard units.

If such sites aren't found, the report said, investors will go to other towns such as Preston. An action plan has been drawn up to make sure that more such sites are made available.