BLACKBURN has overtaken Burnley in the battle to be East Lancashire area's number one shopping centre.

A survey by business information group Experian caused concern among trade bosses in Blackburn last year when it ranked Burnley higher in terms of vitality.

The retail Ranking Index is the result of surveys of more than 1,100 separate shopping locations and over a third of a million UK retail outlets.

In the survey for 2001, Experian placed Blackburn in 129th position, alongside the likes of Torquay, Durham and Stafford, up 21 places on the previous year's 150th position.

Burnley, in comparison, dropped 12 places to 160. Accrington climbed 13 places to 259, while Chorley fell 16 to 227. No other local towns were listed.

Blackburn with Darwen Council bosses are delighted to be moving up the league table and promised an even better performance next year.

And Burnley's shopping supremo, Lisa Durkin, insisted that the town still had a vibrant centre, even though there was room for improvement.

For Blackburn, the Experian table comes as pressure grows on the owners of rundown Lord Square - Standard Life - to commit money and revamp it.

The firm says it cannot spend money until there is proof Blackburn is becoming more popular.

Coun Ashley Whalley, executive member for regeneration, said: "The council has worked very hard on improving the town centre both environmentally and in terms of business support, particularly Blackburn Market. This has clearly paid off.

"The Experian Survey is partly based on the number of empty shops, and unfortunately last year we believe they included those premises due for demolition as part of the Orbital Route improvements. These premises have now been demolished and we have very few vacant premises in the centre.

"Improvements to the town centre will continue to be on going, and I believe that this time next year we will be pushing our way up the table."

Arnold Wilcox-Wood, manager of Blackburn Shopping Centre, said: "Blackburn Shopping Centre has attracted new shops in the last year and, as far as I am concerned, the fact more people are coming here to shop shows we are doing things right."

Lisa Durkin said Burnley's high ranking in 2001 followed the opening of the Curzon Street shopping centre which had attracted new stores to the town. There was less new development the following year and evidence suggested the town needed to improve its 'retail mix'.

The Experian shopping centres survey is highly-regarded in the retail industry. Retail locations as they are called to include out-of-town shopping centres - are allocated a "vitality" index score, based on a number of indicators such as the size, the number of major multiple firms and the number of quality independent retailers.