STANDARD Life does think it is important that Lord Square catches up with the rest of the shopping centre - but they won't say when.

Just over a year ago, they impressed council bosses by showing two plans, believed to cost about £18million each to implement, for the councillors to choose from.

One, it is believed, would have involved placing a roof over Lord Square and totally transforming it inside.

But then, for some unknown reason, they decided to pull the plug on the project, opting instead for a bit of smaller scale clean up.

Mike Hannigan, retail investment director at Standard Life, said: "The overall action plan for the town centre could pave the way to the redevelopment of Lord Square.

"We have spent 18 months trying to find a viable solution for the square.

"The rent return wouldn't justify the expenditure. If the town attracts more shoppers, we may be able to charge more rent and that could lead to things changing.

"We hope the town centre development plan, which we are committed to, does attract more people to the town.

"If it does lead to more shoppers, then we can put the rents up and we would be able to do something with it.

"We have carried out some improvements to the square and it is looking better.

"We are committed to Lord Square."

Bob Turner runs Toplex in Lord Square.

He said: "If you look at the shopping centre, it is not aesthetically pleasing, but regeneration isn't just about making things look aesthetically pleasing, regeneration is about getting people into the area and livening it up.

"You can have the cleanest, most specialist cobbles that have cost thousands of pounds, but what good are they if no one's walking on them? You have to get people in there."

Mr Turner said he had plans to revamp the side elevation of his new premises, which would change the entrance to the square beyond recognition.

"It won't cost me millions of pounds, but it will be through my own initiative and hard work.

"I challenge Councillor Whalley to come and see it when it's finished and it will look better than he could have imagined.

"That is real regeneration - actually done by local businesses, whose efforts are the heart and soul of any town and who give it its own identity."

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