BLACKBURN'S rundown Lord Square is almost fully occupied by new tenants, shopping centre bosses revealed today.

Council bosses today welcomed the announcement, but said that it was only a short-term solution for the shopping square.

Just two units within Lord Square will remain empty once the new shops and businesses, brought in by shopping centre owners Standard Life, open for business.

Only two of the new businesses are fresh shops for the town -- the rest are relocating to Lord Square, expanding existing premises or are not retail shops.

The new businesses include everything-for-£1 shop Poundcraze, already open, and a children's clothes shop. The existing Posh ladies' fashion shop is taking up another two units, and electrical goods firm Toplex is taking two units.

A Department for Education and Skills-funded computer training scheme will be in two units, while East Lancashire Moneyline will have one unit.

It is hoped all the businesses will be up and running by the end of November.

A spokesman for Standard Life said: "Standard Life Investments has been making improvements to the Square. Nine units have now been let, which leaves just two units empty."

Arnold Wilcox-Wood, manager of Blackburn shopping centre, said: "We are pleased to have let these units, leased on a range of leases from two to five years."

Earlier this year, council bosses criticised Standard Life's decision not to push ahead with plans to invest millions in Lord Square by re-building it.

Coun Ashley Whalley, executive member for regeneration, then pledged the council would do all it could to get the square improved, saying it was an integral part of the town centre regeneration. He said: "We welcome the recently agreed short term leases in Lord Square as this improves a problem area of the shopping centre.

"However, it remains our intention to persuade Standard Life of the benefits if they undertook a major reinvestment in Lord Square by fully redeveloping it.