SHOPKEEPERS are to be encouraged to open up during next year's Darwen Music Live Festival after many closed this year through fear of vandalism.

A Darwen Town Centre Association's (DTCA) meeting heard that shopkeepers missed out on trade by their reluctance to open on May Bank Holiday Sunday and Monday.

The group's representatives also decided to write to the shopkeepers next year to reassure them about safety. The DTCA believes that a shop which opens during the event will be promoting themselves positively to new visitors to the town.

They also heard that the crowd behaved well throughout the event and that the turnout was greater than last year.

Meanwhile, Inspector Tracey O'Gara, of Darwen police, told the meeting that CCTV and radiolink was being used in the town to reduce shop lifting. She said that there had been problems manning the shop link at the police station, but that this would be rectified whenever possible.

She added that police presence in the town will be stepped up with the use of horses.

The switch on of the Christmas lights was also discussed. It was decided the ceremony will take place on December 1 at 4.15pm.