A TOWN's first town centre manager is swapping posts and counties after three years working to improve the town's image and boost its shopping potential.

Carl Speight, 31, was behind the town's new logo which declares Burnley as The Place To Be and also arranged the town's first TV commercial which ran between September 1999 and February 2000.

He will take up an associate director position at an executive recruitment consultancy in Halifax.

Carl said: "My departure is entirely because of the quality of the career opportunity I have offered and is in no way a sign of any dissatisfaction with the role in Burnley.

"I have genuinely enjoyed being Burnley's first ever town centre manager and have particularly enjoyed the many question and answer sessions I have been invited to attend with the people of the town ranging from Rotary clubs to citizens' panels.

"As the North West regional chairman for town centre management, I would like to think that I have also raised the profile of Burnley town centre with some important decision making people throughout the UK."

Since Carl has been in post the £13million development of Curzon Square has opened, Proctors' Mill has been redeveloped into a £5million hotel, bar and nightclub complex, Sainsbury's has been granted permission to redevelop the former Prestige site, Tesco has been granted outline permission to develop Centenary Way and plans are afoot to completely refurbish the Lower St James Street, Hammerton Street and Lodge Square areas.

He added: "I wish everyone well and I will be a frequent visitor, both to see the many friends I have made here and also to enjoy seeing the town centre as it further improves in the future."

A decision on Carl's replacement is expected soon.