BUSINESS leaders in Leigh say the fire which destroyed a shopping arcade is a massive set-back for the town centre.

Around 12 stores were wiped out when the blaze ripped through the Boulevard, in Bradshawgate, right in the heart of the main shopping area.

Traders have been working hard with Wigan Council in recent years to bring people back into Leigh and the fire has left many disillusioned - although they said the arcade will bounce back.

Cllr Brian Jarvis, chairman of the town centre management committee, said: "This is devastating for Leigh. It is upsetting because it has struck right in the heart of the town. We have been trying to make Leigh an attractive place and with environmental improvements were making it a first class place to shop. Leigh was thriving, but now it's as if all the improvements we have carried out have been struck off in one go.

"It is also upsetting because we had been planning the Christmas festivities, in which the Boulevard would have played a big part, and now we will have to start over again.

"A meeting of the Leigh town centre management committee will take place at the town hall on August 22 and we will look at what can be done for traders, including the possibility of finding temporary premises for them.

"Leigh town centre will bounce back from this and so will the Boulevard."

Laurie Barton, recently appointed town centre co-ordinator, said the timing of the blaze was bad for traders.

She added: "At any time a fire like this is a set-back, but it is made even worse because we were planning for the run-up to Christmas.

"We will look at all the options available to help the traders and make plans to see how we can overcome it."