AS a trader all my working life - 23 years in Darwen Street, Blackburn - I think the council's decision to close Church Street in both directions will kill off the top end of Darwen Street.

Darwen Street, as a good shopping street, has been dying for many years. When I first started work in the street, there was a large diversity of shops, but over the years most quality shops have moved out, leaving just takeaways and restaurants.

Closing Church Street will put off our customers from trying to get to us. As a shop manager, I need customers to come to the shop and park and pick up their goods.

Making this hard - no, impossible - will hit my trade. So, yes, I am another trader set to move and relocate away from this street.

R O'KEEFFE, Manager, Little Sheffield, Darwen Street, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.