BLACKBURN'S shopping centre owner Standard Life, and the town council spent £18 million refurbishing the precinct, but have neglected Lord Square, which is badly in need of modernisation.

Just look at the area - tiles missing, rain-water dripping all over and shops forced to close because of loss of trade. And Church Street is full of empty shops because of neglect by the owners and the council.

So come on, Standard Life and Blackburn Council, refurbish Lord Square before it's too late.

Also, regarding the inner-relief road which Blackburn Council and MP Jack Straw have fought to have built, I believe the new Labour Government has now abandoned all new road building programmes and now works to concentrate on integrated public transport.

This road is vital for Blackburn's economy and prosperity.

Barbara Castle Way was to be linked with the M65, but, just look at Eanam and Copy Nook where the Council has bought the land. It is now full of dereliction and unless this road is built, Blackburn will not compete with Preston, Bolton and Manchester. When people come to Blackburn - and many people do take the route from the M65 leading to Copy Nook and Eanam - they see an eyesore of derelict land and buildings. And the condition of the road is appalling - full of potholes, damaged paving and no road markings.

Unless Jack Straw and the Council take urgent action, people will be put off coming to Blackburn.

The town needs good roads, better shopping facilities, hotels, multi-complex cinemas and out-of-town superstores and without them, Blackburn will not attract more investment for its future economic prosperity.

A LAMBERT, Lincoln Road, Blackburn.

FOOTNOTE: Blackburn Shopping Centre boss Eamonn Furlong said negotiations are taking place about improvements to Lord Street Square and that it has long been planned to redevelop the town centre in stages, with Lord Square being the next big project.

He added that talks have been under way for some months and plans for an 'appropriate and tasteful' development of the square will be submitted to Blackburn with Darwen Council as soon as the negotiations reach a conclusion.

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