TOWN centre boss Eamonn Furlong is leaving Blackburn to take over management of Ireland's largest shopping centre.

However, he says he has enjoyed his year in the town and believes it is well equipped to take on the challenges of the next century. Mr Furlong presided over the shopping centre just after its £20 million refurbishment was completed.

He was also involved with the work done under the Blackburn City Challenge and in attracting the TJ Hughes chain store to the town.

But he believes one of the best things to happen to the town centre in the past 12 months was the adoption of permanent Sunday trading.

He said: "None of the traders has noticed any effect on their Monday to Saturday business, so all of the Sunday shoppers represent new trade for them.

"I am moving back to Ireland to take over to take on responsibility for "The Square" shopping centre in Dublin which is the biggest in the country covering 750,000 square metres of floor space."

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