MINISTER Margaret Beckett got an ambitious glimpse of the future when she officially opened Hyndburn's award winning Globe Centre. THE award-winning Globe Centre was officially opened this week by Margaret Beckett MP who got a glimpse of the enterprise centre's ambitious plans for the future. The president of the Board of Trade unveiled a plaque at the centre which now employs more than 300 people - and was shown plans for a five storey extension to the centre.

A successful partnership between private investors and Hyndburn Council has seen the former engineering works blossom into one of the town's prime business locations.

The former Howard and Bullough building, which once employed 8,000 people, now houses a restaurant, brassiere and hotel run by Accrington and Rossendale College.

It also includes offices for Airtours, communications and computing companies, a Business Link outlet and the East Lancashire Partnership.

Hyndburn Council leader George Slynn and one of the directors of Globe Enterprises, said: "It is a great honour for the Globe to be officially opened by Margaret Beckett, really putting Hyndburn on the map as a prime business and enterprise location.

"The Globe is a wonderful example of how the public and private sector can work in partnership, turning a derelict historically important building in the centre of Accrington, into a highly acclaimed office and conference centre. It is evidence of the Globe's national significance that a cabinet minister has officially opened the building."

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