DARWEN shopkeepers and market traders fear their livelihoods are under threat.

And they are pessimistic about the future unless the council invests more cash and promotes the town to stem the tide of closures.

As the Darwen town hall gets a facelift to accommodate more local council services, traders below in the five-day market complain their premises are neglected.

"It's like a dungeon down here," moaned fishmonger Gavin Anderson. "Who wants to shop in a hole like this? A lick of paint might bring people closer to the arcade's doors. The council charge us huge rents and we get nothing in return."

The arcade has only four of its ten stalls occupied.

Long's Sandwiches have been trading there for 17 years. "I've never known it so bad," said proprietor Sally Long.

"My takings are half what they were 18 months ago. With places like India Mill and Lodges supermarket closed down, there's hardly anybody buying food here anymore. We can't survive much longer."

Another Darwen business struggling to survive is the Furniture Centre on Borough Road.

Despite spending almost £40,000 on advertising, proprietor Kevin Hoyle says his shop is about to fold. "We've taken a lousy £19 in 26 weeks of Sunday trading. My shop in Liverpool is keeping us afloat here but I don't know how long for. Trade is non-existent."

Houghton's Saddlers on Bolton Road, one of Darwen's oldest businesses, is closing its shop to concentrate on production.

Proprietor John Thomas said: "We're specialists who do most of our trade nationally and internationally. Darwen on its own can not provide us with sustainable business."

Sudell ward Lib-Dem, Councillor Paul Browne, believes Darwen is in danger of becoming a shopping ghost town.

"There's simply not enough investment,' he complained.

"The town is dying. You only have to look at all the empty shops or stores up for sale like Greenwoods. People want more choice and value so they go to Blackburn or Bolton."

But town centre manager Paul Isherwood said: "Just last night I was discussing with local traders how well Darwen business is doing. We've welcomed three new stores in recent months. Darwen is no worse off than any other small Lancashire town and Blackburn Council is still spending money here."

In Market Way, frozen food giant Iceland manager Richard Hughes said: "Business is booming. We've gone from strength to strength since opening two years ago."

John Brown, manager of Boots and chair of Darwen Town Centre Association, confirmed: "It's not all doom and gloom. Most retailers are positive about the state of trade in the town although I would like to see the council do something about the proliferation of empty premises. They need to be marketed so they are leased out or sold quickly. They don't help the town's image one bit."

Local and County Councillor Eileen Entwistle, who lives and works in Darwen, believes the trade problem is the result of far more wide ranging factors. "It's the general current economic climate that's having an effect on every town up and down the country. What we need is a change of government first of all and then we might be able to kick-start local economies like Darwens."

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