BLACKBURN shopping centre bosses are interested in buying the old market and building an extension which would double the size of The Mall.

But the firm faces tough competition as five other firms – all major developers – are on the council’s shortlist.

The preferred partner will be chosen in the next few weeks, but whichever company wins, it is likely that either a mixed use, or retail complex, will be created.

Demolition of the 1960s Blackburn Market, in Ainsworth Street, is expected in the next couple of months.

Council bosses hope any development will be in place within two years.

Regeneration chief Dave Harling said he wanted the plans to include a ‘household’ retail name – with major supermarkets having previously expressed an interest.

The Lancashire Telegraph has seen the final shortlist, which includes Capital and Regional, which owns The Mall, and Muse, which was responsible for the renovation of St Paul’s Square in Liverpool.

It is understood that The Mall’s plans could see Ainsworth Street built on to join the extension to the existing site.

Coun Harling said: “With the interest from The Mall, you could look at it two ways.

"You could say ‘The Mall is massive anyway, why allow it to dominate even more?’

"But then you could say ‘they have done okay so far, why not allow them to expand’.

"I would love to see a household and high-class name, which would be a fabulous draw for the town.”

The market area alone comes to 126,600 sq ft, but that does not include the surrounding shops.

And the package is expected to also include the Exchange Children’s Services building, in Ainsworth Street, which the council currently rents but is looking to vacate.

This takes the total potential floorspace to six acres, way beyond the 200,000 sq ft extension to The Mall opened a year ago.

Jeweller Phil Ainsworth, of the Town Centre Partnership, said: “If you look at what The Mall has produced over the last two or three years, their ideas would have to be worth looking at.”