I WAS born in Blackburn and have lived here all my life and was fortunate enough to have spent my formative years growing up in a bustling market town with a heritage created by the Lancashire cotton industry.

The town was mucky and rundown in some parts, always very wet, but vibrant and, like most other North West mill towns, had a strong heart, entirely due to resilient, hard-working, straight-talking, decent, respectful Lancashire folk.

I was given the opportunity to attend the BWDBC "Renaissance" meeting on Tuesday, January 22 in King George's Hall.

It was obvious that our council, faced by the self-imposed decline in the town's prosperity, were looking to redress the situation by consulting the market traders, shop owners and businesses, to advise, inform and validate the current disgraceful state of the town centre.

It was soon made clear that the majority of traders in our town are at the end of their tether and are no longer prepared to sit back and watch their businesses decline further, due to lack of foresight from our woefully inadequate town planners.

Once again the markets are to be redeveloped. The difference being that this time the area has been allowed to decline to such an extent, due to supermarket convenience shopping, high rental/rate charges and lack of investment and proper maintenance, that the few traders and shopkeepers left can no longer sustain their livelihood.

The independent traders of the town were trying to make it absolutely clear that, unless they are helped financially during this transitional period, and unless positive provisions are made to try to encourage town centre shopping, by reductions in car park charges and easing off on street parking charges, there will be no traders left in Blackburn town centre to move into all the new shops and market stalls being created by the Mall.

Our town council MUST stop burying its head and be responsible for the mess it has created and do something to help your traders before it is too late.

RON CRANE (via email).