THE replacement of a museum with a drug treatment centre is perhaps a sad sign of the times.

But that is what has happened to Blackburn’s Lewis Textile Museum in Exchange Street, which was closed in 2006 as part of a cost-cutting measure.

Today, a centre which provides addicts with drug and alcohol problems with counselling and life-skills training is opening in its place.

Arguably, it could be said that the new treatment centre will do more good for East Lancashire than the textile museum, whose exhibits can still be seen in Blackburn museum.

There is no doubt that drugs are a major problem in East Lancashire.

Anything that can help people break their addiction should be welcomed, especially if it also assists them to get their lives back on track.

A knock-on effect could be the reduction in petty crime, which is often committed by addicts.

The new centre has promised to be tough on illicit drug use at the site and it is vital that it keeps to this.

If it does the new facility could make a real difference to East Lancashire.