BUSINESS leaders have stressed that Blackburn is open for business despite three prominent units lying empty on the town centre’s main street.

The recent closure of one Santander bank branch and the relocation of Poundbakery into The Mall have left several vacant shops just yards away from each other in the pedestrianised end of King William Street.

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Other unoccupied sites on the same street include entertainment retailer bee.com, which closed in January 2013, the former Bradford and Bingley Building Society, and the old KFC restaurant.

Blackburn Business Improvement District (BID) manager, Harriet Roberts, said the group had ring-fenced £60,000 this year to make the area more attractive to visitors and businesses.

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She said: “We do have a plan to improve what we call the ‘gateway,’ from the top of Church Street up Astley Gate, under the car park flyover into Northgate, and around to King William Street.

That area is on top of our list.

“That is our priority area and we will be investing a series of measures to make improvements. There is so much investment going into the Cathedral Quarter but it’s really important we get it right elsewhere.!

“If the market is shut then the only way into King William Street is via this area so that’s why we’ve ring-fenced some money to make it cleaner and greener.”

A landscape expert is due to present plans to the BID team today (THURS) outlining ways to improve the town centre.

Earlier this month, a study by the Local Data Company said Blackburn town centre had dropped out of the top 10 in a national list of worst urban areas for empty shops.

Councillor Maureen Bateson, executive member for regeneration at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “We have had successes with filling vacant retail units and continue to do all we can to ensure that as many empty shops are let as possible.”

Margo Grimshaw, vice-president of Blackburn Chamber of Trade, said better sign-posting was needed to help existing businesses.

She said: “I have friends from out-of-town who say they’re not sure where to go when they come into Blackburn, especially with the relocation of the bus station. A big marketing push and signs along the Boulevard would help.”