STAFF at some of Blackburn’s high street shops got away from the shop floor to enjoy a guided walk of the transformed town centre.

Ahead of the huge Heritage Festival this weekend, town centre leaders were keen to use those literally “working on the shop floor” to help promote the town to visitors.

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Bosses at Santander, EE, Greggs, Marks & Spencer and Boots have organised the activity being dubbed “walk the walk” to launch the Business in the Community Healthy High Streets Initiative.

The aim is to update employees on the redevelopment changes in the town so that they can “talk the talk”.

BITC Healthy High Streets Champion, Katherine Wheatley from Santander, said: “We are working closely with the Blackburn BID and the regeneration team to take an active role in helping the high street prosper and we wanted our staff to have the opportunity to get away from the shop floor and learn about the amazing transformation going on under their noses.”

On the first tour was Peter Fearnley, East Lancashire area manager for Greggs.

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He said: “I was extremely impressed with what I saw with the investment going into the town centre.

“The Cathedral Quarter development, new bus station and refurbished entrance hall at the railway station are all impressive.

“Blackburn is certainly a place that we will potentially invest in further.”

The walk was led by Julia Simpson from Blackburn with Darwen’s regeneration team with Harriet Roberts, Blackburn BID manager.

They saw the new bus station work on Ainsworth Street, the Cathedral Quarter work due to be completed soon, Darwen Street, Fleming Square and King William Street.

Ms Roberts said: “‘Walk the Walk’ tours are a simple but great idea to help people who work in the town to ‘big up’ some of the great things that are happening in terms of redevelopment and events.”

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