Your guide to Padiham
2:35pm Tuesday 3rd July 2007
Padiham dates back to at least the 11th century, before the Norman Conquest.
For hundreds of years it was a market town where produce from Pendleside was bought and sold (Padiham market continues today, being held every Wednesday and Friday).
The town expanded and was substantially redeveloped during the Industrial Revolution and the central area is now a conservation park.
Today Padiham is well served with good bus links to Burnley, Blackburn and Preston, a Co-op and a Somerfield supermarket as well as many local stores.
A new business park 'Shuttleworth Mead' has added to the employment opportunities in the area which in turn has great links to the motorway network.
It has a population of 8,998 (according to the 2001 census) and is part of the borough of Burnley.
Padiham was an urban district until 1974 and a civil parish again since 2002.
As with many of the new districts created in 1974, not all people in Padiham are happy being governed from Burnley.
Some Padihamers believe the borough should be renamed 'Burnley with Padiham.