THE latest tenant to move into Blackburn's flagship new office block has revealed plans to more than double its workforce in the town rather than recruit for its London hub.

The Organic Group marked its transfer from Hyndburn into One Cathedral Square with a party.

It's bosses used the celebration to comfirm their taking the whole of the third floor of the five storeys of office accommodation rather than the originally-planned half.

And they revealed they had abandoned plans to recruit 30 new workers for the investment management arm in the capital and would base them in Blackburn's Cathedral Quarter instead.

They have already moved 20 staff into the new building for their Insurance,Mortgages and Lending businesses.

Director Chris Knight told the 120 guests: "After our colleague from the London Office Andrew Myers looked at this magnificent office, he urged us to recruit the new staff and base them here in Blackburn.

"We are all local East Lancashire lads and are delighted."

Fellow director Chris Ridehalgh said: "We are looking at recruiting 30 new staff for our Blackburn office.

"This confirms Blackburn is our headquarters."

The two men, and their director colleague Duncan Bennett, set up Organic on Hyndburn's Trident Park in 2010 with just the three of them and have steadily expanded their business since, including a satellite office in London's Cheapside.

They were the third firm to move into the block after Capita took the first floor and Govnet the second.

Blackburn with Darwen Council have now entered into the final detailed negotiations to complete letting the fourth and fifth floors to a professional services company and a 'big national name'.

Its regeneration boss Phil Riley is also starting talks on building the second new office block envisaged in the Cathedral Quarter masterplan.

He told the event: "We are delighted to welcome the Organic Group to One Cathedral Square and Blackburn.

"These are the sort of quality, high-paid financial services jobs we want to attract to the borough."

Burnley-raised Mr Ridehalgh said: "Phase two is due to open in the third quarter of next year to house 30 staff in our investment management department.

"This office is great for transport links, has an excellent recruitment pool and is just fabulous."

Thursday's party raised more £1,000 for Organics chosen charity for 2017, the East Lancashire Hospice, through a raffle.