ONE of Blackburn’s best-known shops is set for a major expansion in a massive boost to the regeneration of the town centre.

Reidy’s, which has been in the town since 1922, is set to move into a 65,000 sq ft superstore underneath the recently-opened £8million multistorey car park on Feilden Street.

Bosses said they believed the new store would be ‘Britain’s biggest music shop’, displaying £2million worth of extra instruments and equipment.

For the first time the shop will also feature a stage where musicians can perform.

The store, currently based on Penny Street, is one of the final businesses still operating in the old market building, which is about to be demolished.

Manager Paul Nuttall said: “We are like the last man standing at the moment and the footfall is zero.

“It will be sad to leave Penny Street, but this is a tremendously exciting move.

“We had lots of offers from other towns to move there, but we have always wanted to stay in Blackburn.

"The people have been good to us.”

Talks have been taking place for the past five years to try and secure a new headquarters for the store, which is also home to a record label, All Around the World.

The shop has a long lease, therefore putting pressure on the council to find alternative premises.

Since it was opened by Mr Nuttall’s grandparents 89 years ago, Reidy’s has been based in the Penny Street area, and was founder member of the old market in 1965.

The new shop, which will have 50per cent more floorspace, will allow the display of scores of musical instruments that are currently in storage.

Mr Nuttall said he hoped it would bring 20,000 extra shoppers to Blackburn town centre.

A small sound stage, named after the former Vulcan pub, will be created instore, and artists booked at nearby King George’s Hall could be invited to perform.

Mr Nuttall said: “We believe it will be the biggest music shop in the country. It’s a massive move.

“Quite a few businesses that have been here a long time have disappeared, and this is an important deal to keep us in the town centre.”

It is hoped that the move will be finalised within the next six weeks.

The old market building will then be demolished, with a string of developers eyeing up the site.

The All Around the World label has a number of top-selling artists on its books will also be setting up home in the Fielden Street car park building when Reidy’s moves home.

It was founded in the early 1990s by Chris Nuttall, brother of Reidy’s boss Paul.

It has dozens of musicians and singers on its books and current clients include N-Dubz, Cascada and Danni Minogue.

The label also has its own digital store where its releases can be downloaded.

From the Blackburn headquarters it also runs two television channels, including one called Clubland.

Reidy’s, which pioneered the use of listening booths when it also stocked recorded music, has also been the home to some high-profile performers over the years.

East Lancashire band The Four Pennies, named after Penny Street and managed by Mr Nuttall’s mother, performed their hit single Juliet when the store opened in 1965, and skiffle maestro Lonnie Donegan also visited the shop in the 1960s.

Three years ago, the shop finally stopped selling recorded music, blaming the decline in the CD market and poor footfall in the market hall.

Town hall regeneration chief Dave Harling said: “Reidy’s is a good and thriving business and we want to keep them in the town centre.

"The question has always been where.

“This is a good site because it’s just outside the town centre shopping area, has a really handy car park and is near the college.”

Blackburn MP Jack Straw said the move was ‘fantastic news’ adding that Reidy’s was a ‘really important’ name in the town.

Former council leader Mike Lee, head of the Conservatives on the council, said: “Reidy’s is one of those shops that everyone knows, and sets Blackburn apart as a town.

“I know they have been working on this for a while, so this is great.”