A PETITION to save Darwen’s three-day market from proposed closure and demolition has been signed by nearly 3,000 residents.

The petition was created by former town councillor Brenda Cronshaw, who runs Brenda’s Collectibles in the three-day market, to keep it open ‘at the heart of the community and as a part of Darwen’s heritage’.

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The market has been earmarked for closure and demolition by Blackburn with Darwen Council due to a decline in footfall and a 40 per cent vacancy rate.

Mrs Cronshaw said she was delighted with the support that the town had offered so far and hoped it would continue.

She said: “I want to thank all the people of Darwen for their support and I am so grateful that thousands have come into the market and got behind us.

“We haven’t even been round the town yet to collect signatures, these are just signatures from people who have specifically come in to show their support and sign the petition.

“It is a sad time for Darwen at the moment with the market under threat and I hope that the support that has been given will continue because we need it.”

The 17 existing stallholders in the three-day market have been asked if they will relocate to the adjoining market hall and annexe.

The building in Croft Street has been branded ‘fundamentally obsolete’ by the council and it has been proposed to replace it with a ‘potential landmark development’.

Mrs Cronshaw is urging people to make their voices heard at a public meeting regarding the future of the three-day market at St Peter’s Church on Friday at 6.30pm.

The meeting will form part of an ongoing consultation with Darreners about whether the market should go and if so, what should replace it.

Jake Berry, Conservative MP for Rossendale and Darwen, will be attending along with Cllr Phil Riley, borough council regeneration boss and leader of the council Mohammed Khan.

Mr Berry said: “The fact that 3,000 people have signed this petition shows how important the market is to the people of Darwen.

“I’m really concerned about all the rumours that everybody’s hearing, that is why I’m really pleased that we are having this public meeting so we can find out exactly what the council has planned.”