COMMUNITY leaders are calling on people to support the town centre as the area's shopping centre celebrates its 30th anniversary.

The Accrington Arndale Centre is hosting a series of weekend events this month to commemorate the landmark.

Over recent months Papa Johns and Burger King left the centre's food court and Store Twenty One in Broadway recently shut its doors.

However town centre staff said the town remains a promising place and work is being done to fill empty units.

Zain Kiyani, Arndale centre manager, said: "One of those things we are working hard to do is attract retailers to the centre.

"We only have a few empty units on the inside and we hope to get positive businesses in them.

"It is just about giving something back to the town, and we've got a few giveaways to celebrate the anniversary over the next few weeks.

"We are very positive about the future and hope to get some up and coming business that will serve the town for the next 30 years."

The centre was first opened in October 1987 by comedian Ken Dodd.

The landmark comes as the contract was signed this week for work on the new Accrington Town square which will start later this month.

The restored town square will commemorate the sacrifice of the Accrington Pals and will be the centrepiece of a project which will also see the restoration of some of Accrington’s key historic retail and commercial buildings in the town centre.

Hyndburn Council leader Cllr Miles Parkinson said he hopes the shopping centre will play a key part in the town for years to come.

He said: "When the Arndale opened three decades ago it was an important part of Accrington.

"We've seen that shopping has changed an companies such as Dixons and Currys either moving out of town or going online.

"The Arndale continues to play that important role and the owners are key to attract new retailers to the area, and we will help them in whatever way we can."

Today a Formula One Car will be at the centre from 10.30am until 4.30pm offering a race simulation for visitors.

Next weekend the shopping centre will take a Caribbean theme for the day, while the following week tribute artist Alan Becks will be performing the hits of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jnr, Dean Martin and Buddy Holly.

The celebrations will then be finalised on Saturday, August 26, with Chris Topper's puppet booth which will run on the hour from 11am until 3pm.

Cllr Munsif Dad, from the Accrington Town Team, said: "Since the bus centre move there has been a greater footfall in that side of town.

"Empty units are being filled up, and hard work is being done to fill the ones which are left.

"There is obviously money coming into the town centre with the work on the square, and that should hopefully provide a boost and more business to the town."