How I wept over the decline of Blackburn

11:24am Wednesday 30th April 2008

Comments (4)   Have your say »

RECENTLY I, along with my family, returned to my once home town Blackburn after an absence of some 25 years.

We were looking forward to rediscovering cherished memories, happy haunts, old places and friends fading and dimmed by time.

What a mistake. What a shock.

On returning "home" to the "softy south" of our blessed isle, I felt compelled to write to express my abject disappointment, frustration, anger, hurt and lost pride - oh how could this have happened?

Having grown up, schooled, worked and nurtured in a town that was full of individuality, hard working, clean (mostly), innovative and an excellent mix of the old alongside some modern, (time doesn't stand still), what has happened?

The once pleasant estates, both private and council, have become run down, drab and featureless.

The replacement housing around Eanam is even worse than the two up-two down they have replaced. Churches, schools and even pubs all look run down and neglected, uncared for and unloved. Shame.

Who on earth is to blame for this mess? Who is culpable? The City Fathers? Planners? Council officers? Architects? Builders? Government (Jack Straw)? Even Blackburnians themselves for letting this happen. How could you?

Blackburn was always a town, proud of its heritage and its past (never perfect but where is), but used to be a cut above its neighbours, not that there was anything wrong with Darwen, Accrington, Bolton, Burnley, Bury etc. (I hear Bury, left mostly unchanged, has a thriving original market). Oh dear Blackburnians, how could you let this happen?

I hear that suggestions for a new name for the old "Iron Bridge" which has been replaced by some modernistic monstrosity is sought. May I suggest Bridge of Tears, for I wept buckets. Tears of sadness, anger, frustration and disappointment for my lovely old Blackburn, gone, guts ripped out, unloved, forlorn and tatty. Oh how could they? I would also suggest a new name for my old town - Bleakburn. Shame on all who are culpable.

The only highlight of this disastrous trip, prior to our returning south, was a visit to the Butlers Arms at Pleasington where a warm reception with hospitable staff awaited us.

Barbara Castle must be turning in her grave. Blackburn RIP.

MR TOM JONES, Tring, Hertfordshire.