THE FUTURE of shopping in Blackburn town centre came under the spotlight at a fiery council meeting last night.

Top of the agenda was the high-profile announcement that a major department store - understood to be Marks and Spencer - will move into the new £66million shopping centre, taking up a large chunk of the space set aside for the market.

Market traders came to protest about the plans, where the ruling executive board was accused of 'taking the heart out of the town centre' through the ambitious move.

But bosses hit back, claiming stallholders would reap the rewards from the arrival of a new store next to the market.

Executive member for regeneration Alan Cottam also defended the decision to accept a supermarket on the site of the current markets site, with Sainsbury's believed to be interested.

At the meeting, at Blackburn town hall, it emerged:

* The new scaled-down market will have space for 79 stalls, compared to 120 in the previous plans.

* The market will cost £1million less to fit out than the previous plans.

* The council will use this to offset the £6million it is contributing to the Marks and Spencer plans, and increased rent for stallholders will remain.

* The market drainage system will have to be completely re-designed, one of the factors that will delay the opening of the shopping centre into 2011.

* Traders wanting to sign up will be told they have to take credit card for purchases.

* A proposed alternative outdoor market, on Ainsworth Street, would not open until at least two years after the shopping centre has been completed.

Facing accusations that the move would 'kill the market', Coun Cottam brandished an old copy of the Lancashire Telegraph and told the council chamber that a number of stalls had closed after the move to the current market hall in 1964.

He said: "We want good, viable businesses that can hold their own against supermarkets."

He claimed the move would re-establish Church Street as a shopping venue.

But Labour opposition leader Kate Hollern said: "The council has used the market traders. They have been led on.

"A town centre needs to have something different, and this is taking the heart of the town."

Coun Cottam also insisted the market would not suffer from the arrival of another supermarket.

He said the council would struggle to oppose a planning application for a new supermarket because of local development guidelines, and insisted it would be better for one to go in the town centre so other shops benefitted from the increased footfall.