FIVE hundred businesses in Burnley are being asked to put their hands into their pockets to safeguard the future of the Town Centre Partnership.

Funding for the town centre management scheme runs out at the end of the year, after which an annual minimum of £100,000 a year will need to be raised to keep the partnership alive.

Retailers at the launch of a town centre membership and benefits package scheme and a town centre website were told at Burnley Business Centre today that £60,000 had been promised from council sources and the partnership's five core members.

Even with the promotions budget slashed from £75,000 to £26,000 a bare minimum of £40,000 still needed to be found, said town centre manager Lisa Durkin.

She told the traders: "The next three months will be critical. It is make or break time."

She said there were looking for key shareholders, large companies who cared about Burnley town centre being vibrant and viable.

But membership would be based on rateable value and start at £100 a year, or £1.95 a week.

If every business gave £100 they would exceed their target with local businesses involved receiving a wide range of benefits and services.

Lisa said funding had been made available for two town centre wardens but the contracts for herself and assistant town centre manager Ian Stackhouse would end in December. It was anticipated their new contract would run only until the end of March.

After that much depended on the success of the new membership scheme and support of the town centre businesses. She said: "The most serious threat to the future of Burnley town centre is not just competition from the Trafford Centre, Manchester or the internet, but neglect.

"Don't leave it until it's too late, act now and sign up to become a partner."