IT IS always pleasing when it is announced that a distinguished historical building is to be preserved and restored - as were the railway station, Eanom Wharf, St John's Church, Holy Trinity, the three Waterloo Pavilion Buildings and Woolworth's art deco building in Church Street and the Hornby residence in King Street.

Now it is the turn of the former Labour Exchange in King Street - originally The Hotel, Sudell Street - which has been acquired by the East Lancashire Deaf Society (LET December 21 and 28).

It should be noted that the much referred to 'Assembly Rooms' was annexed behind the elegant hotel frontage, addressed alongside in Heaton Street with a double-door entrance in Clayton Street.

Access to the inner quadrangle courtyard, stables, etc. was from Bank Street.

The celebrations for the laying of the Town Hall foundation stone were held at the Assembly Room of the Old Bull Inn to accommodate the large numbers of Masonic brethen in the afternoon and the invited public to a dinner in the evening.

Meanwhile, the quaint ancient neighbour of the old Labour Exchange - the King's Head Inn - deteriorates more and more.

J A MARSDEN, Scarborough Road, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.