A ROW has broken out after small traders claimed they were snubbed over the appointment of Burnley's first town centre manager.

Leaders of the Chamber of Trade say they were not consulted during the selection of the £30,000 a year shops chief who will spearhead development into the next century.

They claim they were promised a role but it went to representatives of large national outfits who are sponsoring the job, being paid for mainly by public cash from the council's Challenge Fund.

Chamber President Audrey Hall said: "I am annoyed. I have worked hard supporting the centre and the initiatives to make it more attractive.

"This chamber is a long-standing and recognised organisation representing shops, estate agents, solicitors, market traders and butchers' and newsagents' federations among others. "We thought the chamber would have had a place on the panel to appoint someone who will be looking after the interests of the whole centre, not just the large stores.

The row over the chamber's exclusion has blown up three weeks before 28-year-old Carl Speight, of Warrington, takes up the high profile post.

But employers Initiative Burnley - the town's business, public sector and community partnership - today moved quickly to defuse the situation.

Initiative's director Andrew Heyworth said no snub was intended.

"There are many interested parties in the centre and it would have been impractical to invite all on to the selection panel.

"Business, particularly the sponsoring companies, were invited but the chamber has been notified of the appointment and has a role to play in the development of the post."

Mr Heyworth said the chamber had been invited to meet the manager at which all centre interests could give their views on the way forward.

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