Shopping centre demolition to be finished in April

A Lancashire shopping centre which first opened in the 1960s will be demolished in April to make way for a revamped retail complex and car park.

Pendle Rise first opened as an Arndale Centre and was at the centre of life in the town of Nelson for decades.

Replacing it will be a modern shopping centre, parking for 150 cars and landscaped outdoor areas as part of a £25m government-backed Nelson Town Deal scheme.

Asjad Mahmood, deputy leader of Pendle Borough Council and a Nelson Town Deal board member, said the changes would "attract investment, create jobs and provide our residents and visitors with a place to enjoy spending time in".

The council said the electricity inside Pendle Rise would be disconnected completely by the end of next week and asbestos would be removed from the building by the end of March, when it will be "one step closer" to being transformed.

Stephen Barnes, chairman of Nelson Town Deal, added: "We are getting closer to fulfilling our vision of providing the residents of Nelson and visitors to the town with a new and exciting shopping and leisure time experience."

Previously locals said they had mixed emotions about the centre being demolished.

Some were looking forward to the revamp, but some would like to see parts of the centre kept for the future, such as the floor mosaic depicting Admiral Nelson's compass.

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