Mixed emotions as shopping centre to be demolished

Saima Farhan, from Nelson, said she has "happy memories" of Pendle Rise

Residents have mixed feelings as a shopping centre in east Lancashire has closed its doors for the last time ahead of its demolition.

The Pendle Rise mall and connecting buildings, including a former indoor market, are to be demolished with new, modern retail units planned as part of the huge Nelson Town Deal regeneration scheme.

The centre first opened in the 1960s as an Arndale Centre and was at the centre of Nelson life for decades.

Locals said they 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.

Pendle Rise is to be demolished as part of a regeneration scheme

Saima Farhan, from Nelson, said she had "happy memories" of Pendle Rise.

"It used to be full of life," she said.

"I remember the Christmas lights there at this time of year. I used to shop here and so did my mother-in-law.

"Elderly people used to sit on the benches and chat together, and children played.

"In recent times, I went to Boots, which had everything and the staff were helpful.

"And we went to Specsavers, which has moved around to Manchester Road. Wilkinson was my favourite shop but it's also gone.

"Gradually there were fewer shops here and it became a bit boring."

She said she was "quite excited about the changes in Nelson".

"I'm looking forward to seeing the new town centre once all the work is done," she added.

Mora Hitchcox said the centre "used to be a lot better"

Mora Hitchcox, from Barrowford, worked for the Pioneer mouldings and Decorpart cosmetic packaging companies locally for many years.

She said: "I remember Pendle Rise in the heydays. It used to be a lot better than in recent times.

"I remember a boutique in the 1980s, a clothes and shoe shop. It was called Eyecatcher and it was connected to Elsa Hawke, who was married to the Nelson cricketer Neil Hawke.

"I used go on there at weekends. It was nice."

She said it was "a shame that Pendle Rise is being knocked down".

"I thought couldn't they do it up and put new little shops inside?" she sad.

"The old market hall was good too, everything seems to have gone.

"I hope things move on we need a proper town centre. Nelson has hardly any shops at the moment.

"We need a shoe shop and there's only one café in the town centre, I think. I go to Morrisons but there's not much else."

Brothers Kris and Oskar Zile would like a variety of shops

Passer-by John Taylor said: "There used to be a gallery upstairs at Pendle Rise with shops and other areas.

"But this town has just become a ghost town. All we have really is McDonald's."

Brothers Kris and Oskar Zile are originally from Latvia and have worked in factories and kitchens in England for six years.

Kris Zile told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "I think it's good that they are demolishing Pendle Rise but Nelson needs new shops and cafés."

Oskar Zile said: "We have to go to Burnley for some shopping at the moment, to buy things like computer keyboards, headphones or electrical equipment.

"We've got a Morrisons supermarket in Nelson so I'd prefer to get some different types of shops here in future, rather than another big food shop.

"A book shop would be good with comics too.

"A pub or café with arcade games would be cool."