WATERSTONES, Britain’s premier booksellers, is coming to Blackburn opening a new store in The Mall.

The 2,000 square foot premises in the former Toymaster outlet, fronting on to King William Street, has been welcomed by politicians and traders alike.

It will be the first major bookshop in the town since Bookland, formerly Seed and Gabbutt, in Lord Square closed in 2004.

The store is seen as a high watermark in the ongoing progress of the shopping centre, with supporters saying a good book shop can enrich the life of the town.

Efforts to attract a book shop have been a top priority for several years.

Fashion designer Wayne Hemingway, who is backing regeneration efforts in Blackburn, said: “This is an important cultural addition to the town centre and I would support anything that supports the literature, music or the arts.

“To have a name like Waterstones is very important - this is not another kebab shop. They have been steadfastly independent down the years and they will have done their homework before making this decision.”

President of the borough’s Chamber of Trade Tony Duckworth said: “This is great news. It’s a prime location fronting onto King William Street which will be a much-need boost to the Northgate side of the town centre.

“It’s just the sort of high-quality national retailer we want to attract to the town and will improve the mix of shops in the centre.”

Blackburn MP Jack Straw added: “This is great, fantastic.

“We used to have a fine independent bookshop called Seed and Gabbutt which was a draw for the town. This will do the same and its is near the college and its student population.

“This is terrific news and just what regenerating the town centre is all about.”

The new store will be the first of a new-style of smaller Waterstone’s outlets set to be rolled out nationally.

The store, being fitted out this week, will have 50 to 60 bays and 15,000 books on sale - around half the number of the company’s big city centre stores.

It will have a normal front section of best-sellers, Christmas specials and top rated paperbacks as well as a children’s department, with a rear section of discounted books.

The initial lease is for 12 months, but Mall general manager Loraine Jones hopes the Waterstones Sales Outlet will be a success and will take a longer contract and expand.

She said: “We are excited about this. We have been pursuing Waterstones for some time and are delighted they are coming.

“It will be a great addition to the Mall and the town.

“It’s going to have a fabulous children’s department.”

Waterstones spokesman John Howells said: “This is a new type of store for us and we are excited about it. It’s the first time we have come to Blackburn and we have been attracted there by the level of development going on in the town centre.”

The company operates almost 300 stores employs more than 4,500 staff in the UK and Europe.

Its nearest outlet is in Preston ten miles away and it also has stores in Manchester and Bolton.

Council regeneration boss Maureen Bateson said: “This is really good news and a real achievement for the Mall.

“With the college nearby it’s good news for the students. This is giving us a real mix of stores in Blackburn town centre and will hopefully help attract more high-profile retailers here.

“This is the sort of thing we are trying to achieve with our regeneration plans.

“I am delighted. We have not had a high-quality bookshop in Blackburn town centre since Bookland closed.”

Dean of Blackburn Christopher Armstrong said: “This is very good news. My wife will be delighted.

“Blackburn town centre needs a real mix of shops and stores and a good bookshop is a key part of that.

“I would like to think that the development of the Cathedral Quarter may have helped in attracting Waterstones and may attract other high-profile retailers to follow.”

The £30 million Cathedral Quarter scheme includes a Premier Inn hotel, restaurants, shops, new bus interchange, a public square, landscaped gardens, and new offices, and will transform the other side of the town centre creating 350 jobs.