BLACKBURN is Open, a scheme to encourage new creative enterprise and night life in the town centre, has produced a new booklet aimed at students to let them know about places of interest and events for college and university goers.

But yesterday students of the college told the Lancashire Telegraph that Blackburn at the moment had little to offer them and that it was a ‘disappointing’ place to study.

None of the students had heard of Blackburn is Open or the Friday Night Live scheme launched last weekend to boost the town’s night time economy.

Curtis Baron, a 21-year-old student from Mill Hill, said: “I have only ever been out in Blackburn once and I hated it. I live here but travel for nights out to Preston or Manchester.

“All the pubs in Blackburn have shut down and there’s no where to go.”

His friend Cassie Bestwick, an 18-year-old from Green Lane said: “There’s nothing at all for students and young people.

“I go out in Darwen and it’s a much better night out than Blackburn. There’s more pubs, more people out and more going on and it’s a much smaller town so I don’t know why Blackburn’s so bad.”

The leaflet points out places that may be of interest to students such as King Georges Hall, the Youth Zone and the library.

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But a lot of space is also dedicated to places that would not traditionally be associated with young people and night life, such as Blackburn Cathedral, Blackburn market and the visitor centre.

Paige Gilmour, 17, from Burnley said: “It’s not very exciting is it?

“I’m from Blackburn originally but I live in Burnley now and I can’t see why anyone would want to stay in Blackburn if they didn’t have too young to go in pubs but even for my age group there isn’t really anything.

“The cinema here is huge but even there they only show really rubbish films and you have to travel to see anything good.”

Yasmin Beygo, a 16-year-old student from Blackburn, said: “I’ve never heard of Blackburn is Open but it sounds like what they should be doing but I don’t understand this leaflet.

“I’ve been to the cathedral but it’s not what I’d want to do in an evening and I doubt it will encourage people to study here.”

But Blackburn with Darwen council is fighting back with Friday Night Live, a new initiative to revive Blackburn’s night life with a variety of music across five venues in the town centre.

Launched last week, organiser Jamie Groves, said that the first week was a huge success.

“It was fantastic. It was great to see Blackburn buzzing again like it was years ago.

“People had travelled to get there too, which was great. I was speaking to people from Chorley and Accrington who had come down especially to see the bands.

“It’s disappointing that students haven’t heard about it, especially because I was under the impression that it had been pretty well advertised within the college.

“It’s been all over facebook and social media and of course, we want as many students as possible to come down and enjoy what’s going on.

“The great thing about Friday Night Live is that it appeals to all ages and there’s something for everybody.”

 

Line up for tonight

The Blackburn Times: James Hirst 8pm. Sweeney Astray 9pm.

Molloy's: Richard Moss 9.30pm. Darrell Smith 11.30pm.

Charles Napier: Exit State 10.30pm. Fantasist 11.30pm.

Blakey's: Dead End Dreams 10pm. Pray For Hayden 11pm

Live Lounge: Bounce Night 11pm until late.