SHOPPING centre bosses believe they are just days away from signing deals for two new department stores.

Management at Blackburn Shopping Centre said they currently had three offers for the two biggest units in their planned revamp of Lord Square.

And they hope to get firm commitments for the 32,000 sq ft and 20,000 sq ft stores signed within the next few days.

London-based Reit Asset Management, which bought Blackburn Shopping Centre from Standard Life last year, secured planning permission for the £15million project in January.

They will replace the current rundown 1960s square with a three-storey building which, council bosses say, should complement the new-look Pavilions building on the other side of Church Street to the shopping centre.

Arnold Wilcox-Wood, manager of the shopping centre, said: "We have had discussions with 12 retailers and had three definite offers for the two biggest units.

"But until anything is signed, nothing is confirmed. We hope that will happen within the next few days."

The revamp of Lord Square was announced two years after the Lancashire Evening Telegraph began campaigning for action.