A BLACKBURN businessman claims he is being driven out of the town because the council has failed to find him new town centre premises.

Owners at Pound Craze based in Lord Square have until July 15 to find new premises so the area can be redeveloped. The Lord Square redevelopment has already seen other businesses in the area either re-locate or shut up shop.

When the plans were announced last October senior council officers promised to work with traders to try and find them new units.

But according to Gyasuddin Patel, Pound Craze manager, the help has not been good enough. He said: "We are all in favour of the redevelopment because it is very good for the town centre.

"However, when the plans were put before us we were told we would get assistance in finding new suitable premises. While the new landlords of the town centre have been helpful, the council has failed to live up to its promises.

"We are being told over and over again certain shops are not available. What can we do as a business if we don't know what the future holds for the store?"

Mr Patel says he has handed in a petition with 3,000 signatures from customers who want his business to remain in the vicinity of the town centre. Pound Craze has been in Lord Square for four years. "Our customers have been very supportive and we have people coming from around the region. We don't want to move to another town but we seem to be running out of options."

Council chiefs said they were looking for new premises for Pound Craze, but admitted they did not want a discount store located in a "high-quality" development. Adam Scott, director of regeneration at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "It is hoped that the Waterloo Pavilions development will come to form the hub of future high-quality retail investment in the area, leading to the continuing regeneration of Blackburn town centre and the council feels that this kind of discount retail outlet would be out of place here.

"We do however, welcome the input this business has put into the town centre and will be working closely with the owner to find more suitable alternative premises."