Your views and Facebook comments

NEW image of pedestrian-friendly public realm scheme released. It shows al-fresco dining, coffee vendors and flower beds at Bacup’s St James Square (website) Michaela Howard Holt: It’s time Bacup sat up and was noticed for the town it is. Yes, it may have its troubles, but so does every town in Rossendale, every town in Lancashire and every town in Britain. What Bacup has is a unique blend of folk, most with a pride in their town. Much has been invested in other towns throughout the valley and Bacup has been “lost”. Now its our time. Stop the slating, stand up for the town you live in cos it has an awful lot to give back. You just need to open your eyes......

Ruth Smith: Well it looks nice on this picture but Bacup is not that roomy, it would be squashed up into the space we really have. Nice in principle but it’s never going to work with the traffic and parking. David Greenwood: Bacup’s been on life support for decades, sad but true. It’s now in a persistent vegetative state caused by alcohol and hard drugs.

John Walker: How come there is always lots of money for hair brained schemes like this when all our services are falling apart, the roads are an absolute disgrace, every drain in Rossendale is slowly silting up [which will result in further flooding] through lack of maintenance, public facilities are being closed etc. These people don’t have to live with the total chaos they inflict on us because they

don’t live in the areas they destroy.

Janine Williams: Would be a lovely idea but that is just a dream. I don’t think it would go ahead, too much other troubles to sort out first x

Sarah Bell: I like it. Especially if like in the picture they do the old Woolworth building up etc. But I agree with someone else’s comment. The drains are clogging up.

You only have to look at the drains on Hall Carr Road its just dirt to the grid that’s why it floods at the bottom. And behind Tesco. The roads are a disgrace.

Beverley Fletcher: Wow, what a negative bunch you lot are! Why’s it such a bad thing that the town is being done up, have some local pride. Amanda Jane Hewlett: Well said xx Steve Bottomley:

Cuckoo... Cuckoo... Al fresco dining? Coffee vendors? This is Bacup... Not Venice. Jack Eastwood: It’s a lottery funded scheme called the Town Heritage Initiative, you can’t just spend on what you want! Nigel Scholes Harper: Need to get all the empty shops up and running. Stephen Wilson-Hey

wood: I think it’s what Bacup needs to move ahead with the times but for it to work, it needs big retailers to move into the old Woolworths building and next door. The old Barclays Bank would be great for Costa Coffee. Every time I see this place it makes me sad. Janine Williams: Would be a lovely idea but that is just a dream. I don’t think it would go ahead, too much other troubles to sort out first x

Sarah Bell: I like it.