Enjoy your visit to Blackburn. Discover the Cathedral Quarter, shop in Blackburn Market, find big brand stores in The Mall shopping centre and our range of amazing independent retailers and businesses. Enjoy multi-screen cinema, concerts and shows at King George’s Hall, fabulous sports and leisure and there is more to come too.
Download the free Experience Blackburn App now for more information about Blackburn town centre.
What's On
You can always find the latest What’s On guide for the week ahead here. If you want to find out more about visiting Blackburn, then head over to Visit Blackburn
From Broadway to Blackburn: Christmas 2023
A show-stopping, foot-tapping musicals extravaganza is on the programme for this year’s Blackburn town centre Christmas lights switch on!
Links
We work with lots of great partners in the town centre, including King George’s Hall, Blackburn College, Blackburn Market, The Mall. Here are some quick links.
Cathedral Quarter
The Cathedral Quarter is Blackburn’s first Grade A, BREEAM Excellent 6-storey office and Premier Inn in the town centre.
The buildings incorporate a modern urban design to provide the highest quality of accommodation in the town centre.
The regeneration has also provided public and private open space in and around the buildings and Cathedral, and a bus interchange in front of the Railway Station providing drop-off/pick-up facility.
Shopping in Blackburn
The Mall Shopping Centre
The Mall Blackburn offers a long list of high street brands as well as some unique independent stores. The recently opened £66 million extension has added leading retailers such as Primark and H&M to the mix. Visit the Website
Independent Shops
Step outside The Mall shopping centre and discover all Blackburn has to offer. The independent shops offer a variety of specialist products in areas such as Fleming Square, Northgate, King William Street, Town Hall Street and Darwen Street.
Townsmoor
The Townsmoor area of the town hosts a wide range of retailers, restaurants and leisure opportunities. Large retailers including Next, Boots, TK Maxx and Matalan are all based in this area with large easily accessible free parking.
Blackburn Market
Blackburn’s award-winning Market is at the heart of Blackburn Town Centre in The Mall Shopping Centre. Offering traditional values but within a modern, new, bright environment. From fresh, locally sourced food, to the latest technology. You will soon find out that whatever you want; you can get it on Blackburn Market.
Leisure in Blackburn
Blackburn has a host of restaurants along with a range of leisure and entertainment venues.
The state-of-the-art 10 screen Vue cinema is situated close to the train station, making seeing the latest films easier than ever.
There is also a state-of-the-art Reel Cinema on Nab Lane near to Blackburn College. The cinema boasts 5 Premiere Lounge screens featuring large leather seats, as well as 2 Reel Lounges equipped with plush sofas and extra legroom for the ultimate film experience.
TenPin bowling is home to all-week bowling, pool and arcade games with great food choices too.
Blackburn also boasts its own Ice Arena, Planet Ice, which is home to the Blackburn Hawks, the town’s very own ice hockey team. They have regular public skating sessions and people travel from all over the region to enjoy the facilities.
There is also a wide variety of places to dine, including Nandos, Jimmy’s Killer Prawns, Pizza Hut and Turtle Bay.
King George’s Hall consists of three venues offering everything from pop concerts to pantomime.
Visitors can also enjoy the Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery and tours of Blackburn Cathedral.
Blackburn College
Blackburn College is the largest college with a university centre in England attracting over 3,000 Higher Education students. Over £65 million has been invested in the unique, state of the art town centre campus, developed collaboratively with employers and stakeholders to future proof the curriculum.
Blackburn Youth Zone
Blackburn Youth Zone, a state of the art youth club facility located at the heart of Blackburn. The centre for young people aged 8 to 18 years old is a 21st century youth hub aiming to irrevocably change the prospects offered to young people in the area.
Blakey Moor Townscape Heritage Project
Artists’ impression of Northgate as part of the Blakey Moor Townscape Heritage Project
The Blakey Moor Townscape Heritage Project is an ambitious £3 million project to transform the historic heart of Blackburn. A joint investment by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund, the project will be delivered over the next 2-3 years.
The Project is focused on the Northgate Conservation Area in Blackburn town centre and includes properties on Blakey Moor, Northgate and Lord Street West.
The Project is working on restoring and refurbishing historic buildings, improving public spaces and providing local people with opportunities for training in traditional building skills.
A programme of complementary events and activities will take place alongside the building work and the area’s rich history and heritage will be used to strengthen its unique identity, attract visitors and promote opportunities in the area.
