IT'S a long number of years since the centre of Blackburn looked like this - re-development in the sixties was to sweep away the majority of these buildings.

Only the art deco building housing Woolworth's store, whose windows are stacked high, would be saved from the wrecker's ball.

Older readers will recognise the scene as the bottom of Ainsworth Street, just as it merged into Salford - the Thwaites' house Bay horse Hotel stood on the cobbled junction.

This was the bus stop - the earlier tram stop - for passengers to Wilpshire and one of the stationary buses on the right, is heading there, with the other operating on the Brownhill service.

We think the small street to the right, with its large advertising hoardings and small shops, was Holme Street.

The Cinema Royal, with its white tiling facia, had started out as the Theatre Royal, which had been completely rebuilt in 1886 and then renovated again around 1909.

It continued with variety until it was converted into a cinema in 1931 and then modernised within the building's original shell six years later.

It closed in 1967 and was demolished to make way for Blackburn's modern shopping centre - so we reckon this image is dated around 1960.