‘Youth clubs, business support and tackling speeding should be priorities for Brierfield’s Pride in Place cash’

What would you do with £1.5m? The people of Pendle have a few ideas.

Brierfield is among a number of smaller towns in the region earmarked for a share of the £1.5m Pride In Place Impact Fund. The government says it wants to support short, community-focused projects to improve high streets, public spaces and community pride.

Jobs, skills and local economies and also on the agenda.

And when the Local Democracy Reporting Service asked the residents of Brierfield how they though the money should be spent, they flagged youth clubs for teenagers with ‘nowhere to go’, grants for new businesses and tackling speeding drivers.

Pendle Council is handling the scheme and dealing with submitted ideas. Some Brierfield ideas so far include improving play equipment at Sackville Street Park, enhance public approaches near the town square, refurbishing Brierfield Town Hall and improving the Community Centre

But MP Jonathan Hinder this week asked the council to pause all Impact Fund decisions, over concerns about the selection process. He wants more time to ensure decisions are in-keeping with government aims.

Speaking in Brierfield, Damian and Danielle Bradley had just visited the Leisure Box gym and sports complex at Northlight, a huge refurbished mill now home to businesses, flats and some leisure spaces. Pendle Council was involved in its £32million regeneration with other partners. But the new Impact Fund’s budget and focus is different.

Damian said: “The Leisure Box is good and run by Burnley FC In The Community. But I think teenagers really need something specifically for them in Brierfield. There’s not really anything for them.

“There was some talk about having a swimming pool at the Leisure Box. But currently, people have to travel to Nelson or Burnley for pools. For teenagers, that’s not so easy. It also means paying bus fares on top of pool admission.”

Danielle said: “A youth club would be good in Brierfield. There used to be youth clubs everywhere but many have disappeared. There have been problems with kids throwing fireworks and misbehaving. One side of the Morrisons Daily shop caught fire with a stray firework. But teenagers really have nowhere to go. Yet in Burnley,  a new youth zone is being developed.”

She added:  “Speeding cars is another issue. There have been loads of accidents along the main road, which goes all the way from Nelson to Burnley. There was a fatal accident a few weeks ago but speeding has been a problem for years. Drivers take part in ‘challenges’. I’d like that tackled.”

Damian added: “Pendle Council does some good things in Brierfield. Northlight Mill is good and I think the council keeps the streets cleaner these days. But Brierfield needs more local businesses. Maybe money could be spend on business skills and training?

“There are lots of takeaways and hair dressers but not much else. We’ve now got a Post Office, which is good. But people often travel to Nelson or Burnley for the bare necessities. Brierfield is small but it would be nice to have a few more things. When I was a kid there were all sorts of shops here. But one issue now is expensive property rent. It’s ridiculously unaffordable.”

‘NORTHLIGHT IS VIBRANT – AND TOWN COULD BE TOO’

Gillian Bailey works at the GiaCom digital technology business in Northlight. She said: “We’ve invested a lot in our base and Northlight is a brilliant, vibrant place almost full of businesses. We have about 200 staff there and 800 nationally.

“If this new funding could improve things further in Brierfield town centre, that’d be great. We’re involved in IT and communications, so maybe some skills or training work as part of this new fund would be good? Also enhancing the town centre, to make it more vibrant and busy.”

‘CAREFUL THOUGHT’

Ajaz Ahmed, a former coach driver and electrician, said: “How this new money is spent needs careful thought – or it could be wasted. They should give grants to help people set up businesses or improve houses. Brierfield is dead because of the high shop rents. But we need to help businesses grow locally, which can employ more people.

“There has already been some work to widen the pavements and narrow the road along the main street, which makes it hard for some big trucks to turn corners. And new paving and grass has been laid outside Brierfield Town Hall. So I’d be wary of spending any new money on those types of things.”

He also said anti-social behaviour and speeding are problems. He said:  “You never see police walking along the street. You might see a police car. We need some sort of youth club because there’s nothing for teenagers, so they hang around the streets.”

‘SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE’

Morag Sinclair said: “They should spend money on Brierfield Library, which everyone would benefit from rather than play areas. Northlight is fantastic and has had lots of cash. Money has also been spent on new paving and grass near the library. But I’m not sure about spending cash on

Brierfield Town Hall. It seems empty most of the time, apart from a few meetings for town councillors and business men.

“But they definitely need to crack-down on speeding cars. And fly-tipping is horrendous.”

‘PLACES TO MEET’

James Hartley, from Colne, works at the Finishing Touches flooring business. He said: “There’s a good business community here and people look after each other. There are quite a few hardware, DIY and trade suppliers. But Brierfield could do with some cafes or places for people to meet. A bakery or sandwich shop. Places to sit down. Not more takeaways.

“But we don’t want any more roadworks or pavement digging. We’ve already had roadworks to lay pipes all the way from Burnley to Nelson, which caused traffic jams. And there’s currently digging work for the gas.”