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Blackburn

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Blackburn [1] (population 140,000) is town in Lancashire in North West England.

[edit] Understand

Although the town has some attractive public buildings and parks, it is mostly known for its contribution to the cotton weaving industry and for its successful premiership soccer team, Blackburn Rovers. Due to the town's association with cotton, it was a natural choice for early immigrants from cotton producing countries, such as Pakistan and India, to settle. Consequently, Blackburn is a great place to sample South Asian cuisine. After years of industrial decline, the town is undergoing a 'quiet' renaissance with fast rising property prices. The name Blackburn is derived from the river Blakewater, which runs through the center of town. Famous visitors to Blackburn include Condoleezza Rice HM Queen Elizabeth 2 and Ghandi.

[edit] Get in

[edit] Get around

[edit][add listing] See

  • Blackburn Museum Art Gallery and Lewis Textile Museum, Museum Street. Tel:667130
  • Witton Country Park and Visitor Centre, off Preston Old Road
  • Blackburn's Gothic style 19th century cathedral in the centre of town. [2]

[edit][add listing] Do

[edit] Theatre

  • King George's Hall

[edit][add listing] Buy

  • Blackburn boasts one of the largest markets under one roof in the country - a great place to pick up textiles.[3]

[edit][add listing] Eat

Blackburn has the usual run of places to eat at a budget level - McD, Pizza Express, Chiquito , Wetherspoon etc. The town centre also has a large number of takeaways and restaurants - many being curry houses and kebab shops. The quality of these changes quite rapidly so this is a quick list of a few good cheap to mid level places NOW (Sep 09:

Curry - Shahi Qila, just outside the town centre but worth the 5 minute walk. Chinese - Chinese Buffet in a converted pub by the side of the Town Hall. Italian - La Mama - out towards the Ice Rink. Asian Cafe - Sahara on Darwen Street. Tea and butties (sandwiches)/ pies / chips - any of the cafes in the Market Hall. Coffee - Exchange Coffee House off Fleming Square. Light meals / paninis etc - Rhubarb Cafe - in the Blackburn Visitor centre on Church Street and Cafe Beez on Church Street.

Upmarket is a bit harder and there isn't really much in the centre. Locally try:

Stanley House - Blackburn side of Mellor village 5 minutes drive away - boutique hotel and expensive retaurant. The food is good, the value is more questionable and the decor is over the top. Millstone - centre of Mellor. Country pub and hotel. Comfortable place with good food, good portions and an OK quality/ value mix. Clog and Billycock - Pleasington village on the outskirts of the town. Self consciously 'country pub' GastroPub from a group with 2 other similar ventures. Good food and reasonable quality / value mix.

The Market Hall (especially on the full market days - 3 days a week) is a good source for some excellent local food - Black Pudding, cheeses, breads, curries, fruit and veg. Some of the cafes do seriously good value meals as well although it probably isn't the venue for a romantic lunch for two.

[edit][add listing] Drink

[edit][add listing] Sleep

  • Old Dads Barn, Mellor Lane, Mellor.Tel:812434
  • Keepers Cottage, Northcote Road, Old Langho. Tel:247200
  • Mercure Dunkenhalgh (in Clayton-le-Moors near Accrington) - Possibly the most expensive hotel in Blackburn and the surrounding area, it was once a grand manor house. The hotel building is 700 years old and is surrounded with acres of countryside.

[edit] Stay Safe

Like several towns in the North West, Blackburn in recent years has seen an increasing phenomenon of racial separation between Whites and Muslim Asians in certain areas of the town. Although, it successfully avoided the riots that plagued neighbouring towns such as Burnley and Oldham. Whilst the majority of people in Blackburn are perfectly decent and tolerant, unfortunately there are still significant numbers of racists and bigots amongst both the White and Asian communities, who are more than willing to make life difficult for people they dislike.

[edit] Get out

[edit] Contact

The area code for Blackburn is 01254.

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