Blackburn Cathedral
BLACKBURN Cathedral is to become East Lancashire’s main coronavirus mass vaccination hub. NHS and Church of England bosses hope it will open on Monday January 18 subject to the supply of the vaccine. The innoculations will take place in the crypt, currently an event space and formerly home to a cafe. The Dean of Blackburn Peter Howell Jones said: “I am over the moon. It is a joy to see the cathedral at the heart of Blackburn community life.” Cllr Damian Talbot, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s health boss, said: “I am delighted. It will be the main mass vaccination centre for Pennine Lancashire. It is ideal, centrally located, visible and accessible.”
The owners in Hardman Street, Blackburn, have declined council offers to buy. Now town hall bosses will move to make compulsory purchase orders so the building of 151 new homes can go ahead as planned although the process can be long and costly. Blackburn with Darwen Council s Executive Board has been asked to authorise the move on Thursday night so phase two of the Griffin regeneration scheme can go ahead. Conservative group regeneration spokesman Cllr Paul Marrow said: If it needs to be done it needs to be done. But this is a last resort at a very late stage. This should have been sorted before now.