It's not rocket science, you only have to look at the towns that are dying as opposed to those that are doing just fine.
The death knell is over-modernisation....all the towns that are dead or dying have :-
a) built twisty-winding multi-storey car parks
b) filled the town centres with concrete/brick monstrosities
c) placed maze like one way systems
d) pedestrianised the main high street
e) a ring road that pushes casual shoppers away from the centre of town
Accrington has 4 of the above plus a vagabond problem caused by a very silly, apparently untouchable fruitcake ex-nun. Nothing short of a few bulldozers and a massive influx of cash will save this town, except perhaps for a stray meteor or two.
