[Leon Kelly]

Hi There, I thought that i would come on here and answer a few negative comments and just clear a few shall we say incorrect statements that are being made.

The story in the telegraph came about after Emma the reporter contacted me after she had been advised i had been asked to attend the Accrington Regeneration Board, The Board sits 4 times a year and its main aspects are to plan the next 10 years progression and direction for Accrington, The Nightlife sector is only one of a number of issues that are discussed at this meeting, Other proposals about the new location of the bus station, Tescos, flood risks etc are covered, I am telling you this just so people dont home in on one part of the story when the actually Board covers a lot of issues relating to the future of the town.

Prior to the meeting, a year ago i was asked to gather the licensees of the town centre venues and work together to change the stigma that Accrington seems to have not just o day time trade but night time, At that meeting the town centre manager at that time stated that they had 50k to spend on improving facilities and doing something to help the night time economy, Sadly as much as i tried and tried when people left the meetings having agreed to things, as always people start refusing to do their bit and the whole this fell apart.

It was at this time that i thought well ill have to do it the hard way and prove the town isnt that bad that also that if i can change peoples perceptions maybe its a longer process round however the benefits would reward to the towns economy.

I changed my club to glass free, and served Plastic Bottles and Glasses, this was done as i felt the goverment would go this was eventually and that for the extra cost that is required when purchasing plastic it was a way forward, at no point may i add have we ever had a glassing incident prior to me introducing this glass free policy, this is also backed up with Lancashire police, Also myself and my staff attended several courses to educate us further and also worked on wht we felt were key problem areas for the town image.

In March 2011 we were awarded safest club in Lancashire of the police from a nomination given by then licencing officer Les Sholicker, and this is what started the ball rolling with Accrington Regeneration Board.

I apologises for the long windedness of getting to this point, however i think that sometimes people are quick to pick the obvious and ridicule when the fact of the matter is that yes i d have a buisness in the town and that makes me more pro active as i would rather work for the town then against, Plus at present i have 12 full time staff who if things didnt work out would have to claim job seekers allowance and as i have heard in the post above why should we pay for this its goverment money, would people prefer for us to make 12 people unemployed and ask them to claim off the state.

I was asked to go onto this board due to the events and also my knowledge in the field, However the point i made was this and i was commended at the meeting by deputy leader Clare pritchard and leader Miles Parkingson for addressing points that were off general issue and also for the good of the town.

For example, The German Market that brings huge trade into towns that it attends, turned accrington down because it felt that the location wouldnt work, even by shutting off blackburn road outside the calder, they decided that it wouldnt not be beneficial as accrington didnt have a designated square, At the meeting on Thursday i was sat awaiting my turn to speak and this was brought up that should they shut the town hall road off and make a cobbled road or shall they spend a fortune on putting gardens around the tesco roundabout.

I stated at this point that the state of Church Street was were the money needed spending, bear in mind my buisness is on warner street, Barnes Furniture store is falling to bits and is borded up, all the take aways bar 2 have smashed windows, the empty buildings have posters and smashed windows all over them, and if some investment and care was taken to church street if it was transformed by the accrington pals memorial and the church was lit up, then the German Market would attend and that would bring thousands to the day time market traders, then in order so the work is not wasted we suggested a site share with cafes and bars during the day, and then late night early entertainment.

And that was the plan, the money is going to be spent as the council does not want to have money left over as it is taken off the following years budget as the goverment assumes they dont need it.

So my point is Why not ?? why not seek to use that money to smarten the town up, and use the road to utilise all buisnesses day and night, we were looking to use a long standing structure during the summer months similar to a marquee but it could be multi used.

I know this post is long winded, however i am Blackburn born and bred and i live in Blackburn but have a buisness in Accrington and i care for the town and also the future of it, thursday night i went to that meeting at my own expense and since then i have been asked to arrange the xmas lights event, as no cost to the council as i felt that i could save the town some money that has been wasted on previous years.

Please do not dis credit me for being pro active and caring for my buisness and the town