THE new boss of Blackburn’s Business Improvement District (BID) has revealed ambitious plans to light up the town centre next Christmas.

Harriet Roberts has just been appointed manager of the BID, a scheme approved last year which will raise £1.5 million over five years from a levy on traders.

The 46-year-old has already outlined plans for two major festivals in Blackburn next year to bring thousands of visitors to the town centre.

She also revealed BID’s ambition for 2016 was to take over the Christmas lights switch-on from the council and ‘light up’ key heritage buildings.

Already, BID has paid for five new security cameras and two new police community support officers.

BID also plans to repeat the successful Blackburn Heritage Festival in September and run a second major event, Countryside Comes to Town, on Saturday, June 20.

Former BBC event organiser and Child Action North-West fundraiser Mrs Roberts from Clitheroe revealed BID had ambitious plans to put before Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council.

She said: “Subject to approval, we would like to take over the Christmas lights switch-on and other major events around that time in the town centre, including the Lantern Parade. We want to light up some of the beautiful key heritage buildings in the town centre like they do in Lancaster and Leeds. They would include the town hall, the refurbished central library, Blackburn Cathedral and Blackburn College’s Victoria Building.

“They are amazing and historic pieces of Victorian architecture which deserve to be shown off properly.

“We also want to run a flower festival with the cathedral in June 2016.

“In addition we are looking at employing town centre wardens to make the area feel safe and welcoming.

“They would help keep areas like Church Street and Northgate clean and tidy, provided an added feeling of security and act as guides to welcome people to the town centre.”

BID deputy chairman and general manager of The Mall shopping centre, Loraine Jones said: “There is so much we can do with the help from traders and the council.

“We have some really exciting ideas.”

The ‘Countryside Comes to Town’ festival will feature a pop-up petting farm on King William Street, Shaun the Sheep, maypole dancing, and a bee parade.

CBeebies children’s television star, Mr Bloom will appear.

September will see the return of the Blackburn Heritage Festival. This year’s history-themed weekend had more than 100 activities over two days.

Blackburn with Darwen borough regeneration boss Maureen Bateson said the council would look “sympathetically” at the proposals.“I am a member of the BID and the council will consider sympathetically and proposals it has to help boost Blackburn town centre.”