A NEW supermarket in Darwen will ‘kill’ the town’s market, according to traders.

Stall holders are preparing a protest against plans to build a food store on the Lucite site in Duckworth Street, as part of an £18million investment by the acrylics firm into its research and development facility.

Three day market representative Brenda Cronshaw said: “I represent 25 traders and speak to dozens of members of the public every day, and nobody wants a new supermarket.

“We already have five, so why do we want another? If this goes ahead in Darwen, it will kill the market and town centre.

“Just look at the effect building a big Asda has had on Rawtenstall – we don’t want that to be repeated.

“This town has shown a lot of loyalty to Lucite, and now it’s time that loyalty is repaid by giving the town something that we actually need.”

She added: “The market is more than just shopping, it’s about community and socialising. We share people’s highs and lows, but the big boys are only interested in money.”

Carlo Ricioppo, owner of Deli Carlo in Darwen Market Hall and former market rep, said: “We don’t want to see another supermarket. We haven’t got the footfall in the town centre to support that and the other shops.

“We’ve already lost some shops in the town centre, and now HSBC is closing and moving to Blackburn.

“But Blackburn with Darwen Council don’t seem to care. It all seems cut and dried.”

Sudell councillor Roy Davies has echoed the trader’s thoughts, saying: “I think we have enough supermarkets”.

Lucite has said that it would use the income generated from leasing the supermarket to pay for the new research and development buildings.

If the plans are approved by Blackburn with Darwen Council, work should begin in June or July of next year, and up to 200 new jobs could be created at the store.