Hurstwood to turn Heritage Arcade into leisure complex

Developer the Hurstwood Group is to turn a Rawtenstall Victorian shopping arcade which was destroyed by fire into a restaurant and bar area.

The interior of the 17,000 sq ft Heritage Arcade on Bacup Road, which provided the backdrop for the hit British film Girl's Night Out, is being stripped out so that Hurstwood can start the redevelopment work.

The building was almost destroyed by fire in 1998, causing £2m worth of damage. Four years later Hurstwood acquired it, just days after the previous owners went into receivership.

But in May 2007 Hurstwood secured council approval for bars and restaurants, and is now working on making the building suitable so that someone will take up the planning permission.