Living And Working In Blackburn

Blackburn is a town in Lancashire which is situated in north west England, approximately twenty seven miles from Manchester and only ten miles from Burnley. Blackburn is on the edge of the beautiful Ribble Valley and close to the West Pennine Moors which spans for ninety square miles of moorlands and reservoirs and is a site of special scientific interest. The town is around two hundred and thirty miles from London and the nearest major airport is Manchester Airport.

The town of Blackburn has a rich and interesting history that goes back over a thousand years. Roman coins and parts of Roman roads have been found in the region and the town was later mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was just a small town with agricultural and textile industries. It was during the Industrial Revolution however, that Blackburn began to experience rapid growth. The textile industry, especially cotton weaving, flourished and the town became one of the most important cotton weaving towns in the world as textile technologies such as the Spinning Jenny, transformed Blackburn and caused the town’s population to grow.

Blackburn has a diverse economy.

The town has long been a manufacturing hub and this sector remains crucial to the economy. The town specialises in advanced manufacturing and retains a relatively high proportion of its workforce in this area. The town is home to several firms involved in advanced machinery, tools and engineering.

The public sector is a prominent employer in Blackburn, including healthcare, education and local government roles. East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust operates Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital which serves a major healthcare provider for Blackburn and the surrounding areas.

Blackburn has a growing professional services sector with firms offering legal, financial and consultancy services. These businesses cater to both local clients and companies across the north west region.

The town has a growing construction sector driven by regional development, urban regeneration projects and infrastructure improvements. The production of building materials and the growing number of contractors in civil engineering and construction contribute to this sector.

Blackburn is strategically located close to the M65 motorway, making it an important location for logistics and distribution. Warehousing, transportation and distribution centres support the flow of goods, particularly for retail and ecommerce, making logistics one of the town’s growth areas.

There is an increasing presence of tech startups  and digital firms in Blackburn, ranging from software development and digital marketing to IT services supporting local businesses and the rise in digital infrastructure in Blackburn is attracting entrepreneurs.

Although Blackburn does not have a university, the University Centre at Blackburn College has many programmes, offering higher education courses and degrees in partnership with various universities. Blackburn College is one of the largest further education colleges in Pennine Lancashire and one of the largest providers of higher education for a college in England.

Blackburn has a thriving cultural scene with several arts centres within easy reach and while tourism is not a dominant sector, the town has been investing in tourism through its cultural and historic attractions such as the stunning Blackburn Cathedral. Situated in the town centre, it is one of England’s newest cathedrals yet one of the oldest places of Christian worship. The Museum and Art Gallery is one of Blackburn’s most significant cultural institutions and the grand King George’s Hall has been a historic concert hall and entertainment venue since 1921. Of course, there is no better way to discover a place than a tour and you can discover Blackburn’s heritage at your own pace by a self guided Heritage Town Trail.

There are numerous green spaces, nature reserves and parks in and around Blackburn which includes Turton and Entwistle Reservoir, the scenic Corporation Park, Witton Country Park with its 480 acres of countryside, including picnic spots, walks and nature trails, play park and visitor centre.

The town centre has been undergoing redevelopment which has revitalised the town’s retail sector. Blackburn has a great selection of shops and stores with everything from high street names to independent shops and the contemporary market which is located on the ground floor of the Mall Shopping Centre sells traditional market wares. The town is also a wholesale distribution hub for the surrounding region, benefitting from its proximity to key transport routes.

The town of Blackburn is surrounded by some beautiful countryside which includes the magnificent Forest of Bowland, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, consisting of fells, valleys and moorland.

The next event being hosted by the UK Careers Fair will be held on October 17th between 10am - 2pm. The venue is Ewood Park, BB2 4JF. This football stadium is home to Blackburn Rovers F.C., founding members of the Football League and Premier League, who have played here since 1890.