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THE OPENING OF the Burghley Centre in 1989 created a great deal of controversy in Bourne because the £1½ million project involved the demolition of historic buildings on the east side of North Street, notably a chemist's shop that had an original Victorian shop front.
At the rear, the cattle market had been disused and derelict for some years and the pens and sale offices provided much of the space needed for the development between North Street and Meadowgate which included a mall with 14 retail units, Budgens' supermarket and a car park with 170 spaces.
The owners originally had great difficulty in letting some of the shops but all are now occupied and trading successfully and the centre has since become an integral part of the town but many regret that council planners at the time did not insist on the outside walls of the development being finished in red instead of yellow bricks to blend with other old buildings that are part of the heritage of Bourne.
Seats originally lined the walkway through the centre, pictured below, but these began to attract vandals at nights and weekends and so they were removed by the owners, much to the dismay of old people who rested here during shopping trips. Some shopkeepers recognised the need for the seats and portable units are now brought out by them in the mornings and removed in the evenings but the original idea of permanent seating has been lost because of anti-social conduct by young people.
Unfortunately, Budgens' supermarket closed in April 2008 and the property has
been standing empty ever since but traders are anxious that a new tenant be
found soon because the effect on business at nearby shops is now becoming
noticeable.
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