AN award-winning interior designer insists there is room for his store in Blackburn - despite admitt-ing business has been poor.

East Lancashire's 'king of wallpaper' John Wilman said that only three people a day were going into Pavilion Interiors, Church Street, after it opened 11 weeks ago.

Among the items for sale are Aga cookers, which cost thousands of pounds, but only one has been sold, prompting fears that the high-class store is out of touch with the town centre.

The shop is one of three occupying the council's flagship Pavilions buildings, restored at a cost of £1.3million in 2004.

Mr Wilman, behind the Coloroll wallpaper brand in the 1980s and 1990s, insisted there was a place for the store in the town.

He claimed parking problems and building work were also hitting trade, and has recently hit out at gangs of so-called "emos" and "goths" who he said were putting off customers.

He said: "I argued bitterly with my friends that Blackburn was going to develop into a good place.

"The will is definitely there, they are trying to improve it.

"But even delivering goods back and forwards here is difficult."

Mr Wilman's business partner and ex-wife Helen Wilman said the intention was to remain in the town but said: "People do tend to make return visits, but it's not steady. You just can't predict it."

The other strands to the busin-ess, interior design consulting and wallpaper retailing, were going well, she said.

Hairdresser Jeff Stone, who runs a shop in Fleming Square, said: "I wish him well, but he is surrou-nded by pound shops, and that is the demographic of the town."

The three Grade II-listed pavili-ons stood derelict for more than 20 years before being done up. The others are occupied by Alan Rene Hair and Beauty Salon and Cafe Beees. Council bosses have refused reveal whether all the stores are currently paying a reduced rate.

Andrew Lightfoot, executive director of regeneration, said: "These matters are commercially sensitive."

Phil Ainsworth, chairman of the town centre marketing committee, said: "It would be interesting to know, because we are all trying to work on a level playing field."