The structure, which would not actually connect to anything, is being described as a “heritage feature for the social media age” and a bold new attraction designed to celebrate the town’s recent past while giving visitors “something iconic to walk up and point at”.
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Early proposals suggest the new spiral would stand in the middle of Cathedral Square as a free-to-use public landmark, complete with viewing platform, built-in lighting and a plaque explaining its cultural importance to generations of Blackburn shoppers.
A source familiar with the plans said the idea is to create “a place where people can meet, take photos, walk round for no real reason, and say ‘shall we meet by the Spiral?’ again”.
The source added: “People do not always want attractions that are practical. Sometimes they just want something that feels like Blackburn.”
Among the features reportedly being considered are a clockwise walking lane, a slower outside lane for people who stop halfway up for a chat, and a “nostalgia mode” sound system playing distant market ambience and the faint echo of somebody shouting that the bus is in five minutes.
Town planners are also said to be considering timed evening illuminations, seasonal decorations, and a small sign at the bottom confirming that, no, it does not lead to The Mall.
One insider claimed the design team had been told the new structure must be “instantly recognisable, slightly confusing, and impossible for Blackburn people not to have an opinion about”.
The plans have not yet been formally announced, but there are already calls for the attraction to include a bench halfway up, a selfie point at the top, and clear rules banning anyone from racing down it like they did in the old days.
