Once a centre for Lancashire’s thriving cotton industry, Burnley is still littered with remnants of its industrial past with property ranging from converted mills and weaving sheds to intact workers’ cottages. Equally however, there’s a huge amount of development and regeneration.
Burnley town centre is currently undergoing a £3 million refurbishment programme. New trees, improved paving and street furniture, and a revised ‘town square’ all form part of this scheme. Weavers’ Triangle, an area formerly dedicated to cotton production, has also been transformed thanks to a £60 million programme.
Burnley sits on the doorstep of some of the most stunning countryside in the north of England. Moorland, open fields and hills surround the town to the south and east, while to the north lies the Forest of Bowland (an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
Transport and travel
Rural Burnley doesn’t suffer from poor commuter routes. It has a total of four main train stations and in 2015, Burnley was given a new lease of life thanks to the re-opening of a direct rail route to Manchester and commuters can now reach the city in 50 minutes from Burnley Manchester Road.
The town has excellent road links. It’s served by Junctions 9, 10 and 22 of the M65, and from the town centre locals can hop onto the A646, A679, A671 and the A682. The A56 also clips the western edge of the town and provides access to the M66.
Manchester Airport, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Leeds Bradford Airport and Blackpool Airport are all within an hour’s drive of Burnley. Burnley residents have their pick of international and domestic destinations.
Employment
Burnley is home to a strong manufacturing base – who make parts that power the world’s largest aeroplanes (SAFRAN Nacelles) and the world’s fastest cars (ZF TRW, BCW); make world-class cask ales (Moorhouse’s) and the world’s best digital audio mixing desks (AMS Neve).
Burnley business LITE is the county’s tallest building; British Velvets (one of the world’s last remaining velvet manufacturers) decorated Her Majesty the Queen’s Royal Barge for the Queens Jubilee year and Balmers look after the greens at The Open.
With huge infrastructure developments underway this area is one of the best places in the Northwest for businesses to relocate to, which is why aerospace giant KAMAN is locating here, and why those who are based in Burnley, like VEKA Plc, are investing and becoming amongst the best at what they do on the national and international stage.
Since 2017 Burnley has provided the distribution hub for Boohoo and the company's associated brands. With a warehouses totaling 1.045m sq ft. in excess of 1,500 permanent workers are employed in various warehouse and logistic roles.
Burnley offers over 100 acres of prime development opportunity. Development is being driven forward to attract new investment by huge infrastructure projects supporting new businesses.
Education
£350 million has been invested in leading edge facilities, since 2010 every secondary school pupil attends a new school building, and Burnley College and the University of Central Lancashire have co-located to a state of the art campus.
ROI
Burnley is the latest hot spot for landlords with one of the highest annual rental yield in the UK at 7.1% which compares with a nationwide average yield of 3.6%.
A study revealed house price values in Burnley at £76,300 and annual rents of £5,388, landlords in the area are able to leverage from a better return on their property investment than other part of the UK.
Between 2009 and 2016 the number of people employed in Burnley increased by 18.8%. This is compared to 7.6% in the North West and 9.9% throughout Great Britain over the same period.
Burnley has over 1.5 times the average number of people employed in the Advanced Manufacturing and Aerospace industries than the Great Britain average whilst Pennine Lancashire (Burnley, Pendle, Blackburn with Darwen, Hyndburn, Ribble Valley, Rossendale) has over twice the average number.
Burnley offers very attractive property prices and has ongoing redevelopment plans. It has great links to Manchester of within an hour and is of close proximity to national parks.
Burnley was identified as one of the best towns in the North West for business growth.
Things to do
On the top of Crown Point on Crown Point Road you’ll find the Singing Ringing Tree, a sculpture made of metal pipes that makes a noise when the wind blows. Walk up to see this unique work of art and to get panoramic views of east Lancashire.
Jacobean house, Gawthorpe Hall in Padiham was built between 1600 and 1605 and still retains some of its original 17th-century plasterwork. The National Portrait Gallery has also loaned the hall some paintings, a firm favourite with residents of Burnley.
Also at Gawthorpe is the Textiles Collection. Here you can see historic and contemporary lace, quilts, costume and embroidery, as well as textile pieces collected from around the world.
Natural history, local history, textiles and decorative art can all be found at Towneley Hall Art Gallery and Museum. Visit a traditional Victorian kitchen and 16th-century bedrooms.
Burnley Literary Festival is 4 days of fantastic literary themed sessions at a range of venues across Burnley town centre. From books to broadcasts, comics to characters, movies to monologues, poetry to podcasts, storytelling to street theatre, and writers to workshops… there’s something for everyone.
The woodland in the historic parkland is also worth exploring, particularly in spring when the bluebells flower.
The story of the town’s historical trade in cotton is told at the Weavers’ Triangle Visitor Centre. As well as learning about how cotton was made, it offers an example of a traditional Victorian parlour and weaver’s house.
Head to the Grade II-listed building of the Burnley Mechanics theatre for entertainment. Acts include folk, jazz and blues music as well as drama and comedy. The venue also has two bars, a bistro and a basement studio.
Shopping
High-street favourites can be found in the undercover Charter Walk Shopping Centre in Market Square.
The market has traders selling beauty treatments, fashion and lots of food – try Jerky’s Caribbean Kitchen for some authentic jerk chicken.
Mainstream and independent shops also line roads such as St James Street which is also the go-to place if you’re looking for a take-away.
Outdoors
Plenty of walking, cycling and riding trails surround the town, including major routes such as the Pennine Way. This track traces the craggy spine of England over 270 miles of empty countryside.
Walkers can also hike along the nearby Bronte Way and the Burnley Way.
Uninterrupted views can be had at the top of Pendle Hill in the Forest of Bowland. The hill was once home to the Pendle Witches in the 17th century, but it’s now a favourite spot among hang-gliders and para-gliders.
Green spaces at Burnley include Thompson Park, a formal Edwardian park with a boating lake, Italian gardens and a playground.
Food and drink
Residents and visitors can sample a local pint or two at Moorhouse’s Brewery. It was founded in the 19th century and now offers tours. The Pendle Witches Brew and Blond Witch are highly recommended.
Enjoy a ‘proper cup of coffee’ at Rhode Island Coffee. This café also serves generous portions of homemade cake as well as paninis and sandwiches.
For something stronger, pay a visit to the bar lluminati. Choose from an extensive cocktail menu that includes intricate drinks such as ‘Sticky Toffee Pudding’ and ‘Crème Egg’ or book a place on one of its cocktail masterclasses.
Real ales and an open fire can be found at The Fence Gate, an 18th-century inn. Their wide menu includes classics as well as more unusual choices, such as katsu curry.
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