DERELICT shops branded “an eyesore” will finally be torn down on Monday.

The Bolton News reported in March how neighbours, businesses and councillors in Astley Bridge had called for supermarket giant Asda to take action over a row of empty shops on the grounds of its store in Blackburn Road, calling them “depressing and unsightly”.

The firm has now confirmed the shops will be torn down on Monday, and Astley Bridge councillor Hilary Fairclough, who has been leading calls for Asda to take action, has been given permission to kick start the demolition process.

She said: “I am delighted that the demolition is finally taking place and that this blight on the area is finally going.

“I’m just really pleased for the residents and businesses of Astley Bridge who have endured for many months these boarded up properties bringing the area down.

“I would also like to thank Asda, particularly chief executive Andy Clarke, senior property communications manager Philip Bartram, and the regional manager Mike Jones.

“Once they got involved in March, things really started to move, they kept me fully informed every step of the way and have done everything they could to keep the timings on track.

“It’s been a long time coming but I think the difference it will make to the area will be immeasurable.”

Cllr Fairclough said morale among local businesses had already been boosted by the news, with a familiar store set to return to the area as a result.

The Little Italy pizza store used to rent one of the Asda units and will now be taking up new premises opposite.

Ilyas Thagia, who leases out the premises, said: “Since the units were vacated and left derelict business in the shops began to drop and morale also began to drop.

“I have been trying to rent out the property for a while but due to several reasons — and the units opposite being one of them — I have found it incredibly difficult, but as soon as the word came out that Hilary won the battle for the demolition the original Little Italy contacted me and said it would be returning, providing jobs to at least 10 people who originally had lost jobs due to the closure of the units.”