FARNWORTH’S attractions will soon be easy to find — thanks to proposals to install £10,000-worth of new signs across the town centre.

Bolton Council, which is behind the plans, hopes the signs will attract more visitors to all the main attractions.

But people living in Farnworth have slammed the scheme, saying there is nothing left to promote in the town centre.

Tony Cowell, aged 51, of Harrowby Street, said: “Farnworth’s my home town and I have seen it decline in the last 20 to 30 years and the town is in a pitiful state. I know you have to start somewhere, but the signs are not leading people to anything at all. People do not have reason to visit full stop, so putting signs up is pointless because no one’s visiting.”

Another resident, who did not want to be named, added: “What’s the point of putting signs up if there’s nothing to sign in the town?”

But council bosses say they have worked with local people to formulate the plans.

A council spokesman said: “The signage is part of a wider package of town centre investment planned for Farnworth. Council officers have worked closely with local councillors and community representatives to develop the programme of improvements. When we’ve spoken to local people one of the key issues that comes up is the town is not signposted adequately and we hope these signs will help.”

The new signs will point new visitors towards the leisure centre, the market, the library, Farnworth Little Theatre, the bus station, the park and the train station. They include three pedestrian “finger posts”, which will indicate the distance to locations within the town centre, including one near Asda, in Brackley Street, one at the junction between Brackley Street and Market Street, and another at the junction between King Street and Market Street.

These will include the distance in yards from the various locations.

Car parking signs with the number of spaces available will be added to Albert Street and Market Street for shoppers. Drivers will be greeted by “gateway” signs as they approach the boundary of the town centre on key road junctions reading “Welcome to Farnworth”.