CALLS for Earby's old fire station to be renovated have finally been answered.

Pendle Council has agreed to spend £25,000 on refurbishing the building to provide an information centre similar to the Council Shop based in Barnoldswick.

For several years parish councillors and local residents have been asking for improvements to the old fire station building, situated next to the bus station on Victoria Road.

It currently houses a district office downstairs, but it has standing room for no more than two people and offers no privacy to those paying bills or conducting other business.

Meanwhile, the bulk of the ground floor stands empty and unused.

Upstairs there is a meeting room which is used by Earby Parish Council, Pendle MP Gordon Prentice who holds regular surgeries there and other users. But the only access is up a narrow and steep stairway, making it impossible for some residents to reach the room.

For months Earby parish councillors and the Earby Development Group have been campaigning for the building to be redeveloped to offer a better service and a fully accessible meeting room.

John Kirk, executive director of services for Pendle Council, told the Herald this week: "We are looking to convert the old fire station into a better reception facility and hopefully try to offer a wider range of council facilities. We want it to end up being a better resource centre for Earby and we are also looking to increasing staffing levels."

Mr Kirk said staff working at the centre would act as "champions" and would seek to resolve any problems brought to their attention by residents.

"If, say, someone wants to come in with a complaint about highways, we will then go away and chase it up," he explained.

Architects have already been employed on the project, which will mean the removal of the old fire station doors and the building taking on a more shop-like appearance.

It is hoped the new centre will be open in the summer.

Meanwhile, the parish council is looking into using the former computer training centre which lies directly behind the former fire station as a meeting room and will be discussing the matter during the next couple of weeks.

Coun Morris Horsfield said: "We are very pleased that we've secured the money from Pendle for this project.

"The building itself has been wanting something doing to it to make it look better."

Coun Horsfield added that the premises was in the ideal spot for an information centre as it was directly opposite the bus stop, had car parking facilities at the side and was also close to toilet facilities.