Finally, blue sky!
January and February have been wet. Murk, drizzle, mist, frost have been a defining feature of this winter. But with Valentine’s Day opening up clear skies and cold temperatures, it was time to get out.
To Blackburn, Lancashire. Off all places.
Hear me out.
There are certain places across the UK that the mere mention of them will cause listeners to wrinkle their face in disgust. Sometimes, this is just the effect of propaganda. But other times, it’s because the rumours and stereotypes have not kept up with reality.
Blackburn is undergoing a lot of investment and a transformation. In 2022, Blackburn and Darwen town centres received £200 million in combined funding from government, council, and private sources to support regeneration efforts. As part of this initiative, the Townscape Heritage Project aims to establish a cultural quarter within Blackburn’s historic centre.
Here’s a little snippet of what Blackburn has to offer.
All photos taken on my iPhone 17 Pro Max. RAWs developed in Lightroom, merged in Photomatix, then edited and finalised in Photoshop.
Masjid e Vali #
This is the beautiful new Masjid E Vali , which opened only in December 2025. One of the UK’s most expensive masjids at a reported £5million cost, it was funded by the Issa brothers, Mohsin and Zuber, who hail from Blackburn and are nowadays billionaire owners of the EG Group.
After learning about this new masjid, I contacted them beforehand to request a visit and maybe some photography. In fact, we were treated to a private tour of the masjid by the wonderfully courteous Naeem. Not an inch of the place was spared.
I mean, look at this . Isn’t it glorious? We didn’t take photos inside as I didn’t want to intrude on the privacy of worshippers, but the interior is as beautiful as these exterior photos.
Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery #
After a ridiculously delicious shokupan toastie at Kohi , our next top was the Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery . It is one of the few purposely built art galleries in the UK, opened in 1874. It still has the original gorgeous wrought-iron gates to the building as you enter.
One of the exhibitions available is Cottontown, a collection of looms by Thomas Boys Lewis, a local cotton industrialist. These tell the story of Blackburn’s industrial history as a world-famous textile manufacturing centre.
Blackburn Town Hall, built in the Italianate style in 1856, and still in use as the Town Hall.
Blackburn Cathedral #
The statue of Queen Victoria, unveiled in 1905, within the grounds of Blackburn Cathedral where its distinctive aluminium 118m tall spire rises high.
The nave of Blackburn Cathedral. One of the UK’s newest cathedrals, it was originally built as the Church of England parish church of St Mary the Virgin. There’s been a church at this site since Norman times.
The impressive nave, look west. Designed by architect John Palmer in 1826, the nave’s ceiling was cleaned and repainted during the completion scheme of the 1960s.
The transept and sanctuary, with the base of the lantern tower’s colourful glass just visible.
The Cloister Garth in the grounds of the cathedral, where new accommodation for staff and scholars has been built.
Blackburn’s new bus station, unveiled in 2016, and designed by Altaf Master of Capita Symonds. An interesting design, no? It reflects the cotton weaving looms that dominated the area surrounding Blackburn during and after the industrial revolution.