"We took £1.80 all day": Reality of the pandemic hits independen t Preston cafe + Firefighters ta ckle Blackpool Central Pier fire

Hello and happy Friday!

The weekend may be beckoning but the news keeps coming and our teams are extremely busy.

Lancashire awoke this morning to the news that Blackpool's historic Central Pier was ablaze.

Dramatic pics show the fire taking hold in the centre of the pier overnight but Lancashire firefighters have done a fantastic job in trying to save what they can.

As the day progresses we are updating you on that story and other breaking news via our live blog.

We have been reporting on many local businesses and attractions reopening, including news that Brockholes is lowering its drawbridge to visitors.

But the true impact of Covid-19 lockdown is becoming clear.

Today Pizza Express announced it is closing 75 sites and this is further demonstrated by the story of a Preston cafe - which only took £1.80 in takings from one customer in one day.

This is a crisis situation for many.

We are still supporting our local businesses through the #supportlocal campaign.

Don't forget small as well as big businesses need our support in our communities and many have gone to a great deal of effort to make visiting a safe and stress-free experience.

And once again, thanks to the many of you who have joined our new subscription at lep.co.uk this week - our entire team massively appreciates your support.

You can subscribe here

Wishing you and yours a great weekend, Nicola Adam, deputy editor.

You can contact me at nicola.adam@jpimedia.co.uk