A town centre pub will re-open tonight under a new name following a £20,000 renovation.

The former Calder Inn on Blackburn Road, Accrington, has been transformed following months of ‘blood, sweat and tears’ and will open its doors at 5pm under the new name Varsity.

Licensee Martin Angus took over the pub with his business partner Malcolm Bennett after it suddenly closed down in October last year.

Martin, who also operates the successful Varsity Bangor pub, said they had planned to open before Christmas, but were then hit with unexpected complications and extra repair work.

Varsity pub on Blackburn Road in Accrington.

He said: “We got the pub at the beginning of November. We had to strip everything back out and everything had to be re-wired.

"We wanted to open before Christmas but as it got closer we knew it wasn’t going to happen. We had to cut our losses, take a step back and wait until January.

“You would finish one job and then another problem would come up. We would think it would be a straightforward job but it wasn’t.

"There’s been a lot of blood, sweat and tears and temper tantrums but we’ve finally got there.”

Martin, who previously worked for the Barracuda pub group in the Accrington area, said a new shop front will be installed in the next few weeks and they will start serving food from next month.

He said: “When we took the older Calder sign off we found the wood behind it was completely rotten.

“We have got a temporary Varsity sign up but there will be a new shop front going up in a few weeks.

Varsity pub on Blackburn Road in Accrington.

"We have taken on seven bar staff and we are looking to increase that once we start doing food next month.

"At the start of the week we didn’t think we would be ready in time but as we cleared things away and the drink stock arrived it’s become a pub.”

The pub is now fitted with seven HD television screens, two projectors and a new sound system.

Martin said the Varsity will be officially opened at 5pm with DJ Jordan Love entertaining guests from 8pm to 3pm.