Last orders: The bell tolls for local pubs

Pubs in Hyndburn are closing at a rate of more than one a month.

A total of 24 pubs and three nightclubs have closed in the borough over the past two years, the Accrington Observer can reveal.

The closures are thought to be the result of high overheads, competition from supermarkets and increased government taxation.

But some argue the situation is getting better with a new pub opened and a nightclub due to open in Accrington town centre this summer.

Since 2009 Hyndburn Licensing Department said 12 pubs and three nightclubs have closed permanently, seven have closed and re-opened and five have closed but may reopen.

Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) spokesman Jon Howard said: "These high rates of closure reflect the national picture but it is a damaging figure.

"Rising costs are making it more difficult to run a pub in the current climate. Running a pub is quite a challenge at the moment so I would encourage anyone thinking of taking on a pub to research carefully before becoming a landlord.

"Pubs are integral to every community and we would encourage everyone to use their local to ensure they stay open."

Hyndburn MP Graham Jones said the only way to stop the spate of closures is to reform taxation on alcohol and review brewery tenancy agreements.

He said: "Local pubs are the focal point of a village or town and offer a safe community environment for drinking.

"Whereas off-licenses promote binge drinking by selling large quantities of cheap alcohol. Losing a local pub has an extremely detrimental impact on a community.

"We should be lowering taxation in pubs and increasing it in off-licences and supermarkets. We also need to look at breweries that aggressively draw people into tenancy agreements they cannot make a living from."

Hyndburn Councillor Peter Britcliffe said landlords need to do more to draw regular customers back in to their pubs. He said: "It’s a bleak picture – pubs have been gradually declining for years. Pubs used to be home to the old and the young but they have become the domain of young people.

Landlords should be concentrating on bringing in regular local customers."

But Tony Dobson, who owns The Fort’s Arms in Clayton-le-Moors and the nightclubs Level 1 and Bohemia, in Accrington, believes things are looking up for Hyndburn’s landlords.

He said: "The Wetherspoons’ in Accrington opened last week and the Voodoo Lounge nightclub is due to open in the next two months.

"It’s not necessarily getting better quickly but it’s good to see a few places opening up."

Pubs closed since 2009

  • Black Horse, Abbey Street, Accrington
  • Oddfellows, 303 Whalley Road, Clayton-le-Moors
  • King Street Pub Co, King Street, Accrington
  • Shoulder of Mutton, 6 Cross Edge, Oswaldtwistle
  • Great Eastern, Arnold Street, Accrington
  • Oak Tree, Blackburn Road, Accrington
  • Adelphi, Avenue Parade, Accrington
  • Globe, Blackburn Road, Accrington
  • Foxhill, Union Road, Oswaldtwistle
  • Queens, Church Street, Church
  • The Plough, Tanpits Road, Church
  • Industry, Church Street, Accrington

Clubs closed since 2009

  • Pioneer WMC, Bradshaw Row, Church, Accrington
  • Accrington Old Band Club, Carter Street, Accrington
  • Springhill WMC, Lonsdale Street, Accrington

Pubs and clubs that shut and reopened

  • Volunteers Arms, Whalley Road, Clayton-le- Moors
  • Stag Inn, Bank Street, Church
  • Bees Knees, St James Street, Accrington
  • Regency, Church St, Accrington, now re-opened as Commercial Hotel by Wetherspoons
  • Hargreaves Arms, Manchester Road, re-opened as Grants Bar.
  • Soprano’s, Glebe Street, Great Harwood
  • Rishton Legion, Walmsley St, Rishton re:opened as Rishton Sports and Social Club

Pubs and clubs that are closed but could reopen

  • Bridge Inn, Henry Street, Church
  • Dog and Partridge, Back Lane, Baxenden
  • Warners Arms, Warner Street, Accrington
  • Bliss, Dutton Street, Accrington
  • Black Dog, Union Road, Oswaldtwistle

Number's up for bingo hall

AN Accrington bingo club has closed after membership levels fell to a record low.

The Empire Bingo Club, on Blackburn Road, has been closed down by the Skinners Bingo Club’s directors.

In a letter to members, managing director Bernard Ashworth said attendance had dropped due to the smoking ban and the company was unable to carry on ‘to the standards our members were used to’.

He wrote: "It was a heartbreaking decision to have to make as some of our senior members looked forward to their days out and lunches at the bingo. I look back at the fond memories I have, dating back to the 1960s when Fred Skinner first started at the Vic Club in Clayton-le-Moors and I feel those were the best years this country had to offer."

Voodoo club rises again

A POPULAR Accrington nightspot destroyed in a blaze almost seven years ago will soon rise from the ashes.

Opium nightclub and The Voodoo Lounge have been closed since a fire tore through the three-storey building on Willow Street where they were based in December 2004.

Owner Mick Cookson has endured years of talks with his insurance company in a bid to reopen the club.

After several setbacks Mick threw £700,000 of his own money into the project to revamp the site – which is set to open as The Voodoo Lounge this month.

Mick, who has 25 years experience of running nightclubs, said: "I can’t tell you how glad I am to see it going back up again.

"It was heartbreaking what happened when we had to close and the time it has taken to get to where we are. But we can see the end of the tunnel. It has had everything you could imagine done to it to get it back. It is going to be for strictly over 21s. And I think it will bring a lot of nice people into Accrington."

On December 4, 2004 The Voodoo Lounge was not as badly damaged in the fire as Opium.

Mick added: "The building has been stripped from top to bottom and there is a lot of space now. We have raised The Voodoo Lounge roof by one metre and it will feature a VIP Lounge. It is what a nightclub should be. It’s the sort of place you can bring your wife to and chill out."