THE future of a Blackburn town centre pub is unclear after a potential landlord pulled out of the running.

The Adelphi in Railway Road has been closed for more than a month after reopening in May.

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An Admiral Taverns spokesman said the brewery had someone in place who decided against going ahead with the takeover.

A notice had appeared outside the pub saying it was ‘open’ but was removed a few days later.

The former landlord, Steve Whittle, and his wife Diane, announced they were handing the pub back to Admiral Taverns at the start of September.

Claudio Bellusci, part of the Blackburn’s Nightlife project, said the continued closure of the pub did not reflect the town’s current nightlife health.

He said: “It will definitely be better when the pub finds a new landlord.

“I believe the venue won’t stay closed for long, it’s been busy for countless years and has been part of the landscape in the town centre for decades.

“You can say it’s another place that’s closed down, but there’s many venues that have opened or are soon to open. The Sir Charles Napier has reopened and has become a success.

“The Cellar Bar in King Street has had a huge transformation and has been brought back.

“All the signs are there to say Blackburn is well on its way to making a recovery in terms of its night-time economy.”

Mr Whittle took over the pub in May for an initial three-month period after the previous occupiers wound up the business.

An Admiral Tavern spokesman said: “We were hoping to get the pub open in October and had a potential landlord in place.

“But sadly they had to pull out which has brought us back to square one.

“We are now actively looking for a new landlord to come in and reopen the pub that has been in the town for many years.

“If anyone would like to run the pub or discuss it, call us on 01244 321171.”