THE first nightspot in Darwen to bring regular live music for pub-goers is threatened with closure.

New Gardeners Snooker and Social Club, formerly Suzy Qs, in Wood Street, was a popular pub in the town and was the first to bring live music to Darwen on a regular basis.

The pub opened just over ten years ago and is still known to pub-goers as Suzy Qs.

The nightspot was one of five venues in Darwen which staged bands for Darwen 2003, Keeping Music Live. Fifteen bands appeared on the stage, including Jamie Mac who used to play to the pub crowd every Friday night two years ago.

But pub owner Bob Curry, from Darwen, said he went bankrupt two weeks ago and added: "The future is still very uncertain at the moment and we are doing our best to keep it running. We will know more in about a month's time."

The pub was closed on Saturday night but it is not known whether it will reopen this weekend.

John Brown, Darwen Town Centre association chairman, said: "It will be a great blow to Darwen if the pub shuts down and we hope that it manages to pull through and stay in the town. It's a very popular place."

Coun Dave Smith said: "It's a great place with a big stage for bands and it was the first pub to bring regular live music to Darwen.

"It was always packed on Friday nights and I hope the tradition continues because it would be a real shame to see it go."

Simon Pill, operations manager at Darwen Library Theatre, said: "I know a lot of bands that play there and they will be very upset if the pub goes."

Gavin Prescott, planning and development control officer at Blackburn with Darwen Council, revealed the property had not been taken over.

He said: "We haven't heard of anything happening at the property as yet."