LANCASTER'S popular Litten Tree pub is to stay open after being snapped up by new owners.

The future of the Church Street watering hole was thrown into doubt when parent company SFI Group went into administration and some of its pubs - including a Litten Tree in Burnley -- closed down.

But Lancaster is staying open after being bought by the Laurel Pub Company, which owns the Hog's Head chain of pubs and used to be part of the giant Whitbread group.