AN upmarket cocktail bar is planned for pub premises in Burnley which have been closed for more than four years.

Thomas Lord, who has been involved in running the former Rood Bar in Barrowford and the Rendevous Hotel in Skipton, now has his eye on the former Bar Central, at the corner of Hammerton Street and Hargreaves Street.

The Barrowford-based businessman said: “We are planning to strip it right down to the wood and brick and start again.

“We are looking to establish an upmarket cocktail bar and if things go to plan we should open in around a month or so.” Plans have been lodged with the council for a new roof terrace, at the far end of the venue.

This would replace the current beer garden, towards Victoria Street, and extend over an existing flat-roof building overlooking Hammerton Street.

Around a decade ago, the Thai restaurant at Rood was a hangout for the likes of Take That star Jason Orange and Shameless actor Jody Latham.

The Hammerton Street pub, originally known as The Little White Horse, traded as Bar Central until 2009 and was also previously known as Fluidz.

But it was closed following a licensing dispute amid claims by the former licensee that it had been targeted by troublemakers.

The new addition follows on from Calamity Jane’s reopening as the Bee’s Knees, Alter-Ego opening for trading, also on Hammerton Street, and Bar Boogie launching in Ormerod Street.