PLANS for a Bromley Cross venue which has gone from a musical mecca into a vandalism hotspot are uncertain.

The Railway in Chapeltown Road will remain closed for the foreseeable future as owners have admitted to struggling to find it a suitable licensee.

Under the ownership of Star Pubs & Bars, it has now been closed for more than a year after managers Jon Hanson and his partner Hilary Howard decided to part ways with the pub after 17 years due to a drop in footfall.

However the empty premises opposite the Bromley Cross railway station has attracted vandalism and has now been bordered up after its windows were smashed in.

Cllr David Greenhalgh said: “It had to boarded up because of anti-social behaviour but I haven’t been made aware of any incidents since that was sorted with the owners.

“It’s a real shame and we certainly don’t want to see it go, there are many local pubs struggling and we don’t want to lose another.

“I hope the situation is resolved soon. It is in a sorry state at the minute but hopefully someone will see its potential and give it a go.

“As a council we would certainly give what help we can to anyone who would be willing to give the business a go.”

Star Pubs and Bars has been seeking replacements after the last landlords left last year.

Prior to then, it was a thriving music venue welcoming acts like Kiki Dee and Wilko Johnson.

In February 2016 the owner announced plans to refurbish the building and turn it into a pub to ‘attract the daytime trade and create a new food offer’.

A spokesperson for the Heineken-owned company said the refurbishment would still go ahead but the plans were dependent upon the new licensee and their plans for the running of the pub.

They added: “We have had some interest in taking on this pub but as yet have not found the right person with the relevant experience and vision to get it back up and running on a permanent basis.

“There has been a lot of interest in the pub, which will reopen as soon as an operator with the relevant experience is in place.”