THE owner of a dormant town centre pub is still hopeful he can bring it back into full-time use.

Chris Leksinski, 72, has owned The Grove on Church Street, Blackburn, since he bought the building and converted it into licensed premises in 1997.

For the last two years, he has only opened the two-floor pub for special occasions with bottled beers and spirits only.

The former tenant of Coconut Grove in the town said: "There is not enough trade in the town centre to open the pub in the daytime or at night at the moment.

"I am just waiting to see if with the changes to the town centre, more people start to come up Church Street. We are a bit out on a limb.

"We are being hopeful and patient. There is no point re-opening regularly if it is not viable."