AN HISTORIC pub in Bolton town centre has closed for refurbishment.

And part of The Old Three Crowns will be preserved for posterity at the town's museum.

The well-known pub in Deansgate is currently undergoing a £150,000 refurbishment, including the replacement of part of its distinctive leaded and stained glass bow window.

Keen to preserve the history of the building, which has served as a pub for more than 100 years, the current owners, Scottish and Newcastle Breweries, says contractors will carefully remove part of the window and donate it to the museum.

The pub was closed and boarded up on Monday as builders got to work on transforming the outdated dark interior of the premises.

A spokeswoman for the brewery said the work is expected to be completed by mid February and will include new seating and the entrance will also be moved. Access to the front door is currently down a short passageway at the side of the building.

The brewery's plans also include creating an improved beer garden at the rear of the premises, which will double as a smoking area if proposals to ban smoking in pubs go ahead.

Steve Garland, head of Bolton museum and archives said it had not been decided yet what to do with the donated window. "It is a rescue at the moment and we will look at its future once we get it," he said.