A ROW over rent for a staircase is set to end up in court.

As reported in the Lancashire Telegraph last month, police were called to Padiham Snooker Club, Livesey Street, after bosses at the United Irish League Club blocked up the shared entrance in February.

In return, the snooker club took down and used the same blocks of wood to barricade the Irish League's entrance.

The move followed the escalation of a row after the Irish League asked for £15-a-week rent from the snooker club to use the flight of stairs which leads up to both clubs' entrances.

Paul Rinaldi, owner of the snooker club, said both parties were taking legal action in a bid to resolve the matter.

Mr Rinaldi said he had received a letter from solicitors acting on behalf of the United Irish League Club and that the matter would go to court.

He said: "I just received the letter from the other side and I definitely want it to go to court.

"I want this sorted out."

While the snooker club owns its part of the building, the Irish club owns the staircase.

But after the bosses of the snooker club continued to refuse to pay the rent for the use of the staircase, their entrance door was barricaded.

The Irish club's entrance was barricaded the following day.

Police were called over the incidents, but officers said it was a civil matter.

The Irish club used to own the whole of the premises.

But it sold off a section several years ago and it eventually came into the snooker club's hands.

Mr Rinaldi said he was unhappy about being asked to pay rent for a staircase.

But United Irish League Club President, John Stewart, has previously said the club owned the staircase and that they had the right to board up the entrance if Mr Rinaldi refused to pay rent.

The United Irish League Club was unavailable for comment.