IT will soon be known for serving up dozens of award-winning craft ales, but an impressive new beer hall could be in for a drop of Guinness glory when it opens tonight.

For the people behind the new multi-million development at Holmes Mill in Clitheroe are hoping it will be officially named as home to Britain’s longest bar.

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The Bowland Beer Hall, in Greenacre Street, will be serving ale from 42 hand-pumps and will offer dozens of cask ales.

The focus is on the huge central serving area which bosses hope will be ratified by the Guinness Book of Records as the longest bar-none.

Currently, the record resides in the Horseshoe Bar in Glasgow, which measures 31.8metres.

Heidi Kettle, group marketing manager at James’ Places, which is behind the build, said: “We are hoping that our bar will sneak the record. We are waiting for the guys from Guinness to get down here with their tape and then we can say it’s official.”

The new build is the first phase of a £10million plan to transform Holmes Mill into a 31-bedroom hotel, with restaurant, bakers, spa and leisure complex.

The hall, which has retained a large part of the mill’s original stone interior, will serve hot food and will be licensed to hold 600 people.

The mill’s engine has been restored to its former glory and will be on show. Heidi said: “It was important to us to keep as much historical context in the bar as we could.

“We want to preserve the mill as much as we can and by keeping the engine and other interior features, it creates a nice atmosphere. I can’t wait to see it full and thriving.”

The bar will also become the new home of Bowland Brewery, which will be located behind a glass wal, to let guests see how their house ales, Hen Harrier, Deer Stalker and Pheasant Plucker are made.

James Warburton, managing director of James’ Places, said: “We are hugely excited about the beer hall as the first element of the Holmes Mill development to open.

“The ultimate goal is to create a showcase for the incredible variety and quality of food and drink, growers, manufacturers and suppliers in this rather lovely part of the world that we are lucky to call home.”

The bar will be open for business at 5pm today.