WORK will begin on renovating Blackburn's rundown Pavilions within months, it was pledged today.

Council bosses believe they are within weeks of tying up enough funding to begin the £1.5million overhaul of the three buildings.

The Georgian buildings, which have been empty for more than a decade, will be restored and turned into one building, with two glass structures being created between the three existing properties.

Work has already begun on marketing the building for a tenant, although the council does not expect to complete any deal until after work has started.

The editor of Blackburn Civic Society's newsletter, Stewart Wade, said: "With so little progress so far, people are becoming impatient and it is time to rescue these historic buildings with action and not just words."

Ronnie O'Keeffe, president of Blackburn's Chamber of Trade, said today: "I am hopeful work will start in the New Year. These are important buildings and the impact of the redevelopment of the whole of Church Street hinges on what becomes of the Pavilions."

Steve Hoyle, assistant director of regeneration at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "Work is reaching an advanced stage in the design of a scheme.

"It is expected that the work on the listed buildings will begin in the early spring, with an anticipated completion around the end of 2003.

"A marketing campaign to attract end users to the completed development will be undertaken in parallel with the construction phase."

The money is expected to come from a variety of sources, including the North West Development Agency.

The council's plan is modelled closely on the original ideas drawn up by Blackburn Cathedral, which was offered the buildings by the council for just £45,000 in 2001.

But when costs for the project rose from above £1million because of structural problems and the Cathedral began to struggle to gain grants, the council took control of the project.

Costs soared when detailed investigations into the structural state of the buildings proved they were weaker than first thought.

Northcote Manor chef Nigel Haworth, has also pulled out, leaving the council to find a new tenant. He was working in partnership with the council but complained they had not kept him informed about its progress and advertised for firms willing to run the Pavilions without his knowledge.

He had planned to create a new concept restaurant/bar which, he said, would have added a new dimension to the town's nightlife.

The new tenant will be expected to provide the fixtures and fittings inside the unit.