PUB chain JD Wetherspoon has pulled out of plans to develop its first venue in Accrington, for the second time in a year.

The company was set to invest £1.2million in transforming the former Lar-De-Dars nightclub in Eagle Street in time for Christmas revellers.

The project would have created 30 full and part-time jobs.

The Watford-based company, which has themed pubs across the UK, first made a bid to move into the town last year.

It was granted planning approval to convert three shops in Broadway but then it decided the premises were too small.

The chain's bosses have decided to withdraw from the new idea because architects brought in to mastermind the plans have discovered the former club is in a worse state of repair than initial surveys had indicated.

Eddie Gershon, a spokesman for Wetherspoon, said: "The architects are saying it would increase our costs by at least £250,000. It means it just isn't commercially viable on that basis.

"But we still want to assure everyone that we want a pub in the town. We're already seeking an alternative.

"We have our heart set on Accrington and won't give up until we find a place to operate from.

"We sent surveyors in early on, and we wouldn't turn away if we were talking about £20,000 to£30,000. But a quarter of a million means we can't go ahead, even though we have already invested money in the project." The chain employs property agents around the country to seek premises for its 100 new openings each year.

When council planners passed the Wetherspoon plans for the old Lar-De-Dars nightspot earlier this year they expressed delight that the landmark building would be saved from dereliction.

In February, Wetherspoons opened the Brun Lea, at a cost of £1million, in Manchester Road, Burnley.

It has two other outlets in East Lancashire -- the Postal Order in Blackburn and the Station Hotel in Nelson.