DEMOLITION men will start bulldozing a landmark Blackburn hotel later this month.

And 27 hotel workers will lose their jobs when the County -- formerly the Moat House --closes this weekend.

Fairclough Homes has been given planning permission to knock down the prestigious County Hotel, in Preston New Road, and build apartments and executive houses.

A spokesman said today: "Demolition work is scheduled to take place later this month for completion by Christmas. Site works will then start in the New Year, followed by a sales presence." The Evening Telegraph revealed in May that Fairclough Homes wanted to demolish the 98-bedroom hotel, which was once the favoured accommodation for soccer stars coming to the town to play against Blackburn Rovers.

Fairclough plans to build 80 new homes on the scenic six-acre site which stands at the western gateway to Blackburn on the A677.

The County was formerly known as the Saxon Hotel and the Blackburn Moat House, and is now owned by the Corus Regal Group, which is based in Milton Keynes. Following demolition, the town will be left without a major hotel -- forcing visitors to look elsewhere in East Lancashire for accommodation.

The Fairclough spokesman said: "Our plans will help regenerate the area and include high quality homes of varying designs and sizes. The site will incorporate one and two bedroom apartments and three, four and five bedroom homes."

Ashley Whalley, the Blackburn with Darwen Council's executive member for regeneration, said: "The decision reflects the changing traffic priorities in the borough. The A677 used to be the main route into Blackburn for motorway traffic, but now people travel along the M65.

"Obviously we are disappointed but recognise this is a prime location, and the hotel company is clearly making a commercial decision to maximise any return on the land."

He added that the council was actively pursuing a quality hotel for its town centre area.

Justin Johnson, regional human resources manager for Corus Regal, said County staff were being offered relocation in Cheshire or redundancy packages and a bonus for staying until the hotel closed for business. "I want to thank them for their loyalty." he added.