A RURAL Ribble Valley pub could be set to be lost forever after no groups registered an interest in taking it over.
The Black Bull, which closed in October last year, was placed on the Community Asset Register by Rimington Parish Council, giving the community first refusal on buying the business if it was put up for sale.
But parish council chairman Bob Whittaker said the parish council know of no group which had come forward to take over the pub.
The pub’s co-owners, Steve Hodgson and Katherine Lachance, have stated their intention to apply to the borough council to change the use of the building if the community decided not to take the pub on.
They took over the Rimington Lane pub in 2011 and turned it into a traditional French inn.
However, the pair closed the pub in summer 2012 for six months before it reopened under new management.
Mr Whittaker said that the parish council now expects the premises to either be sold or converted into flats.
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