A NEW 14-bedroom designer ‘boutique’ hotel is set to rise from the ashes of Frankie’s Bar in Darwen centre.

Hong Kong businessman Pal Pang believers it will be a major asset to the “beautiful heritage town” when complete in 2017.

He bought the Church Street premises of the former Darwen Central Conservative Club at auction in 2014.

Now, Mr Pang plans to use his extensive experience in the hotel, architecture and design trade to bring a new venture to boost Darwen’s night life and visitor trade.

Frankie’s was set alight by arsonists in December 2012, and lay empty and derelict until Mr Pang demolished it in August 2105.

Yesterday, the 43-year-old outlined his plans to spend hundreds of thousands on a new hotel with bar, cafe and restaurant to the Lancashire Telegraph.

Sunnyhurst councillor Dave Smith and Blackburn with Darwen regeneration boss Phil Riley warmly welcomed the scheme for the first hotel in the town centre.

It will complement the new Premier Inn in Blackburn’s Cathedral Quarter due to open next month.

Mr Pang said: “The plan is to build a designer hotel on the site.

“It will have 14 high-quality bedrooms, a restaurant, bar and cafe. The new hotel, the first in Darwen town centre, will be a high-quality boutique development.

“I have experience of this type of project across Asia and will be using my own in-house architects and designers.

“I would hope to have planning permission early next year and will be looking for a builder and a management company to run it.

“The hotel should be finished in 2017 and will improve Darwen’s night life and complement the new hotel in Blackburn centre.

“I bought the Frankie’s Bar premises at auction and have been to Darwen a couple of times since. It is a beautiful, friendly heritage town with lots of history.”

Cllr Smith said: “This is great news.”

Cllr Riley said: “This is really good news for Darwen, its night life and the borough.”