STAFF have been left in limbo after a bowling alley closed due to a power failure – and failed to reopen.

Accrington 1st Bowl closed on Saturday and a message on its Facebook page said it would re-open on Monday.

The Hyndburn Road centre advised those who had booked parties to contact its sister bowling lanes in Burnley.

However, shutters remained down at the Garland Leisure-owned alley on Monday and a printed sign said the site was ‘now closed due to unforeseen circumstances’.

Despite repeated phone calls and a visit to the Accrington site, the Lancashire Telegraph was unable to contact any managerial staff, while links to the centre’s website were broken.

Burnley 1st Bowl centre manager Linda Haworth said that she knew nothing about a closure and that her centre had been instructed to accommodate Accrington party bookings on September 28.

Despite several attempts by the Lancashire Telegraph to contact the company’s head office in Rochester no company response could be obtained.

One worker said: “They shut down, just out of the blue.” Another said: “I got a call on September 27 saying that the alley would be closing.”

Resident and 1st Bowl customer Sabina Yates said: “I’d be saddened if it’s closed because it would ruin my family’s get together.”

Another centre owned by Garland closed temporarily on September 24 for refurbishment, leaving 12 staff without a job in Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire.

Hyndburn borough councillor and chairman of Accrington Town Team, Clare Pritchard said she would look into the closure.

Mike Damms, chief executive of East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce said: “Whether it’s closed or not it’s certainly not good business practice to not inform your customers of any alleged renovations.”