A COUNCIL has regained the lease of a town centre restaurant premises and started the search for new tenants.

Gioia Italiano in Church Street, Blackburn, opened at the end of November 2017 but shut in May last year.

The restaurant was run by Mike Hajewskyj and his partner Pam Bates.

Since May, Blackburn with Darwen Council had been trying to contact the Gioia bosses to recover the premises so they can be re-let.

Last month the couple forfeited the lease back to the local authority which yesterday started informal viewings with prospective tenants.

It is understood the council is seeking to recover thousands owed in business rates and costs from the former tenants.

In a separate development Companies House has suspended proceedings to wind up the company behind the failed restaurant, Gioia Italiano Ltd, which is still registered as ‘active’.

On January 22 it issued a ‘First Gazette notice for compulsory strike off’ giving its directors two months to get in touch and show cause why it should not be removed from the official register of companies.

Yesterday, Companies House suspended the compulsory strike-off action although its website shows that Gioia Italiano Ltd has still not filed accounts up to January 31, 2018, which were due on October 25.

A council spokesman confirmed: “We have vacant possession of the property and are actively marketing it to new tenants.”

Cllr Phil Riley, borough regeneration boss, said: “I am pleased we now have the Gioia premises back and can now look for new occupants. It has been a difficult legal process due to the manner of their departure.

“We would like to have this property, which is in a dominant position in Church Street, back in use as soon as possible.”

The Lancashire Telegraph was unable to contact Mr Hajewskyj yesterday.

Two friends of Mr Hajewskyj, Danny McDonough and Nathan Howard, said yesterday they were still each owed money.