OWNERS of East Lancashire’s two biggest nightclubs said they had a bright future despite selling off 26 other venues – for just £5.

It has emerged that Luminar Group Holdings, which owns Liquid and Envy, in Peter Street, Blackburn; and Lava and Ignite, in Hammerton Street, Burnley, sold off 26 clubs across the UK for 19p each.

Bosses said this sell-off move was due to a restructure aimed at dispensing with venues that were not proving successful.

But Luminar finance director, Nick Beighton, dispelled fears over the future of the East Lancashire venues and said they were key sites for the company.

Mr Beighton said: “There are two issues here. One is that we are not selling off any more of our club sites.

“Around three months ago we completed a deal for a number of our sites, but we have no intention to sell any more clubs.

"We are very happy with the Blackburn and Burnley clubs. There will be no more disposals.”

Elsewhere in Lancashire, Luminar sold the Lancaster nightclub Liquid to the Cavendish group as part of the sell-off.

Blackburn’s Liquid and Envy opened in December 2005 and replaced the former Jumpin’ Jaks nightclub which closed after months of competition with rival venue Heaven and Hell, which was on the site of the former Utopia nightspot on top of The Mall.

Liquid and Envy has a capacity for 1,260 people over the two storeys, and employs around 60 people.