A COMPANY which owns a failed East Lancashire nightspot has been put into liquidation with debts of more than £1million.

Duncan Adamson, the director of Blentford Ltd, which owns Brassingtons Cabaret Club, Burnley Road, Altham, has instructed that the company be wound up after failing to keep up payments to creditors.

The former Martholme Grange nightclub closed last month, leaving entertainers and former workers among those wondering when they will get their share of debts totalling £1,178,569.

Faced with a winding-up petition last March, Manchester-based Blentford signed an undertaking to start paying off its debts.

The receivers supervising Blentford's payments under a corporate voluntary arrangement (CVA) said that no creditors had received money because not enough cash had been paid by the company.

Steve Walker, from Stockport-based receivers WalkerTill, said he had received a letter yesterday from the director instructing that Blentford be liquidated.

Manchester-based chartered accountants Hacker, Young and Partners have been instructed to deal with the liquidation.

Edward Cook, of the company, said that it would hold a meeting with creditors on February 24. "The company has been in a CVA and that has failed and that is why it is going into liquidation.

"I will be looking into the company's affairs and a report will be provided to the creditors at the meeting. The report will show how things have got to this stage, the financial position of the company and the reasons for failure." Former restaurant manager Kay Linnane, 36, claims she and her husband George, 40, of Fielding Street, Rishton, are owed about £15,000 in damages after they were sacked in December 1998.

Mrs Linnane today said that she did not know whether the liquidation would benefit them.

Birmingham-based entertainment agency Brian Yates Associates, has claimed that acts including tribute band Abbamania and comedian Billy Pearce were still owed almost £15,000 following performances at the club.

Angry diners demanded refunds in December after claiming their Christmas parties had been foodless fiascos. They were told their claims would be considered in the New Year but have heard nothing.

Mr Adamson is also sole director of a company called Bridgewater Securities Ltd and another called Bridgewater Finance. Blentford Ltd owes Yorkshire brewers John Smiths £294,201, the Inland Revenue £34,561 and Hyndburn Council £46,000.

Mr Adamson, of Knutsford, Cheshire, was unavailable for comment.

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