BLACKBURN’S new market will not open on time after a company involved in the project went into administration.

Council bosses do not know how long the £8million project will be hit, and traders expecting to move into the new complex in seven weeks are meeting officials today.

The town hall, which said the events were ‘out of the council’s control’, insisted the market would continue to trade from the current Ainsworth Street site until the new centre, on the ground floor of the £66million shopping centre in Church Street, was ready.

Meanwhile, the Lancashire Telegraph understands demolition work on the current building could still begin in March – while markets continue trading inside.

This is likely to be preparatory work for when the market is finally empty.

Council chiefs are believed to be furious at the last-minute hitch, having insisted for weeks that the new market would open on time.

They have not yet learned the full impact of the demise of Allgroup, a sub-contractor in charge of electrics work.

The company could not be contacted for comment.

Andrew Hartley, who owns the Octagon, which sells cards, gifts and balloons in the market, is one trader planning to move to the new complex.

He said: “There’s nothing we can do, and we are hoping it will be within six weeks. We can cope with that.”

Coun Dave Harling said: “In the current financial climate, these type of problems are not unusual on a regeneration project of this size.”