THE £600,000 refurbishment of Blackburn market’s ‘grubby floor’ has moved a step closer after the borough agreed a cash settlement with administrators of the two collapsed firms which did the original work.

Officials are awaiting a consultants’ report on renovating the controversial surface and have bought new state-of-art cleaning equipment.

Traders are keen for cash raised from the confidential legal deal - understood to be between £10,000 and £20,000 less than the council originally claimed - spent urgently on improving market facilities.

In January, Blackburn with Darwen council’s executive board set aside £679,000 to renovate the floor of the two-year-old £8 million Market Hall while talks continued.

Executive member of regeneration Maureen Bateson said the council is awaiting a report and new cleaning equipment has been brought in.

She said: “The settlement is a reasonable financial basis for concluding the contract.”

The renovation is expected later this year.

Main contractor’s Browns and their flooring sub-contractor both went into administration and council lawyers lodged a claim with the accountants who took charge of their activities over who paid for the new work.

Daniel Moffett, owner of Butler’s Family Restaurant, said: “There is a lot they need to do in the market. They could start by retraining the staff how to clean the floor properly.”

Malcolm Marsden, of Whitaker’s Butcher, said: “There is a lot more they need to do, including improving the air-conditioning and cutting the service charges.”