A Blackburn town centre venue has reopened as hotel for the first time in more than a decade.

The Queens Apart'Hotel is next to Blackburn Library on Town Hall Street and has undergone renovations in excess of £80,000.

The hotel has six apartments, of which three have two bedrooms and three have one bedroom.

Room rates start at £85 and there is a sports bar on the ground floor.

Waqas Mirza, of The Hotel Group Blackburn who is managing the project, said he was delighted to be bringing life back into the building.

He said: “The former Queens hotel had been shut for a long time.

“It is located next door to Blackburn Library and I felt the location is perfect for people travelling into Blackburn. With the success of the King’s Hotel which was recently awarded planning permission I thought it would be a great addition to the portfolio.

“Investing in the town centre can only be good for the community. At a time where the big retailers are leaving the town centre, small business owners like myself need to help to keep the town centre going.

"The hotel is based within a conservation area where the council have recently spent some money refurbishing four shops on Town Hall Street opposite the hotel."

Lancashire Telegraph:

The building was formerly the North Bar and made a name for itself enticing acts such as The Fall and bass legend Peter Hook to perform in a more ‘intimate setting’.

It had been subject to redevelopment plans in the past but had remained empty.

Waqas said: “We acquired the building in November last year and the majority of the work required had been done. The property just needed some extra work doing it to bring it up to the standards we needed.”

Waqas said the budget for the project was £50,000 but with the addition of the sports bar total investment into the venue will be in the region on £80,000.

He added: “We also have a breakfast and lunch menu available between 8am and 5pm through our partnership with the recently opened Blank Cafe.”

In December, Waqas announced he had won an appeal to extend the King’s Hotel on King Street hotel into the adjoining Hornby House.

That building is one of the oldest in the town and Hornby House is the birthplace of A.N. Hornby, who played for Blackburn Rovers and captained England in both cricket and rugby union.

In June, the hotel group announced the opening of the the Hotel Royal, based in Simmons Street, close to the newly opened Saffron Street Restaurant and Toro’s Steak House.

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