BOSSES of a Blackburn nightspot have assured clubbers that the venue has a bright future in the town.

Luminar Leisure, which owns the St Peter Street club Liquid and Envy, announced this week it was considering closing a number of its venues across the UK after a drop in trading.

But the Blackburn nightclub, which was rebranded from Jumpin' Jaks and refurbished before re-opening in December, is safe.

Luminar blamed its Jumpin' Jaks bars for an eight per cent decline in the latest like-for-like sales of the entertainment division in the five weeks to January And according to analysts the new licensing laws could also be to blame for the fall in profit.

But Luminar and other East Lancashire entertainment venues said today that 24-hour drinking had had little impact on their businesses.

A spokesman for the company said: "It's gone the other way for us, with regard to the drinking laws and, if anything, it's been busier.

"We have reported excellent results and we've had good feedback from the police from most of the towns and cities in the country.

"In Blackburn we've been working to the usual high standards of operation as we normally do."

Entrepreneurial Leisure, who own Heaven and Hell in Lord Square, has closed its Blackpool nightclub because of "seasonally low trade" but vowed it would re-open in March.

And general manager of the club in Blackburn, Adele Lord, said business was booming.

"We seem to be getting busier if anything and the number of incidents have decreased over the last two months," she said.

"The pubs seem to be benefiting from it and we seem to be benefiting as well.

"We've been able to extend our licensing hours and people are coming to us a bit later in the evening. They're taking their time with their drinks rather than rushing them down."

Trish Barnes, chairman of the Blackburn License Victuallers' Association, added: "There's been no difference in trade whatsoever "People are still coming out but it's probably more relaxed. I think there's a lot more tending to stay in their locals a lot longer rather than rushing down town."

Nobody from Lar De Dars nightclub in Accrington was available for comment.