ONE of Darwen’s oldest pubs is being demolished to make way for a new dental practice.

The Office, in Holden Fold, formerly known as Odd Fellows, was sold by owners Barry and Lynne Leigh on Christmas Eve, and ceased trading in January.

The couple had owned the pub for 10 years, with daughter Debra Nichol, 40, in place as landlady since 2006.

After ill health, Mr and Mrs Leigh decided to sell the pub over a year ago, and were told by the new owners – a Blackburn-based dentist – that the plan was to build a new surgery on the site.

Miss Nichol said she was “heartbroken” to see the pub pulled down.

She said: “It’s so sad to see it go – it’s one of the oldest pubs in Darwen and there’s a lot of history being lost.

“We have done a lot of events at the pub, so the community is heartbroken too.

“My parents decided to sell quite a while ago – they don’t run any other pubs and just called it a day.

“I have lost my home and my job, but I am applying for other pubs in the area and am hopeful of getting one soon.”

Blackburn with Darwen Council confirmed that the building could be knocked down without planning permission because it is not listed or in a conservation area.

It ends a chequered recent history.

In May 2009, Miss Nichol was knocked unconscious in a ‘grave attack’ by her ex-partner, Terence Atkinson, at the premises.

She needed surgery to insert a metal plate into a fractured cheekbone and also suffered three broken teeth.

Last March, Miss Nichol and her new partner, Matthew Wilson, admitted growing 12 cannabis plants in the pub.

She had her licence suspended for six months.

During her tenure as landlady, Miss Nichol held several charity events, raising money for children cancer sufferers at the Royal Blackburn Hospital, buying them games and televisions.

They also raised £1,000 towards the cost of training a guide dog.