TWO off licences in East Lancashire are set to close after administrators were called in at a national drinks firm.

Around 320 jobs, including several in Blackburn and Accrington, will be lost as the result of the move by Wine Cellar Ltd, which runs the Booze Busters chain.

Branches in Wensley Road, Blackburn, and Whalley Road, Accrington, are set to shut under proposals by administrators Deloitte.

Previously a branch in Market Street, Bacup was also closed down.

But outlets in Church Street, Barnoldswick, Union Road, Oswaldtwistle and New Chapel Street, Blackburn, have survived the cull.

The firm runs 170 off licences, mainly in the North West, with 60 head office jobs in Runcorn, Cheshire, as part of the moves.

Joint administrator Bill Dawson said: “We are pleased to announce the sale of the majority of the Wine Cellar outlets.

“The sale includes 109 stores, which will secure around 640 jobs at these outlets and around 60 staff from head office.

“The administrators are not in a position to continue trading the remaining 61 stores which have not been sold.

“These stores have been closed and unfortunately around 320 employees have been made redundant.

“We will be working closely with the Redundancy Payments Office to provide support for these staff.”

Most of the retail shops and stock has been sold to EFB Retail, based in Walsall, in the West Midlands.