By Chris Story and Sarah Newstead

Last updated 10:57, Saturday, 22 March 2008

ANOTHER Carlisle bar is to shut as the city’s nightlife casualty list continues to grow.

Feeling the pinch: Litten Tree in Botchergate

Time will be called at The Litten Tree on Botchergate by the beginning of next week – despite assurances from its owners just a month ago that it was not earmarked for closure.

The Laurel Pub Company, which is reportedly facing severe financial difficulties, now plans to sell the Englishgate Plaza pub building .

A spokeswoman said: “Its closure is due to the impact of the smoking ban and difficult trading conditions.”

She was unable to confirm the number of staff employed there, but added that efforts were underway to relocate employees elsewhere within the bar chain.

It is, however, understood that those facing the prospect of losing their jobs include some of the 11 who used to work at the former Yates’s Wine Lodge – another Laurel pub – who were transferred to The Litten Tree when it closed just a few weeks ago.

Carlisle’s once-booming nightlife scene has been dealt a series of severe pub, club and restaurant closure blows since the new year.

They include The Lemon Lounge in Fisher Street, Leonardo’s in Lonsdale Street, Liquid at West Walls, and Baby Love on Botchergate. Casa, also on Botchergate, is under new management.

New investors, meanwhile, are also being sought to keep The Brickyard in Fisher Street afloat after the company which owns it had a winding up order placed on it.

The state of the economy – with less people going out and spending money – and increased competition have been highlighted as reasons behind some of the closures.

But despite the spate of shutdowns, many city bar bosses remain optimistic about the future.

Matt Potts, manager of Weatherspoons’ Lloyds No1 Bar on Botchergate, said: “We are doing really well.

“I think there’s more to it than just saying there’s not enough people to go round. On a Saturday night, we sometimes have 600 people in here. We get a lot of backing [from Weatherspoons] and I can understand it’s a lot harder for individuals to compete.

“We always hear about places closing down but all we’ve seen is more and more people coming out.

“Unit opened two years after us and they are still here doing good business. So is the Woodrow Wilson. It’s not like every pub is doing badly.”

The Laurel Pub Company is reportedly poised to go into administration after billionaire owner Robert Tchenguiz failed to find buyers for up to 100 loss-making sites.

National reports suggested property entrepreneur Mr Technguiz is planning to launch a bid to buy back the profitable sites after the group’s collapse.

Laurel – which owns around 460 pubs and restaurants in the UK – declined to comment on the administration speculation, except to say “negotiations continue” over debt refinancing and sale of loss-making outlets.