It was once a thriving club for the employees of a leading Brighouse firm.

Now the building which housed Blakeborough Social and Sport Club is about to get a new lease of life thanks to its enterprising new owner.

Penelope Gibson has ambitious plans to turn the two-storey property at Bradford Road into Brighouse Emporium – a multi-use venue providing units for independent start-up businesses, a ground floor cafe, a room selling antique cabinets and curios and wall space for local artists to sell their works.

Penelope, who is in her 40s and hails from Cheshire, is bringing her experience working in retail and the hospitality sector for companies including British Airways to the new venture.

Penelope Gibson who is turning the former Bakeborough's Sports and Social Club in Brighouse in to an Emporium.

She said: “I came to Brighouse some years ago and my first experience was the 1940s weekend. It was a lovely sunny day and I fell in love with Brighouse instantly. There isn’t anywhere with the same community spirit. When the Blake’s Club came up for sale I saw a beautiful building which could be vandalised.”

Penelope made a bid for the empty building, which was rejected. “I went back to Cheshire to a Chinese restaurant feeling low,” she said. “I had a fortune cookie which had the message ‘You are going to start a new business venture’. I decided I was not going to back down.”

Penelope Gibson who is turning the former Bakeborough's Sports and Social Club in Brighouse in to an Emporium. The upstairs bar area.

When the prospective buyer pulled out, Penelope was able to acquire the imposing Victorian property. She declined to say what she paid for it, but admitted: “I was going to get it at any cost!”

Penelope has kept the message from her fortune cookie, which she plans to have framed and displayed in reception when work to transform the club is complete.

The club – known as Blakes’ – went into liquidation in 2014 following a winding up order at the High Court following its failure to pay a £55,000 debt to HM Revenue & Customs.

The club has had a turbulent past with problems dating back to 2008 when it decided to sell the bowling club, Albion, in Halifax Road, to settle its debts. The decision was opposed by members of the bowling club and significant legal costs were incurred as the issue was battled out in the courts. Despite finally obtaining permission to sell Albion, the sale never happened.

Penelope Gibson who is turning the former Bakeborough's Sports and Social Club in Brighouse in to an Emporium. The upstairs bar area.

The club building, which has about 8.000sq ft of space, still has its fixtures and fittings, including a bar, shelving, carpets, chairs and a snooker table in the basement.

Once the fixtures and fittings have gone, Penelope envisages a ground floor cafe or bistro while dividing parts of the ground floor and first floor into 30 units for start-ups and craft businesses.

Another room with its original high ceiling will display antique cabinets and rooms used as accommodation for the club steward will be converted to provide space for a business such as a beauty salon or clothing repair shop.

She plans to rent out the units at affordable rates to provide a starting point for new businesses and hopes to be able to show prospective tenants around the building during the first weekend of June – when Brighouse staged this year’s 1940s festival.

Penelope, who has been supported in the venture by fiance Glen Warnsley and family members, said: “I’m going to listen to all business ideas. Everything is one the table because I cannot think of all the different types of business there could be.”