A BREWERY boss today announced the end of an iconic Huddersfield nightclub - and the promise of a new future.

But the decision by London And Edinburgh Inns to shut Johnnys will be regarded as a sad one by thousands of Huddersfield people.

Many had visited the Beast Market club over the years and regarded it as a vital feature of the town's nightlife for decades.

It served its last drink in the early hours of Sunday January 22 - and simply did not open last weekend.

The first clubgoers knew of the closure was a notice pinned to the door last weekend.

The decision to close was outlined by Hugh Hendry, the hotel chain's regional manager.

He said: "We have taken the decision that in its current form Johnnys has gone as far as it can go. It's not doing anything financially.

"We have looked at the sums and they are not adding up when you look at the running costs against the revenue.

"There has been an explosion of nightlife in other parts of Huddersfield recently."

But Mr Hendry promised that the club would be redeveloped as another nightspot - but will not be called Johnnys.

He said plans were at an early design stage.

"It will be a night venue with a new identity," he said.

"We are evaluating that whole side of the business and how we will re-invest in it.

"We have no idea of the timescale as yet."

He said he hoped the nightclub's full-time staff could be redeployed in the hotel complex. Many of the others who worked in the nightclub were casual workers.

The doorstaff came from an outside agency.

Mr Hendry said the hotel was doing very well and had had an excellent Christmas, which had seen a big rise in food sale from Christmas parties.

Johnnys was run by brothers Joe and Johnny Marsden for 34 years.

But the story starts back in 1953, when Mrs Delia Marsden - now 87 - and her late husband, Joe, set up a transport cafe in Southgate, when traffic was using the A62 to cross the Pennines, before the building of the M62.

In 1969 the couple's sons went into business themselves. Joe was only 16, so their new nightspot was named after Johnny, who was 25.

They acquired the former Bull's Head pub in Beast Market and transformed it into Johnnys nightclub.

It opened its doors on Friday December 19, 1969 and its capacity grew to more than 1,000 people.

Since selling in 2003, the brothers have retained the Huddersfield Central Lodge Hotel in Beast Market and also own several commercial properties in the town centre.

Joe is now 52 and Johnny is 61.

Joe said: "The Huddersfield Hotel and Johnnys nightclub complex was never for sale. But we were approached by London and Edinburgh, who made us an offer to sell.

"We had five decades there, had a real ball and made lots of friends.

"If it is going to be refurbished, renamed and re-opened we wish them all the very best."

Joe said thousands of people would always remember Johnnys.