THE future of Wood Norton Conference Centre is looking increasing bleak and it could face closure with the loss of more jobs, the owner warned this week.

John O'Grady, who bought the centre from American property dealer Rick Hvizdak more than two years ago, said that a series of problems since the hotel went into receivership at the end of last year had led to a critical situation.

"At the moment it is not financially viable," he said. "If this situation persists, closure could be the only way forward - and that would mean the loss of 35 long-term jobs."

Mr O'Grady said that plans had been drawn up to sell the conference centre to Blackpool-based NST Travel Group - an educational company which had planned to use it for outdoor pursuits for children.

Mr O'Grady said: "With the money they were prepared to pay, I intended to re-open the hotel and re-employ the staff who lost their jobs last year.

"But NST made it clear its offer was conditional on including a parcel of land behind the centre which is still owned by the BBC. Although the BBC had been offering to sell it to the hotel for three years, they suddenly said they would not sell it at any price."

NST product development manager Ian Terry confirmed that he had authorised Mr O'Grady to offer £100,000 over the market value to obtain the site but the offer had still been refused.

BBC spokesman Janet Morrow confirmed there had been a three-year option to buy the land which had been offered to the hotel, but which had now expired.

"We are under no obligation to sell the land to anyone," she added.

Mr O'Grady said the conference centre had also been hit when electricity and telephone lines to the hall were disconnected because they covered both sites.