Shock as indoor play area announces it will be 'closed until further notice' and put up for sale

In an announcement posted to Facebook, Knuckleheads in Cleveleys blamed the sudden closure on 'family health issues'.

"Due to this we have decided to put the business up for sale," it added, urging anyone interested in buying the company to get in touch by email.

The popular attraction, which served food and had a coffee bar as well as bouncy castles and arcade rides, opened late last year in the old ice rink at Jubilee Leisure Park on the Promenade.

The building has had a chequered past after originally being built with the adjacent Vue cinema as a bowling alley.

It eventually opened in 2011 as an ice rink called Sub Zero but financial problems followed and, after once re-opening, the owners had to give up.

It was taken over by new owners and ran as Jubilee Ice Arena until 2014 before that too came to an end.

A community interest company was formed to try to keep it open but that too finished in October 2015.

Knuckleheads director Wendy Bickerstaffe said last year: “The building was not really big enough for an ice rink, the arena was not full size so it was hard to sustain.

“We have spent around £250,000 on Knuckleheads.

“The rink has been taken out by the owners but having been left unused for so long the place was damp and there was rust on some of the beams and mould. It has taken a lot of hard work to get it into top condition.”

News of the sudden closure was met with dismay by customers on Facebook.

Valerie Wootton wrote: "So sorry to read this I hope everyone's alright. I know my boys will be upset when I tell them they loved come here. Xx"

Maxine Morrison added: "That's a shame my grandchildren loved coming here wishing you and your family all the best x"

And Cathy Mullan Lancaster said: "Oh no the kids loved going there how sad. Hope someone takes it over xx"

Nobody at Knuckleheads could immediately be reached for a comment.