AN ambitious plan to make Bolton the home of a new national museum of food has been put on the back burner.

The multi-million pound scheme was aimed at setting up The Great British Kitchen at Horwich.

But no agreement has been reached on the sale of the former Wallsuches Bleachworks alongside Chorley Old Road, Horwich.

The building is due to be advertised on the open market.

And the director of the development company involved in the project admitted that they are looking at other sites.

Mr Scott Antony, executive director of Gloucester-based Keystone Leisure Development Ltd said: "We would still very much like to come to Horwich.

"But the site is now going on the market and we have to look at other options."

Mr Marcus Aspinall, director of Arcon Engineering, which owns the former bleachworks, said: "We are in discussions with our advisers as to the best way to market the site."

The idea of the Great British Kitchen has the backing of major national figures in the food industry, most notably Pru Leith.

It would trace the history of food through the ages - from the Stone Age to the present day .

It would be a celebration of the best of British cooking and there would be food-making demonstrations and there would be "themed" restaurants on the site.

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