An Otley-based bar chain that was celebrating a major expansion just a year ago has gone into administration.

The Suburban Style Bar group owns 12 freehold pubs and bars mostly in Yorkshire, including the Drinker’s Delights in Otley and a Suburban Style Bar in Horsforth.

The company, set up in 2000, seemed to be flourishing in early 2008 when a £1.6 million funding package from the Allied Irish Bank allowed it to buy eight more freehold pubs and two leaseholds.

But last Thursday the group appointed Zolfo Cooper as joint administrators to Suburban Style Holdings Limited and The Suburban Style Bar Company Limited.

The news comes in the same week that revelations have emerged that JD Wetherspoon has tried to sell the Grade II Listed Bowling Green on Bondgate which has remained boarded since it was bought by them three years ago.

The Suburban Style Bar Company’s administrators are actively marketing each of its properties for sale but in the meantime an interim management company, Licensed Solutions, has taken over the running of the firm with its bars continuing to trade.

The business’s fortunes are believed to have been hit by problems linked to both the recession and the smoking ban, with a subsequent drop in consumer spending.

Managing director Andy Longman, now of Menston, set up the SSBC while living above the Otley bar on Bridge Street but its headquarters are now in Bradford, where six of its eight staff have been made redundant.

Zolfo Cooper partner Graham Wild said: “Despite this announcement I would like to reassure customers that it is business as usual for the group’s popular bars and pubs, as we will be continuing as normal while we explore all options for the business.

“We remain hopeful of securing the future of the business as the sites enjoy strong brand identities and play an important role in the local community. This is an attractive investment opportunity for any interested buyers.”

An advertisement listing the Bowling Green as available for investment, where the buyer would have leased it to Market Town Taverns – which runs Coopers in Guiseley and Ilkley’s Bar t’at – can still be viewed on chartered surveyors Westlake & Co’s website.

In July JD Wetherspoon told this newspaper that the company intended to start work on a £1.2 million re-development of the site on October 1, and that the pub was due to open in January next year with the creation of 30 jobs.

Asked about the current situation, a spokesman for the pub chain said: “We’ve always made it clear that we own the property and have done so since 2006.

“"We are going to open a pub on the site. The company has numerous pubs it is developing and some open earlier than others. The Otley one is one of those where we just don’t have a site date or opening date yet, but hopefully a date will be given soon.”

Managing director of Market Town Taverns, Ian Fozard, confirmed: “We had hopes that we would get the Bowling Green and redevelop and reopen it. However, in the last few weeks Wetherspoon’s have decided not to sell it.

“It’s no secret we want to be in Otley but until we find the right premises we can’t.”

Otley’s MP, Greg Mulholland, has written to JD Wetherspoon to urge the company to push on with redeveloping what he describes as a landmark site.

He said: “This is very disappointing news about the former Bowling Green. It is a landmark pub on the main road in to Otley and has now been empty for three years.

“We currently have several pubs temporarily closed, not because they have failed, but because the company who owns them hasn’t decided what they want to do with them.

“Local people aren’t greatly interested in which pub company owns where, they just want good local pubs serving good local beer and a good atmosphere.”