Drinkers in Keighley will have to wait an extra two months for the opening of the new JD Wetherspoon pub.

Architects for the project at the old Temperance Hall, in North Street, have announced that the pub will now open at the end of June rather than the planned date in April.

A JD Wetherspoon spokesman said: "The reason the opening is roughly eight weeks behind the original date is that the building is in a poor state of repair and as work has been carried out, a number of structural issues have had to be dealt with.

"I spoke with the architect who confirmed the pub would open on approximately June 20 to June 24.

"The architects believe that the building will have a longer life span in top condition if the extra work is carried out now, rather than, perhaps, ten years down the line.

"The building is also listed, which means the building work has to be carried out within certain constraints.

"Having said that, the pub is set to open in June and Wetherspoon is confident that people in the town will be impressed with the restoration and refurbishment of the building."

The new pub, costing £1.7m, will be called The Livery Rooms and will create 40 full and part-time jobs in the town.

Julian Buttell is an associate at architects Lawrence Beckingham Field, of London, which is transforming the former bingo hall.

He added: "We've been on site since December.

"We've stripped it out. The structural walls have been adapted and work has been done on the roof.

"The building really was in a bad state of repair and had been for sometime -- it needed proper care and attention.

"When it's finished, we're looking at a warm, inviting, modern but traditional place, something for the people of Keighley to look forward to."