Proposals to refurbish a prominent Northampton town centre sports pub as a “premium” dining venue look to be in doubt after the venue’s owners listed the building for sale.

The Eastgate, at the top end of Abington Street closed on September 5, after it was announced the nightspot would be undergoing a major overhaul.

Owners McManus Pubs, based in Northampton, revealed plans to turn the two-storey nightspot into a “premium casual dining venue.”

However that now appears to be in doubt after the empty pub appeared for sale on the website of business agents Christie Co, listed at a going price of £575,000.

The listing states the Eastgate has a “prominent town centre location adjacent to the main retail area”, “open-plan” bars over two floors and a first floor patio area.

Company director Paul McManus was unavailable for comment yesterday.

However back in August he said plans were to revamp the former Wetherspoons pub, which had been serving a grill-type venue and used to screen a number of live sporting events.

Mr McManus said back in August: “We are closing on September 5 and looking to start work at the end of 2015, to open in early to mid-2016.

“It will become more of a food led, premium casual dining concept.

“We knew when we bought it, we would need to invest in it.”

When it closed the venue employed eight people, some of whom were offered jobs elsewhere in the company, Mr McManus said.

McManus Pubs currently owns 19 venues in the Northampton area, including Barratts Club on Kingsthorpe Road, as well as running two in Essex.