Earlier this year, the Guardian ran a special investigation into the state of the town's ailing nightlife after seven of the town's 22 pubs closed in just over one year.

Now, three more pubs have been boarded up and five others have been put up for sale.

The Black Horse, in Moor Road; The Albion, in Bolton Street; and The Traveller's Rest, in Euxton, are the latest community pubs to close and three others are currently being marketed by specialist property agents Fleurets.

They are The Crown, in Chapel Street; Top Spinners, in Adlington; and The Ley Inn, in Clayton-le-Woods.

They join long-standing casualties, such as Harry's Bar and Tut 'n' Shive in the town centre.

Peter Milnes, who runs the award-winning Ley Inn, in Clayton-le-Woods, is quitting the trade after 17 years to spend more time with his family.

However, he can't find a buyer despite slashing £80,000 off the asking price.

Barbara Bond, licensee of the Top Spinners, said: "Pubs that are tied to a pub company have to buy their alcohol from that company and their prices can be double what they would be on the free market."

Former PubWatch chairman David Hamer, who runs the new-look Leigh Arms and Station Hotel in Railway Road, fears more pubs will go.

"Unless something drastic is done the whole face of public house drinking will collapse within the next 12 months," he warned.

Industry insiders blame the combination of cheap supermarket alcohol, the smoking ban and the credit crunch.