The owner of Preston Guild Hall says he will fight a legal claim which could see the venue put into liquidation.

Simon Rigby says he will defend the £70,000 claim by Bill Kenwright’s production company BKL Ltd which says it has not been paid for last year’s production of Blood Brothers.

The production was staged in October but BKL says it has not been paid for ticket sales from the show.

BKL Ltd has now issued a statutory demand to the Guild Hall and Charter Theatre which gives the venue 21 days to pay or face a winding-up petition – which could see the venue placed into compulsory liquidation to pay its creditors.

Mr Rigby said: “We are in discussions with BKL and I am aware that the long threatened legal action being commenced but this will be defended.”

Following the issue of the statutory demand, BKL’s executive director Steve Potts told theatre industry title The Stage: “I am very disappointed that, despite [our] best and repeated efforts over many months, theatre owner Simon Rigby has failed to pay BKL what it is due, contrary to the contract between the two parties and contrary to subsequent promises made by Tom Flack, chief financial officer of the Rigby Organisation.”

Read more: No risk to upcoming shows following reports of £100k debts at Preston Guild Hall

Earlier this year Mr Rigby said producers should not worry about being paid after the title reported the venue owed almost £100,000 to touring companies.

He said: “The only material dispute we have is with Bill Kenwright Ltd, which is ongoing and we are not commenting on.

“Getting paid by Preston Guild Hall should not be a concern.”