PARANORMAL investigators have been discovering just what does go bump in the night at The Cellar restaurant in Padiham.
Ghost hunters from the Clitheroe Paranormal group descended on the Church Street restaurant at the end of September in an attempt to unearth any ghostly going-ons - and were not left disappointed.
The Cellar restaurant is set within a 16th Century coaching house and has been an established restaurant for the past 26 years.
Mr and Mrs Andrew and Vicky Foster have owned the restaurant since 1992 and Mrs Foster said some regulars talk about how the building used to be a pub in the early 1900’s.
“The building is certainly steeped in history and is regarded as one of the oldest buildings in the town,” said Mrs Foster. “We had some of our clients come in and say they used to drink in it when it was a pub.
“Me and my husband used to live in the building, in a flat upstairs, but we have never personally seen or felt anything. However customers and family members over the years have said that they have seen something or felt something. It’s certainly interesting what the investigation group were doing and it will be interesting to see what they have found out about the building.”
And it does seem that the historic building does have somewhat of a spooky past.
The team’s medium sensed that woman may have died in the upstairs dining room and several investigators had a felling of breathlessness as they walked through the room.
It was also sensed that in around 1987 a man had a heart attack, while at a wedding party in the restaurant but survived.
A possible sighting of a man in 1930’s style clothing, walking across the landing, was also made and as the night progressed one member of the team said she was poked three times in the arm.
Many members felt they were being watched and followed throughout the investigation and Mr Andrew Smith, a member of the group, said: “It was a very successful night for the group and we all enjoyed the night. I personally didn’t feel anything but some of the members felt and experienced certain things.”
Names including Jane and Emily Birtwell, Mary Meed, Jack Halstead and John Grogan were also noted the medium.
If you know of a local building that may be haunted then the paranormal experts can be contacted through their website www.clitheroeparanormal.com.