THOUSANDS of pounds' worth of wines and spirits are to go under the hammer in an auction this week following the closure of an award-winning bistro.

Pride and Provenance, a family-run business next door to the historic Piece Hall in Halifax, went into liquidation in March.

The owners said "tough trading conditions coupled with a lack of support for the hospitality industry meant that continuing with the restaurant was just not viable".

The insolvency specialists appointed to handle the winding up of the business have now instructed the help of auctioneers Eddisons.

Furniture, furnishings and other assets have been removed from the Horton Street restaurant premises to Eddisons' Scunthorpe auction centre for the sale on Thursday.

Eddisons director Paul Cooper said: "These are difficult times in the hospitality industry.

"Pride and Provenance had spectacularly good ratings on the restaurant review sites and the closure has been greeted by considerable shock and sadness.

"The problem is that the industry is currently facing multiple challenges.

"Dining out is discretionary spending so establishments are having to cope with a belt-tightening public - at the same time as they're getting hit with rising costs.

"This auction is just the latest in a string of restaurant, bistro and bar disposal sales that we've handled in the past few months."

Mr Cooper added: "Thursday's auction extends to 150 lots, over half of which are the contents of the bistro's extensive cellar.

"We're talking well over 600 bottles of wine, dozens of bottles of spirits and a wide variety of liqueurs.

"In addition to the alcohol stock, the auction includes some smart restaurant and bar furniture, plus a range of professional quality kitchen equipment.

"We have lotted the auction in such a way that members of the public have just as good a chance to get involved in the bidding as trade buyers - indeed former customers will know more about Pride and Provenance's furniture, furnishings and drink than anyone.

"It is an exclusively online sale, so people can bid from literally anywhere.

"Everything is being sold without reserve so there could well be some bargains."

The illustrated catalogue is available at auctions.eddisons.com

The sale viewing session is at the Eddisons auction centre on Dunlop Way in Scunthorpe tomorrow.

The auction is scheduled to end at 1pm on Thursday (May 23).