The "king post" roof inside the barn, which the conservationists believe is of great historical interest but which Mr Lord claims is a danger.

Burnley chairman Bob Lord yesterday, 10th February 1975, refuted suggestions that the 17th century barn at Gawthorpe is of any historic interest. The barn has become the subject of a dispute between the football club, who want to demolish part of it, and conservationists who fear the loss of a building of historical interest. Mr Lord said yesterday: "The barn has become a tremendous danger and is completely unsafe. But it's not worth saving anyway. I'm all for saving old buildings if they are worth saving. But this old barn is not exactly like Westminster Abbey." Mr Lord paid a special trip to Gawthorpe yesterday to point out the structural defects in the building, which is situated on the Burnley FC training headquarters. The barn, situated next to the changing rooms, has in the past been used for training facilities. But seven weeks ago the Burnley players stopped using any of the premises and now change at Turf Moor before travelling by coach to Gawthorpe for training.

Mr Lord said: "The building's in such a bad way that we daren't let the players use it. The woodwork in the roof is completely rotten and the wall is in such a bad state it's dangerous even to people walking past outside. The brickwork bulges out about 18 inches and could fall either inside or out." Two years ago Lancashire County Council offered Burnley FC a grant of £750 towards improvements at Gawthorpe. But the offer has never been taken up. Now the football club claim that work needed to make the building safe would cost £20,000. Meanwhile, the National Trust, who own Gawthorpe Hall, yesterday voiced their concern over the plans. Regional Information Officer Mr Christopher Hanson-Smith rang the Burnley Express to say: "We were worried to hear about the threat to the barn. We would deplore the loss of any listed building and, in this case, if the barn is demolished it would affect the view from the hall. The hall and its outbuildings, including the barn, really form a collection of buildings. We would hope that some way could be found to save the barn."