A board game café will not be reopening despite earlier reports that a relaunch was planned in November.

Dice and Donuts, which opened in November 2015, was initially launched by Millie Lavelle on Butler Street in Preston city centre after she secured funding from a Preston City Council competition.

Anthony Cutter, who also uses the name Mark, became part-owner of the business after that.

It was then announced that Dice and Donuts was closing in September last year with Mr Cutter and Ms Lavelle in dispute.

Mr Cutter, who also owns 75 Church Street in Lancaster, told of his intention to reopen the business as a sole trader in November 2018, without Millie.

It has now been confirmed that business will not reopen and the property is available to let.

LancsLive understands that 13 members of staff will be involved in an employment tribunal against their former employer Mr Cutter.

The date for the tribunal was set for March 20 in Manchester but it has been delayed until later in the year.

One former staff member, who asked to remain anonymous until after the outcome of the tribunal, said: "I'm bringing a claim against Mr Cutter because he refused to pay me for two months of my wages. I chased him up on these wages several times, and each time an excuse was given.

"Often these were meaningless and had no bearing on the fact that he still owed these wages. He made no attempt to pay them.

"He was a pleasant employer, and I did genuinely like him. There were a few communication issues, but these were mostly due to the distance between Dice and Donuts and Lancaster, where he was based.

"I'm hoping to secure the wages which are owed to me, as well as compensation for the damages caused by his actions. I also want as many people as possible to know how he conducts his business, because I believe the public need to be aware."

Mr Cutter said: "When Dice and Donuts first closed, due to an incident outside of our control, in September 2018 the management team hoped that it would only be for a short while.

"However, as time went on we had to face the reality that the business, which had already failed under the previous owner, was not viable in its current location.

"It wasn’t a decision taken lightly, but it was the only logical conclusion when considering the issues the business faced. All of the full time staff members were redeployed, and the team continues to work and play together.

"We hope to open a new project in Preston in the future, but the time isn’t right. I am working through ACAS to engage with some of the company’s former employees who have raised issues and have raised some issues of my own."

Mr Cutter declined to comment on the tribunal until after the outcome.

Millie Lavelle, the original owner of Dice and Donuts said: "What a sad, sorry mess this all is. I just wanted people to play more games."