REGIONAL brewer Daniel Thwaites is seeking to "de-pub" several areas in East Lancashire by preventing buyers of pubs it has put up for sale from operating them as licensed premises.

Thwaites, which has a 423-pub estate, has put eight up for sale and at least two of them are carrying restrictive covenants.

In a statement the 200-year-old Blackburn business said it had not taken the decision lightly and had only applied the covenants to "de-pub" certain areas.

Andrew Buchanan, director of pub operations, said: "......for the full story register now for free or login below...