- Employees at the Blackburn plant were stunned to find it taken over with 21 caravans and 25 vehicles, as the trespassers set up camp in their workplace
- ‘Aggressive stand-off’ between firm and travellers resulted in police being called
- The travellers forced their way in to the family-run business around 8pm on Saturday and Thwaites bosses said the site has become ‘a disgusting mess’
A mob of 100 travellers have invaded the historic Thwaites Brewery and ‘evicted’ staff from entry.
Employees at the Blackburn plant were stunned to find it taken over with 21 caravans and 25 vehicles, as the trespassers set up camp in their workplace.
An ‘aggressive stand-off’ between the firm and travellers resulted in the police being called.
The travellers forced their way in to the family-run business around 8pm on Saturday and Thwaites bosses said the site has become ‘a disgusting mess’.
A mob of 100 travellers have invaded the historic Thwaites Brewery and ‘evicted’ staff from entry
Employees at the Blackburn plant were stunned to find it taken over with 21 caravans and 25 vehicles, as the trespassers set up camp in their workplace
A spokesman for the company told The Sun: ‘We have effectively been evicted from our head office and brewery site by a group of up to 100 travellers who are now denying us access in an aggressive stand-off.
‘Hourly the site is being degraded and in the space of a day has become a disgusting mess.’
The firm created a crisis centre for their customers, as they waited for the courts to open today after the bank holiday, to get an eviction notice.
Lancashire Police said the travellers were warned a number of times, before they left in the early evening yesterday.
Supt Russ Procter said: ‘Following police intervention and with cooperation from those on the site, all the travellers have now left Thwaites Brewery in Blackburn.
‘We are aware of concerns regarding alleged criminality at the brewery and are seeking to investigate any offences committed.’
A Thwaites spokeswoman Sam Thomas thanked the police and support from local MPs.
A Thwaites spokeswoman Sam Thomas thanked the police and support from local MPs
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