SEVENTEEN jobs were axed by Blackburn brewers Daniel Thwaites in a restructuring move. Compulsory notices were served on staff in the estates department. A spokesman for the company said: "The changes were not due to a downturn in trade, but were in relation
BLACKBURN Council was urged to appoint an £11,500-a-year troubleshooter to lead the war against graffiti. The one-year contract was recommended by assistant chief executive Phil Watson as part of a £27,500 package to fight vandalism. But Coun Mike Madigan
MULTI-MILLION pound plans to build a new mental health unit look set to go ahead. Hospital chiefs have applied for planning permission for a purpose-built unit for people with acute mental health problems, at Blackburn's Queens Park Hospital. The aim
MULTI-MILLION pound plans have been unveiled for a massive leisure complex in Blackburn town centre. The scheme, which would include a multi-screen cinema, bowling alley and restaurants, would create at least 200 new jobs. Peel Developments, the company
FOR the second week in a row, John Blunt (LET, March 11) has attacked the Queen and cast doubts on the future of the monarchy in Britain. I personally think that, not for the first time, Mr Blunt is writing a load of twaddle. John Blunt knows very well
A FURIOUS ex-Labour councillor has attacked Tony Blair's Labour Party as "a waste of time" and aims to fight as an independent. Ted Hillman resigned from the council and Labour Party when deselected in a secret ballot to pick candidates for the forthcoming
THE tragic murder of Paul Rothwell has highlighted nationally the problems in Bank Top, Blackburn. Jack Straw is our MP and held his surgery only yards from where this happened. Is he aware of the problems? Does he care? What's he doing about it? Mr Straw
TV viewers may wonder if our spoken English is being destroyed if they are watching the current series Premier Passions shown on Tuesday evenings. I refer to the story of Sunderland FC and their struggle for survival in top flight football. Manager Peter
IN RESPONSE to Gerri Parker's remarks in "Students don't know facts" (Letters, March 9), we, the students of Blackburn College, would like to clarify some misunderstandings. This was a national day of action, and that any disruption to examinations was
REGARDING the compilation of the booklet "The Buildings of Blackburn" by the town's Civic Society (LET, March 3), the town may be of interest to tourists and visitors by reason of the many and varied features of its buildings, but the reputation of the
Mark Templeton Surfs the Net IF you are already connected to the net, you are officially information-rich. Congratulations. If you are not, you are information-poor, which is a bad thing. And if you are still information-poor in 2000, blame the government
The Entertainers, with Valerie Cowan KATHLEEN Ferrier died almost 45 years ago, but for the millions of fans she has around the world, her voice will live on forever. Kathleen was born just a few miles from Blackburn, at Higher Walton. She moved to Blackburn
RAY Ingleby is considering a new offer for Burnley Football Club after a meeting with the full board. But that means there will be further frustrating delay as the takeover saga drags on. Rival bidder Peter Shackleton, backed by a Canadian broker and
DION Dublin's Wembley dream was shattered at Bramall Lane last night but it could be the key to a multi-million pound move to Ewood Park, writes PETER WHITE. For Blackburn Rovers look set to step up their interest in the new England striker, following
AWS (North) Final 2nd leg: Burnley 0 Grimsby Town 2 (agg 1-3) - Pete Oliver's big match verdict "AT LEAST now we can concentrate on the league" goes the old joke after bowing out of a cup competition. But it's no laughing matter for Burnley who are faced
FANS of Bolton Wanderers can look forward to an upper-crust experience - off the field, at least - after a catering deal was struck with pie firm Hollands. The Baxenden firm has won the contract to supply pies to catering firm Ring & Brymer which
A CARPET underlay firm is showing it's the best of British this week. Duralay is joining forces with five UK carpet designers and manufacturers for the Ideal Home Exhibition which starts at Earls Court tomorrow. The Haslingden firm will be showing its
HOLIDAY giant Airtours is set to launch a customer loyalty scheme. The Helmshore firm is the first travel company in the country to introduce the scheme which includes a discount card and a Visa card. Holidaymakers will be able to use the discount cards
FORMER headmaster Gerry Burns went to see Geordie singer Jimmy Nail give a sell-out show at King George's Hall on Saturday - but was more interested in the support act. Gerry's real reason for seeing the show was his niece, Ursula, who is touring with
RON O'Keefe (Letters, March 12) mentions councillors and their "perks." Does a mayor of a town do mayor's duties voluntarily? Do the mayor's helpers do it as a voluntary thing? Do they get a clothes allowance? Does anybody know? MRS MICHELLE PICKERING
I WOULD like to thank all of the people who sent me goodwill messages and cards during my recent illness - so many that it would be impossible to answer them all personally. It is often said that you are soon forgotten, but I have been overwhelmed by
A PLEA has gone out for help to look after an historic churchyard with rare Celtic crosses. A request for funds for Whalley churchyard fell on stony ground at a Ribble Valley Council meeting, and now Whalley and Little Mitton Parish Council wants the
The reintroduction of "Sunday Night at The London Palladium" was a bigger flop than a Richard Branson hot air balloon and left this viewer sadly deflated. Dannii Minogue's hair looked a cross between 'Spider' in Coronation Street and an advert for "Bouquet
CARL Fogarty recorded the third fastest time in today's test session at Phillip Island in Australia, the venue for Sunday's opening round of the 1998 Superbike Championship. Fogarty was third quickest behind Castrol Honda's Aaron Slight, whose time was
IT WAS a Budget as devoid of glitter as Chancellor Gordon Brown's own personality - straightforward, but hardly exciting. It was aimed at helping the poor and was mostly painless for Middle England. But if there was a theme to New Labour's first real
Nature Watch, with Ron Freethy PARADISE is close at hand for the budding birdwatcher. Martin Mere is run by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and is situated on the A59 between Preston and Liverpool. It can be reached from East Lancashire in less than an
The John Blunt column JACK Straw used to have it in for the "squeegee merchants." Now, the Home Secretary has joined them - by washing away the problem of the 55,000 bogus refugees in Britain. Because immigration officials have a seven-year backlog of
BELEAGUERED Burnley boss Chris Waddle will not walk out on the Clarets' fight for Second Division survival. Sections of the Turf Moor crowd turned on Waddle as Burnley lost 2-0 to Grimsby Town last night to miss out on a Wembley final of the Auto Windscreens
