THWAITES should bear the brunt of the blame for the decline of the former Griffin pub, a councillor has claimed.

The pub, which has fallen into disrepair and is to be knocked down to make way for new housing, was sold to the council by the brewery with a restrictive covenant preventing it from being used as a pub.

And Cllr Jim Casey said the brewery had done a poor job securing the site, making it a target for squatters and vandals.

The council’s planning and highways committee yesterday approved proposals to demolish the Georgian pub building as part of a scheme to clear the Griffin regeneration area for the building of 150 new homes.

The scheme was delayed for seven years by the refusal of two home owners to sell the final properties needed for the scheme in Mill Hill.

Cllr Casey said: “Thwaites putting a covenant on it was a cynical move and they also secured it poorly. There were squatters in there and the place was left to go to wrack and ruin.

“We were left with a building not fit for purpose and Thwaites have to take some responsibility for that.”

But Thwaites bosses say the council went into the situation with its eyes open.

A spokesman said: “When the council bought the property it was completely secure, in a good state of repair and with no squatters.

“They had full knowledge that it could not be used as a pub and bought it as part of a comprehensive redevelopment plan.”

Calls had been made for the Griffin building to form part of the proposed new development but council bosses say the state of it meant the only option was to knock it down.

Blackburn with Darwen Council development manager Gavin Prescott said the building was now in a state of disrepair and was attracting anti-social behaviour.

Cllr Casey added: “This is a good scheme and it has been a long time coming.”

Cllr Jamie Groves said: “The building is an absolute state inside. It is sad and I am all for keeping the heritage of the town alive but there is a bigger picture we need to look at.”

Earlier this month, members approved proposals to grant delegated powers to deputy chief executive Denise Park and regeneration and resources bosses, councillors Phil Riley and Andy Kay, to select a preferred bidder for the development and negotiate terms.

Council bosses say the site is now ready to be offered for development for new housing.

And interested developers have expressed a desire to buy the land, which will be split into two development phases, as one site to develop family housing.

Since 2008 the council has been actively working to buy properties by agreement in the Griffin area.