BLACKBURN brewery Thwaites has sold The Fernhurst pub and hotel complex in Bolton Road, Blackburn.

The venue, which is the main gathering point for visiting supporters when Blackburn Rovers are at home and boasts 30 bedrooms in its adjoining hotel, will be taken over by Greene King in January.

A spokesperson for Greene King, based in Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, said: “We can confirm that we have exchanged contracts to acquire The Fernhurst in Blackburn.

“Completion is scheduled for the beginning of January.

“We are very excited about this potential addition to our estate, which we hope to incorporate into our Destinations pub division.”

Greene King said they would not reveal plans for the future of The Fernhurst until the purchase was formally completed next month.

A spokesperson for Thwaites said: “The Fernhurst has been part of the fabric of Thwaites’ pub estate for decades, however it now requires significant investment to bring a new and fresh offering to its local customers and the away fans at Blackburn Rovers.

Recently, we’ve been concentrating on traditional coaching inns and, while we believe that The Fernhurst has a good future, it does not sit easily within the small but growing group of Thwaites Inns of Character.

“We believe that Greene King will take the site from strength to strength and it will continue to be a busy pub trading to the local food, drink and accommodation market.”