Here is an amazing photo in 1986 as work started to pull down the former Dutton’s Brewery to make way for Morrisons.

When the producers of the famous ‘Old Ben’ bottled ale, a Second World War forces favourite also know as ‘O Be Joyful’, sent out its last pints of what was then Whitbread Trophy Bitter in 1978 it was still one of three breweries in the town,

Founded in 1799, Duttons had become a major North-West beer supplier with tied houses right across the North-West and into Yorkshire.

The brewery on High Street was closed for production in 1978 and then Matthew Brown was controversially axed by Scottish and Newcastle in 1991.

In 1964 Dutton’s had been taken over by national giant Whitbread and it brewed its last beer in Blackburn 14 years later.

It took some time before the building was finally taken down in 1986 for the site, along with that of the former Lancashire Telegraph offices, to be redeveloped by the fast-growing Morrisons chain.

Do you have any old photos of Duttons or memories of family members working there then you should email robert.kelly@nqnw.co.uk to tell us more.