PROFITS at brewing, pubs and leisure giant Whitbread flowed freely last year.

The firm, which employs almost 1,000 people at its two major sites in East Lancashire, saw pre-tax profits rise by 12 per cent to £316 million in the year to March 1, in line with City expectations. Turnover topped £3 billion.

The firm is investing almost £8 million in its Samlesbury brewery and Shadsworth Distribution Depot in Blackburn.

The Samlesbury brewery, scene of angry protests this year by workers and their families over new working practices, is to see more than £7 million invested in a warehouse expansion and packaging line improvements. And £500,000 is being invested in a warehouse expansion at Shadsworth.

New investments of £55 million in the North West will create more than 1,000 new jobs, Whitbread said.

Much of the investment is being ploughed into new outlets under the Bowland Inns chain which is managed from Blackburn.

"The figures demonstrate how important an area the North West is to Whitbread," said Norman Jepson, regional director based in Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.