BLACKBURN-BASED Daniel Thwaites has continued its £2m investment programme for 2011 with improvements to five of its tenanted pubs.

The brewery has spent £341,500 on pub refurbishments over the past few months.

The company have completed a £51K refurbishment the Black Bull in Ribchester.

Other improvements were made at The Black Bull at Starling, The Queens at Bradley Fold, The Beechwood in Runcorn and The Ship at Teanford.

Another recent investment closer to home is the £600,000 transformation of the Oyster and Otter on Livesey Branch Road in Feniscowles.

Between 50 and 60 pub investments are outlined for this year compared with 30 schemes in 2010.