SCORES of pubs in East Lancashire changed hands this week.

Brewing giant Scottish & Newcastle has sold its 1,400 pubs, restaurants and lodges nationally for £2.51billion, including 61 in Lancashire.

They were bought by pub group Spirit, formerly known as Punch Retail, which secured the estate, featuring the brands Chef & Brewer, T&J Bernard and Premier Lodge - following a hotly-contested auction.

S&N will concentrate on its brewing business, which makes the brands Foster's and Kronenbourg.

The deal, which still needs to be approved by S&N shareholders, leaves Spirit, based in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, as the UK's largest managed pubs owner.