PRINT union leaders were today due to meet the new management team at Crown Wallcoverings in Darwen to discuss the future of the site.

Terry Thompson was leading a delegation from the Graphical, Paper and Media Union for its first meeting with the CWV group which bought the company from the receivers last week. And he was hopeful there would be good news for the remaining 92 shopfloor workers at Belgrave Mills.

"I hope the takeover will be a positive move for the workforce," he said. "It has been a very traumatic summer, both for the people who were made redundant and for those who kept their jobs. The new management team has been positive and has taken the time to speak face to face with workers at all Crown Wallcoverings sites.

"We look forward to working with the new owners to secure the future of our members in Darwen. It can only be good news that Crown is back under British control again."

Crown Wallcoverings, part of the American-owned Imperial Home Decor Group, went into receivership at the end of June and more than 200 workers at Darwen were made redundant in July. The company has been acquired by the CWV Group, part of the Trevor Hemmings empire, which manufactures wallpaper under the Vymura, Coloroll and Wilman brands.

Mr Hemmings is one of the UK's wealthiest businessmen, with an interest in more than 100 UK companies. He moved into the wallpaper sector when he bought Hyde-based Vymura in 1999 for £28.9 million. Later that year, it took over Coloroll at Nelson and closed the factory with the loss of 300 jobs when it moved production to Hyde.

The plight of the redundant Crown workers was highlighted at the TUC Congress earlier this week when GPMU general secretary Tony Dubbins called for tough new employment laws.

He said: "The case of our members at Darwen proves why action needs to be taken to protect workers. There was no consultation, there was no redundancy money, and staff are still owed other money."