A BATTLE for the beers is raging at one of the most iconic brewing businesses in the region as the Black Sheep Brewery fights off moves to oust the controlling Theakston family.

Shareholder David Nabarro, who helped Paul Theakston set up the stand alone business 26 years ago after the original Theakston brewery was taken over, has challenged the way the business is run. He accuses the family, Paul Theakston and his sons Jo and Rob, of “mismanagement” and has launched a website called Build a Better Black Sheep.

But the company is fighting back and say it has returned to profit with a growth in sales. The latest profits were £260,000 on £19m turnover from a previous loss of £437,000. Mr Nabarro sent a letter to shareholders outlining concerns but did not address the annual meeting.

A Black Sheep spokesperson said: “Everyone at the brewery is driven and passionate to make it a continued success as a genuinely independent business, which has been built on 25 years of making some of Yorkshire and the UK’s most iconic beers, but we don’t stand still.

"We know our confidence is shared by customers, as the business has returned to profit and growing sales have led to investment in an expanded range of products.

“Every day we dedicate our efforts to supplying a growing number of outlets and stores. The company is supported by hundreds of shareholders from the local community and the comments of one shareholder activist, who has an agenda to destabilise the management of the business, should not distract us.

“We are in the final stages of plans to open a new packaging facility and expanding into outlets we will own and operate.

"Our dynamic growth plan was endorsed by the overwhelming majority of shareholders at the recent AGM where Mr Nabarro did not take the opportunity to ask questions.”

In his letter to shareholders Mr Nabarro said: “I’m afraid, as year-by-year, one disappointing annual report has followed another I have become increasingly frustrated and impatient with what I believe has been Paul, Robert and Jonathan’s mismanagement of our company.

“I believe it should now be delivered into the hands of more visionary, ambitious, energetic, professional and effective management. I believe Black Sheep’s executive management should now be entirely replaced and our company adequately refinanced, or the business sold.”