Blogger forced to flee town after branding it a s***-hole

A newly appointed manager of a chocolate shop had to flee his job after branding the town a "s***-hole" online.

Steve Beall (pictured) was moved from his home town in the North East to run the new Cafe Thorntons in the shipbuilding town of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, two weeks ago.

But he kept an online diary, or blog, on the popular Myspace.com website – branding his new home "rough and boring".

After news of his comments became known, locals descended on the shop – and the police had to be called. Beall, 20, has now left his post, and the boss of the chocolate firm has made a grovelling apology to the town.

The young shop manager was moved from his home in Whitley Bay, near Newcastle upon Tyne, and put up in a Travelodge hotel while he helped start up the new shop – but vented his frustrations on MySpace.

Beall, who uses the name "Stevo" online, wrote: "Well then what is there to say about Barrow in Furness apart from its a s***-hole!!

"How the hell people live there I'll never no (sic).

"It's very rough, give me Newcastle any day and staying in a Travelodge by yourself for over a week is very boring!".

The manager blasted the town after vandals smashed the shop's window the day before its official opening on December 8.

Beall wrote: "The first day I was there the little s**** put my shop window through stealing over a grand's worth of stock!!

"I've had a few shoplifters which I'm not used to. I'm tired, stressed and need to drink."

Locals rounded on the manager – and police had to be called after his comments were printed in Barrow's local paper.

A steady stream of people visited the shop to tell the manager that if he did not like Barrrow he should go elsewhere – or words to that effect.

Others said they would not be visiting the shop again.

Beall's comments have now been removed from MySpace – and he has been removed from Barrow.

In an effort to stop his chocolate sales going into meltdown, Mike Davies, the firm's chief executive, said sorry on behalf of the firm.

"On behalf of Thorntons, I would like to apologise for the disparaging comments made by one of our employees about the town of Barrow-in-Furness," Davies said.

"These comments do not reflect the company's views or those of its other employees.

"Thorntons greatly appreciated the warm welcome it has received from the people of Barrow since its store opened on December 8 and hopes to become an active participant in the local community.

"We wish everyone in Barrow-in-Furness a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. As a gesture of goodwill, anybody visiting our store until Christmas will receive a free chocolate."