BURNLEY brewery Moorhouses plans to own pubs in every major town within a 150-mile radius.
At the offical opening of a 100,000 extension at the Accrington Road brewery, general manager Mr David Grant announced the companys long-term plans which will be music to the ears of real ale buffs.
He said it was embarking on the acquisition trail to add beacon community pubs to its existing tenanted estate.
It already owns The General Scarlett, The Stanley and the Wheatsheaf in Burnley, having recently sold The Dragoon, and out of town it has the Dusty Miller in Bury, the Pendle Witch in Atherton, and has recently acquired the Craven Heifer in Rawtenstall.
Now it plans to expand its estate with flagship pubs throughout the North West and Yorkshire over the next few years to sell its award-winning real ales such as Black Cat, which was the supreme champion beer of Britain in 2000, and its celebrated Pendle Witches Brew.
This follows a busy and prosperous two years for the company, which have seen volumes rise by 16% and gross profits by some 40%.
Developments during this time have included introducing new corporate and product branding, and investment in its six tied pubs and in the brewery plant.
Thursday nights opening of the new extension to provide a suite of offices is part of the companys ongoing expansion. It was performed by the countrys top beer writer, Mr Roger Protz, editor of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.
He was making his first trip to Burnley from his home in St Albans, and heaped praise on small independent breweries like Moorhouses, which he said were to beer what wine is to France.
Moorhouses employs around 50 full and part-time staff and Mr Grant said it had won more awards than any other brewery of its size in the country.
He said the company is looking for strong, traditional, community pubs that will lend themselves to being turned into proper cask ale houses, that eventually will not stock keg beers or mainstream lagers.