THE Duke of Kent enjoyed a pint when he officially opened the new Wharfedale Brewery last week.

The brewery at Hetton, near Skipton, has moved into bottled beers and is targeting outlets in Wensleydale.

Its dbut beer, Folly Ale, was introduced in mid-September, followed by a second, stronger real ale, Executioner. Both are now available in bottles.

Steve Blizzard, joint director, said their draught ales were now on tap in some 30 free trade outlets across the area. Their bottled beers, targeted at the regional catering and off-licence sectors, are already being extremely well received.

"However, they will not be available in supermarkets as we are here to support local merchants such as wine shops, hotels, restaurants and cafes," said Mr Blizzard. "It is all about satisfying local demand and we shall target an area from Wensleydale to Keighley, Settle to Harrogate. We are here as a serious business to support and work with our local communities."

He and joint director David Aynesworth are delighted with the reception their beer has had since the brewery was launched.

"We have been very pleased with the reception our beer has had," he said. "Customers are re-ordering and coming back for more and it's a great pleasure to see this happening. We thank everyone for their support."

The new brewery was officially opened by the Duke of Kent duringhis visit to the area