CUMBRIAN brewer Jennings Brothers is delighted with the pub it has acquired near Bury and is looking for more. The Cockermouth-based company is expanding steadily outside its traditional Lake District heartland. Earlier this year it acquired the Red Lion at Hawkshaw and others are now under consideration.

"We hope to have a couple of dozen more pubs in Greater Manchester and Lancashire over the next five years," said Tied Trade Director Robin Barton.

Jennings Brothers, whose head brewer is former Bolton School pupil Frank Smith, currently has 109 houses including the Red Lion (the only one in Greater Manchester), two in Lancashire, one on the Yorkshire/Lancashire border and 16 in the North-east.

Nearer home the company is particularly strong in the Keswick area. Mr Barton is currently on the look-out for high-quality outlets suitable for a transplant of solid Lakeland pub qualities such as good beer, good value food and good surroundings.

"I would like more sites in the Bolton area," Mr Barton said.

"It is a traditional town with traditional values."

He said the brewery was delighted with customers' reaction to their acquisition of the Red Lion.

There would be investment in extending the kitchen area and the idea was to develop both the pub, restaurant and accommodation trade - it has five rooms to let.

Jennings Brothers, which was founded in 1828, is now the only long-standing independent brewery in Cumbria.

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