KEIGHLEY'S world-famous Timothy Taylor brewery has completed a £12 million investment programme.

The installation of a new boiler at the historic Knowle Spring site is the culmination of sweeping improvements carried out over the past few years.

New offices have been built and a transport depot developed.

And there has been a £2.7m extension to the brewery, cold hop store and effluent treatment plant.

The installation of six new fermenting vessels has enabled the company to produce an extra 15,000 barrels of beer a year.

"This has been the biggest investment programme in the company's history," said managing director Charles Dent.

"It safeguards the future of brewing in Keighley for many years to come.

"It also shows how committed we are to providing our customers with ever more consistent beers, delivered at the correct cellar temperature and producing a perfect pint all the time, in other words rewarding exceptional taste!"

He added that throughout the construction and improvement work, the brewery had where possible used local contractors.

The new £500,000 boiler, which can run on natural gas or light oil, was manufactured by Byworth Boilers in Keighley.

Family-run building firm RN Wooler & Co Ltd, based off Lawkholme Lane, constructed the boiler house.

Pipework and lagging was carried out by Silsden-based Watsons Building Services, electrical work was completed by Brian Mitchell Electricians and the whole project was co-ordinated by Mike Regan Associates.

Taylor's second brewer, Andrew Leman, said: "Our existing boiler is now 16 years old and in today’s terms is no longer cost efficient to run. It is also only just keeping up with peak demand and with the call for our beers continuing to grow at a pace, the need for a larger more efficient boiler became pressing.

“Not only will we now be able to make considerable savings on fuel, but less carbon dioxide will be released into the environment. The existing boiler will be kept on standby to cover during servicing and maintenance.”

Bingley-born Timothy Taylor opened a brewery in Cook Lane, Keighley, in 1858, in partnership with James Shackleton and John Naylor.

A year later they bought their first pub, the Volunteers Arms.

In 1863, Timothy Taylor bought out his partners and brewing began at the Knowle Spring site.

Over the years the brewery has won countless awards for its ales, with its famous Landlord being introduced in 1952.

Two years ago head brewer Peter Eells sanctioned a new run of Havercake Ale, which had been created in 2002 to mark the 300th anniversary of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment, to mark the return of local soldiers from Afghanistan.