BRADFORD'S new bishop visited Keighley's world-famous Timothy Taylor brewery on a scorching hot spring day and never touched a drop.

Bishop Toby Howarth was staying as a guest of the Keighley deanery as part of his plan to taste life across the district and was given a tour of the brewery which has been on site since 1858.

Timothy Taylor head brewer Peter Eells gave a guided walk around the historic Knowle Spring site where water is still drawn from a deep natural well.

A £12 million improvement and expansion scheme was completed last summer and miles of shining stainless steel and the latest robotic and computer technology combine with ancient brewing traditions.

Huge sacks of the freshest and best hop flowers from Kent provide much of the natural flavouring which has won Taylor's so many prizes for its range of beer.

And Bishop Toby recalled how his mother had worked as a hop-picker at such farms, many of which have now been lost due to building land demands.

"The hops are added to the brew like herbs to a stew and so just as in cooking fresh is best," Mr Eells said.

Despite the automation of much of the brewery, the blending of the hops and barley-malt 'wort' is still done by hand and fine-tuned to suit the brewer's expert taste buds.

"I think what Timothy Taylor's points out is that even with so many traditional methods being put under serious pressure in this day and age there is room for niche markets – if people have the vision and creativity to make it happen.

"That's got to be the key." Bishop Toby said.

Susan Griffiths, area dean of Keighley who is based at St James' Church, Silsden, and retired vicar Bruce Grainger were also on the tour.

"Timothy Taylor's has always been such a good employer for the community and I particularly like the fact they still use water from the spring that's always been here," she said.

Bishop Toby had earlier in the week visited award-winning manufacturer Airedale Springs at Haworth and paid them similar compliments.

"That was also a great place and fascinating – all the little springs that enable a Brompton-type bike to fold in three places are made by them," he said.

"They also make the springs to support all the safety netting in Britain's prisons.

"Airedale Springs is very much like a family and works in the belief you can buy expensive machinery – but you can't buy good people.

"So they are investing in apprentices in a way that if every firm did, we'd have no unemployment.

"And these are people learning real skills for real jobs."