KEIGHLEY breweries have welcomed a new report highlighting the invaluable role brewers play in their local economies and communities.

The report, by the Society of Independent Brewers, showed that the beer and pub sector had created 900,000 jobs in the UK.

It added that breweries employed mainly local people, with ten per cent aged between 16 and 24.

And jobs in the industry had a knock-on effect of creating employment in other sectors.

Many firms placed a strong emphasis on community involvement and raised money for charity.

Tim Dewey, chief executive of award-winning Timothy Taylor’s, said the firm exemplified the points raised in the report.

The company, founded in Keighley in 1858, remained an independent family-owned business.

He said that in addition to employing 60 people at its Knowle Spring site – and another 60 in its three managed pubs – it had always taken pride in engaging local firms in maintenance and development work at the brewery.

One such company is Byworth Boilers, which installed a state-of-the-art boiler at the site in 2014.

“When I first joined Taylor’s I was struck by the way in which our business was so directly involved with a whole host of local firms,” said Mr Dewey.

“Supporting the local business community has always been an important principle for us and given the high quality of companies in the area, we see no reason why that won’t continue.

“From a charitable point of view,, Timothy Taylor’s applies the same principle and is very involved with Manorlands hospice.”

Both Mr Dewey and company chairman Charles Dent serve on a committee that spearheads two major fundraising events for the Oxenhope Sue Ryder hospice, the Coniston Challenge in July and the Beef & Beer Dinner in November.

Keighley-based Bridgehouse Brewery also welcomes the report’s findings.

“We have known for some time how important local communities and independent breweries are to each other,” said sales manager James Kelly.

“Bridgehouse partners with Manorlands to raise funds and tries to play an active part in Keighley’s community, employing over 20 local people of different ages.

“We are proud of the fact we have three pubs locally to the brewery and that keeps us in touch with what’s going on.”