One of the country's last independent brewers is selling four of its pubs and is in the process of buying a new one.

Keighley-based Timothy Taylor, which has invested about £1 million this year in refurbishing a number of its tied houses, is selling The Eastwood in Bradford Road and The Cricketers in Coney Lane, Keighley.

They will go under the auctioneer's hammer at Feather, Smailes and Scales in Bradford on Wednesday September 30 and are expected to fetch about £50,000 each.

The brewery is also selling the Blue Boar in Thornton Road, Bradford - priced at £75,000 - and the Timothy Taylor in Braithwaite Avenue, Keighley, which has been valued at £100,000.

Charles Dent, managing director, said the brewery was also about to complete the purchase of The Shephards Arms in Colne, Lancashire.

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