YP Letters: A history of the taste of Tetley's bitter

IN response to John Heasman (The Yorkshire Post, May 15), the history of Joshua Tetley & Son is chronicled in the book Quality Pays by Clifford Lackey published in 1985. Mr Lackey, who was employed as a reporter for the Yorkshire Evening Post, joined Tetleys as publicity and information manager in 1964 and retired 18 years later. He was succeeded by the late Colin Waite.

The publication records that improvements were made to the Tetley brewhouse and fermenting rooms in the late 1950s and 1960s. They included a completely new brewhouse, two new fermenting rooms, laboratory, yeast handling plant, racking tank room, cellar block and cask washing department.

The official opening of the new brewhouse came on September 19, 1967, and changes to the flavour of Tetley ales may have stemmed from that time.

One man could then initiate all functions of the brewing process from a central control panel in the brewhouse. Varieties of malting barley and hops available changed over the years that the company was in existence.

In 1960 Joshua Tetley & Son Limited merged with Walker Cain Limited of Warrington. Both companies had large tied estates of public houses on either side of the Pennines, making a formidable combination to combat any raid by a takeover bidder.

The parent company Tetley Walker Limited joined with Ind Coope and Ansells in 1961 to form a business which became Allied Breweries Ltd. That firm was formed largely as a defence against the predatory and acquisitive Canadian brewing magnate Edward Taylor.

Tetleys Brewery in Leeds continued to produce the company’s bitter until closure in 2011. The Warrington-brewed Tetley Bitter and Mild was completely different in flavour to the Leeds version, but brewed to the same strength until they commenced brewing a darker mild.

In 1996 the Warrington brewery closed. A supermarket and the Warrington Wolves rugby ground now stands on the site. A new brewhouse had to be built in Leeds and more fermenting capacity added as a result. Water from the company’s own borehole was used for brewing until closure.

City wrecks green image

From: Dave Ellis, Magdalen Lane, Hedon, East Yorkshire.

RE the management of the Sheffield trees contract and resignation of Councillor Bryan Lodge, the contract was signed off by officers employed by Sheffield City Council.

Councillors appear to be taking the role of spokespersons more these days, rather than (senior) council officers who have the knowledge and media training to answer questions put to them by the Press.

The change of councillor with this challenging environment portfolio will not make any difference. The chief executive (John Mothersole) or council leader (Julie Dore) should be more involved, as this affair is ruining Sheffield’s worldwide reputation as a green city.

I am old enough to remember when Sheffield was looked up to for its urban green space management, under the stewardship of Arroll Winning, director of parks, who oversaw the planting and management of urban trees throughout the city.

Way behind on recycling

From: Elaine Fretwell-Munns, Kirkbymoorside.

THIS my third letter regarding the poor recycling facilities in Ryedale. When moving to North Yorkshire just over two years ago, I contacted the council about my dismay at the sheer wastage of food going to landfill and the inability to recycle it (as opposed to Surrey where I previously lived, and where it was mandatory).

I was informed that food recycling facilities would soon be introduced to all domestic properties. I have yet to see any evidence. I am also dismayed at the huge amount of food and plastic wastage sent to landfill from the hospitality industry.

When is Ryedale going to take recycling seriously? Are we always going to be behind other counties in the UK?

Shame on Ryedale. In this beautiful environment, that we are privileged to live in, you are letting us down.

From: Paul Muller, Sandal, Wakefield.

ALL plastics should not be recycled, there is too much already on the land, in the rivers and the seas. All the plastics that have been, and will be, produced should be returned to the manufacturer, melted down and buried deep underground.

From: Glyn Wild, Highfield Terrace, Swinton, Malton.

IT is easy for fracking advocate Lorraine Allanson to criticise others, but it would be good to hear what her own proposals are for tackling the problems of climate change or plastic pollution, and what she is doing to address the situation.

Supermarket monopoly

From: Mr AB Collier, Bridlington.

MY father passed away over 20 years ago. I well remember him saying we would only have big shops (supermarkets) left to shop in and that they would set prices which we will pay or do without.

How right he was, with Asda and Sainsbury’s set to become one. What’s next? Tesco/Morrisons or Tesco/Waitrose?

I’ve always believed that greater competition leads to lower prices.