YORK'S own brewery is set to double its presence in the city with two new pubs.

Moves by York Brewery to take over two premises close to the city walls are at an advanced stage.

Bosses at the thriving Toft Green business hope to have venues at the former Rock Caf, Micklegate, and The Queen, Lawrence Street, open within months.

The independent brewery, which celebrates its sixth birthday next month, has already tasted success with its award-winning beer and two popular city centre pubs, the Last Drop Inn and the Three-Legged Mare.

Managing director Tony Thomson said he was looking forward to seeing the expansion plans become reality.

He said: "It has certainly been a meteoric rise for our business and we have worked really hard at it.

"We know we have got the products right because we keep winning things and our customers keep coming back.

"All we need now is to think of some names for the new pubs."

The single-storey Micklegate pub will be situated directly behind the brewery and will have an emphasis on good quality food and beer.

Extensive renovations are planned at The Queen pub when the brewery takes over with improvements to the kitchen and bar as well as a new name.

The Lawrence Street pub is expected to appeal to students as it is close to the university.

Both pubs will serve a wide-range of York Brewery beers, guest ales and specialist lagers.

Neither pub will have loud music, darts, a pool table or allow entry to children, in keeping with the brewery's philosophy.

York Police licensing officer David Boag said he had been informed of the plans.

He said: "As the brewery is taking over two established premises many of the permissions required to run a public house will already be in place."

He added that York Police were conscious of not adding to the "Micklegate run" and that the pub there would only be filling an existing site.

Updated: 08:49 Tuesday, April 30, 2002