Yorkshire's oldest brewery has unveiled plans for its own label spirits.

Sam Smiths has sent a memorandum to all its pub managers, saying it plans to do away with brand-name spirits, including whisky, gin and vodka.

In their place will be shorts produced specifically for Sam Smiths.

Marketing manager Graham Auton confirmed it was the brewery's long-term policy.

He said: "We will be having spirits produced under our own labels for own pubs. It's money that will go into our pockets rather than someone else's.

"That's good for Sam Smiths and for Tadcaster."

Mr Auton said the brewery already had its own range of soft drinks, called Scintilla, which had sold well.

He added: "Other breweries and supermarkets have done the same sort of thing, and it seems attractive to us.

"If it's quality, people will buy it. If it isn't, they won't."

The plans today brought a mixed reaction from landlords and punters.

One landlord said he was not concerned about the change to own-label spirits because they would all be good quality.

He said: "If you give customers the right thing at the right price, it will sell."

Another pub manager said he feared customers taking their trade elsewhere.

He said: "People are used to coming in and asking for drinks such as Bacardi or Smirnoff by name.

"If I have to tell them I only have our own label, it could cause problems.

"We'll have to wait and see what the reaction is, but if I went into a pub and couldn't get my favourite brand name, I might look for somewhere else to go."

Tadcaster town councillor and local businessman Don Bain-Mackay, who frequents several Sam Smiths' pubs, said he didn't think it was a good idea.

He said: "My wife, for example, likes Martini and nothing else, while I prefer Grouse whisky. If customers are given an alternative they've never heard of, they could go somewhere else.

"I'm not saying it won't be a quality product, but it would be wise to give customers a choice and keep the brand names on the shelf as well."

Updated: 11:03 Tuesday, April 03, 2001