The boss of a small brewery has outlined ambitious growth plans that could see his company’s turnover triple in the next four years.

The WharfeBank Brewery was launched in a converted paper mill in Pool-in-Wharfedale, near Otley, in April this year.

It is selling 100 casks of ale a week to pubs within a 50-mile radius and is on-track for a first-year turnover in excess of £250,000. And Martin Kellaway, the founder, believes it can achieve £750,000 turnover by 2014.

But, with North Yorkshire boasting 28 breweries and West Yorkshire 34, is Mr Kellaway concerned about the competition in the industry, especially in light of the ever-diminishing number of pubs to supply.

The 40-year-old said: “It’s a competitive industry and there are some great breweries in Yorkshire.

“But I don’t believe it’s a risk. Good companies will prosper, even in a competitive business.

“We have got a team with both youth and experience. We want to produce great products with great branding.”

Mr Kellaway is a former director with the Caledonian Brewery, brewers of Deuchars IPA, while his head brewer Ian Smith spent many years with the Tetley brewery in Leeds.

Mr Kellaway, who nearly became a professional cricket player before joining the brewing industry, said: “I’ve been in the industry for 20 years and so has Ian, who is the ex-Tetley head brewer. “With Tetley moving out of Yorkshire, it may have created a bit of a void and there will be a chance for smaller independent breweries to sell into houses that no longer stock Tetley’s.

“We launched in April and there has been lots of interest.

“Each week, we have sold more than the previous week.

“We are currently selling 100 casks a week and are turning over £6,000 a week.

“We produce casks for the licensing trade at present, but we are looking to start bottling the product for the supermarket and export business in 2011.”

On Friday, brewery bosses held an open day to reward those who have already bought their products and to entice pub bosses who may be interested in stocking new beers.