PART of Bass Breweries, one of AltonÕs biggest employers, has been sold off to American company Adolf Coors.

Belgian company Interbrew, which bought Bass for £2.3 billion in August 2000, has sold the Carling wing of the company for £1.2 billion.

Interbrew was forced into the sale by the governmentÕs Monopolies Commission. The Belgian company was told that in order to keep the businesses in Scotland and Ireland which produce the Tennants and Bass Ale brands, it must sell off the Carling subsidiary.

The deal was signed in the early hours of Christmas Eve, and gives the American company control of the Carling brand, the UKÕs best-selling lager.

It also gains control of the brandÕs other assets, which include Worthington, CaffreyÕs and the UK rights to the Dutch beer Grolsch.

Coors was founded by German immigrant Adolf Coors, in Colorado in 1873. The company is AmericaÕs third largest brewer behind rivals Anheuser-Busch and Miller.

The £1.2 billion purchase is a bold move by Coors, as its market value is currently estimated at only $1.9 billion. Despite this, the Coors company now has an 18 per cent share of the UK market, catapulting it to second place in the market list.

Although an agreement has been reached, the completion of the deal is subject to the UK Competition Committees.

Bass chief executive Jerry Fowden, said: ÒIt is great that exchange has taken place before Christmas, bringing some clarity to our ownership situation, and everyone concerned is working hard to achieve completion as soon as possible in the new year, aiming for the end of January, well within the DTI deadline of February 28.

ÒThe announcement brings us one step closer to ending the uncertainty of the past two years and we look forward to the completion when we can begin shaping and growing our combined company.Ó

Chairman of Adolf Coors, Peter H Coors, said: ÒThis deal represents a strategic opportunity for Coors to participate in one of the worldÕs largest beer markets with an already successful business platform, including CarlingÕs proven management and employee team, and an existing supply chain.Ó

Asked how the deal will affect the Alton plant and its employees a Bass spokesperson said: ÒIt would be inappropriate to comment on exactly how the deal will affect the Alton workforce in either the short term or long term, because we simply donÕt know as yet.

ÒAt the moment we are concentrating on getting the deal finalised and it is business as usual.Ó