Bass To Buy Carlsberg-Tetley Brewing Unit

British brewer and leisure group Bass Plc said on Monday it was buying the Burton brewing and maltings operation from Carlsbeg-Tetley and would close two of its breweries. As a result of the additional capacity created and the decline in consumer preference for cask ale, Bass said it would close its breweries at Sheffield and Cardiff, by January 1999 and January 2000 respectively, unless a buyer could be found. The total cost of closures is expected to be about 25 million pounds ($41.8 million), of which some 10 million will relate to an asset write-off, said the company. Bass will continue to supply Carlsberg-Tetley with beer until Carlsberg-Tetley has finished improvements to its remaining breweries.