Small is beautiful, according to Alan Morgan, who runs the A

Micro-breweries are becoming big business, at least in the sense that a couple of hundred are reckoned to start up every year.

What often goes unreported is the fact that many micros can be categorised as a "here today, gone tomorrow" variety.

Not so Bath micro-brewer Abbey Ales, which has recently celebrated its fifth anniversary.

While many other micro-brewers have fallen by the wayside, Abbey is not only surviving but is dominating the scene in and around Bath.

Abbey's proprietor Alan Morgan attributes thebrewery's success to the quality and consistencyof Bellringer, its award-winning cask-conditioned ale.

From the pocket-sized brewery at the rear of one of the city's best-known traditional pubs ­ Ye Olde Farmhouse ­ the small Abbey team spends mostof its time brew-ing Bellringer.

Thegolden-coloured 4.2% abv cask ale was launched at the Bath Beer Festival in October 1997.

Within hours, it had sold out.

Among those who sampled and enjoyed it was local Liberal Democrat MP, Don Foster, who made hasty arrangements to have Bellringer on sale in the bars of the House of Commons as a temporary guest ale.

Five years on, Bellringer continues to win Camra awards.

More importantly, it is the number one ale for locals and the thousands of tourists who flock to the Georgian city.

"We are extremely fortunate that, al-though we are not big, we are big in Bath and there are only a handful of pubs where ­ mostly for tie reasons ­ our beer is not available," explains Morgan.

Morgan earned the nickname of "Bad News" some 20 years ago when, as a keen, young brewery salesman, he continuously beat other reps into getting his beers in new pubs.

Landlords would greet brewery reps with the words "Bad News, Alan Morgan has beaten you to it".

Today, the nickname and the reputation stick with Morgan, although he's fortunate he doesn't have to persuade licensees to accept his beers.

"We are not the cheapest and I don't believe in giving beer away," he insists.

"We produce a superb quality ale using only the finest ingredients and people expect to pay a premium price for quality."

The brewery supplies more than 70 pubs within a 20-mile radius of Bath and a small amount to free trade outlets via selected wholesalers.

"We are successful because we don't just sell guest beer and a cheap pump clip to our customers.

We offer them a package that includeseye-catching Bellringer glasses, technical service and back-up, point-of-sale material and outstanding pump clips.

"I am not looking to have my beer all over the country, which is why I concentrate on Bath.

It'sone of the top 10 tourist cities in Europe, attracting thousands of visitors, so there is more than enough locals and visitors to keep supplied ­ without sending it elsewhere," he says.

"However, I am lucky because I get tremendous support from my customers, many of whom have supported Abbey from the start."

Having said that, Morganis enjoying an extra boost insales from Abbey's website(www.

abbeyales co.uk), which is generating orders from home and abroad.

He has just launched "Beer in a box" ­ 36 pints of Bellringer for £50, which includes VAT and delivery to anywhere in mainland Britain.

Eighteen-pint and 36-pint polypins are available for collection at the brewery for £26 and £46 respectively.

The brewery produces around 25 barrels a week, mostly Bellringer.

However, seasonal ales are also brewed, including Bath Star, Chorister, Twelfth Night and Black Friar.

Morgan is adamant that he has no immediate plans to expand production but leaves the choice of what ales to produce to head brewer Martin Langham.

He earned his reputation with Hardington Brewery in Bristol.

Although Hardington no longer trades, it is remembered for the excellence of its ales.

Morgan comments: "Langham is a perfectionist and will only use the finest quality English malt and hops available, brewing with timehonoured traditions and complemented by the strictest quality control methods.

I was very lucky to find such a conscientious brewer."

The decision of the Chancellor to bring down beer duty for small brewers has certainly brought a smile to Morgan's face, because Abbey is set to make amends for last year and make a profit.

"Last year was the first year we didn't make a profit, but the cut in duty should allow us to make up for it.

I will only be paying half the amount of duty I have had to pay in previous years, hopefully allowing Abbey Ales to make a profit."

After Morgan launched Abbey in October 1997, its turnover over the next 12 months was £42,635.

The following year, it jumped to £186,388, then in 1999 it reached £248,053.

In the millennium, turnover reached £292,838.

Last year, turnover was £315,395.

Morgan thinks the cut in duty will also help other micro-brewers, many of which have been fighting to survive.

"It will allow them to escape the threat of being forced to close down and move forward," he says.

"But they must now be given access to the marketplace."

Morgan insists he is first and foremost a brewer, but has taken on one pub and is keen to own more ­ providing they are right for him.

He has taken a 30-year lease with Punch on the Star Inn, one of Bath's oldest pubs, which was first licensed as a public house back in 1760.

The Star retains many original features including bar fittings and the numbered rooms, compulsory when licensing laws required all rooms to be numbered and listed for their purpose.

A landlord of yesteryear installed a lift to transport the barrels from the cellar and it is still in use today.

The smaller bar features a long single bench known as "death row", where a complimentary pinch of snuff can still be found on the ledge of the wall panelling.

The pub is now a listed building and appears on Camra's inventory of heritage pubs.

"I would love to own around 10 pubs, but, like the Star, they would have to be something really special.

I don't just want a collection of pubs for the sake of it.

They must complement the brewery because it is no use running a pub where I cannot sell my own beers," Morgan adds.

He doesn't have a great deal of time for pubs that sell cheap beer because, in his opinion, cheap prices attract cheap people.

"Pubs these days have to be special, where people know they can enjoy quality food and drink, which is why I refuse to go down the road of discounting.

"By restricting sales to the city of Bath and surrounding area, I can carry out my own quality control.

I regularly visit all the outlets that I supply to check the quality of my beer and, in the past, have removed it if it has not been served in top condition.

Quality control is a tough job but somebody has to do it," he laughs.