Stmt re Guinness Peat Group

Young & Co's Brewery PLC
19 June 2000


              YOUNG & CO.'S BREWERY, P.L.C.
                            
          Comment regarding Guinness Peat Group

The  Board  of  Young & Co's Brewery PLC  has  noted  the
attempt by Guinness Peat Group, which holds 8.5%  of  the
voting  equity  in Youngs, to generate  interest  in  its
latest  resolutions  to  be put to  shareholders  at  the
forthcoming AGM.  In particular the Board note  that  all
except one of these proposals are identical to those that
were resoundingly rejected by an overwhelming majority of
shareholders  at  last year's AGM.  Indeed,  two  of  the
resolutions  were rejected not only last year,  but  also
the year before.

John Young, Chairman, commented:

'We are no longer surprised that Guinness Peat chooses to
conduct  itself  in  this  public  manner,  but  we   are
nevertheless disappointed that they continue to introduce
proposals  that  have been consistently rejected  by  the
vast majority of shareholders.

'We  and our advisers are surprised by the naivety of the
terms of the new resolution that they have proposed  this
year.   By  calling  on  the  Board  to  investigate  the
feasibility  for acquisitions, mergers or joint  ventures
with  other  regional  brewers and  to  report  back  the
findings  to  shareholders, Guinness Peat  appear  to  be
showing a lack of consideration for the price sensitivity
of  such  actions  and  a lack of  understanding  of  our
strategy.

'As   Guinness  Peat  should  know  full  well,  we   are
continually  evaluating all opportunities in  pursuit  of
our  strategy to improve the utilisation of  capacity  in
the brewery.  This strategy has been outlined in each  of
our  past  three  annual reports and, to  date,  we  have
achieved  the  following: secured brewing contracts  from
the  major  brewers such as Bass and Whitbread; increased
the sales of our own beers into the free trade and export
markets;  acquired  a significant beer  brand  in  Waggle
Dance  from Vaux, invested over £12 million in our retail
estate  through  acquisitions and refurbishments  in  the
past  year alone; acquired a strategic stake in the  West
of   England  brewery,  Smiles  of  Bristol;  and,   most
recently, launched our own mid-gravity beer called Triple
'A'.

'We will continue to pursue opportunities that we believe
will  enhance the performance of the business and provide
value  for  shareholders, but we  have  no  intention  of
limiting   our  ability  to  negotiate  in  shareholders'
interests by conducting this strategy in an open forum as
proposed by Guinness Peat.'

For further information, please contact:

John Olsen, Hogarth partnership Ltd     020 7357 9477