NO one at the Wychwood Brewery, in Witney, has booked a day off next Friday.

All 52 staff at the brewery want to be at work for the day when Prince Charles takes a tour of the Eagle Maltings, at The Crofts.

It is the first time the Royal visitor has come to the brewery, which produces one of his own Duchy Originals brands, organic winter and traditional ale.

Chris Keating, spokesman for Wychwood, said everyone was excited and looking forward to seeing - and perhaps even talking - to the heir to the throne.

"No doubt at all, it's a special day for us, though one of his sons has been here before. Everyone wants to be here, no one's going to be off work," he said.

Wychwood has been on site since 1990, though the old Eagle Maltings brewery dates back to the 1850s. It is now the UK's largest producer of organic beers.

It was also back in 1990 that the prince set up Duchy Originals, principally to sell organic food products. It has annual retail sales of more than £40m, and all profits go to charitable causes.

The Duchy ales are a small part of the 50,000 barrels and a wide range of bottled beers produced each year at Wychwood, which also since 2002 took over the brewing of Brakspear Beers, when its Henley brewery closed down.

Prince Charles has his own special visit, but he is just one of a growing number of people doing a tour of the brewery every Saturday afternoon. In the summer, a group of Venetian gondoliers called in on a diversion from their trip down the River Thames.

Mr Keating added: "Our Hobgoblin brand has now achieved a cult status, and we get fans visiting from all over the world."