What would a £40m Greene King brewery mean for a town?

Major pub chain Greene King has called time on its brewery of more than 200 years and announced plans to move to a new £40m site by 2027.

The company has produced cask ales from Westgate Brewery, in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, since it was founded in 1799.

Greene King, which was sold to Hong Kong operator CKA in 2019, owns about 2,700 pubs, restaurants and hotels in the UK.

Environmental and efficiency reasons were cited for the move to a new "state-of-the-art" facility on the edge of the town.

What has the reaction been and what does it mean for Bury St Edmunds?

Greene King, known for brands like Abbot Ale, Greene King IPA and Old Speckled Hen, said the move represented a "long-term commitment to British brewing".

"I hope that people do see the intent behind this is very much an investment to protect the long term position in Bury St Edmunds and all the jobs that go with it," said Matt Starbuck, managing director of brewing and brands at the company.

Public consultations will be held and Mr Starbuck anticipated all work would be completed by 2027.

He said Greene King was "committed to retaining our heritage and having an ongoing presence in the centre of Bury St Edmunds".

The brewer said the new site - just over two miles (3.2km) away from the Westgate Brewery - would cut water usage in the brewing process by more than 50% per pint, alongside improvements in energy efficiency.

“We have been brewing in Bury St Edmunds for over 200 years," Mr Starbuck said.

"We are passionate about our craft and the development of this state-of-the-art facility will allow us to maintain brewing at the core of our business going forwards."

It hoped to submit a full planning application in June.

Laura Jenner, 35, a HR advisor from the town, believed that while the plans were "exciting" there was some "sadness".

"There's a lot of history with [Westgate] - it's a beautiful building and it seems a little bit sad that it will lose that history," she said.

"But times change and if that makes better business sense, fair enough.

"I think if they want to get the best out of the community and Bury St Edmunds, then they really need to give back.

"People of all ages in Bury care - they care how the town is impacted and there is a lot they can get out of people if they listen."

Ian Norris, who was born in Bury St Edmunds before moving to Scotland, said the company was "massively important for the town".

"It's not just [important] for employment but because of the vast amount of land that they own in the heart of the town," he said.

"The local authorities need to be sure that they are involved in the decisions around all of that land and not just let Greene King decide."

Tom Appleton, a local arts consultant, said there was "great growth opportunity" for the arts here.

"Potentially opening up a new space for the theatre would be a really interesting way of being able to better connect the community outside of Bury St Edmunds," he said.

Mr Appleton added it was "loud and clear" many residents were concerned about the heritage of the site

"Being in tune of one's heritage and respectful of it is going to be really important for them," he added.

Nethergate Brewery is another brewery based nearby in Long Melford with a taproom and shop in Bury St Edmunds.

General manager Rob Crawford said while it would not be affected, he understood the move.

"If they vacate the town centre that might impact the number of visitors but I can understand the need for a modern brewery," he said.

"The efficiencies that modern technology can bring can make brewing cheap."

Kat Lawson-Phillips is co-founder of Artefact Brewing - a small brewery that operates in nearby Ixworth.

While what they do is "completely different" to Greene King, Mrs Lawson-Phillips also said she appreciated the need for a "modern and efficient" facility.

"From a production and brewing perspective, having a purpose-built, state-of-the-art and sustainable premises is the dream and hugely attractive," she said.

"But as somebody who lives locally and has grown up locally it is sad to think all this history, heritage and the town centre is going to change."

Nick Boley, the Campaign for Real Ale's campaigns and communications director, said the company welcomed Greene King's move to a "larger and more sustainable brewery".

"Despite the long history of its current brewery in Bury St Edmunds, a move to a more environmentally focused brewery is certainly a good thing," he said.

“Greene King’s commitment to remain in Bury St. Edmunds is a boon to the town, retaining hundreds of jobs and maintaining the town’s historic status a great brewing town."

The company is due to launch a "public consultation programme" on 8 May. It will host an exhibition at Bury St Edmunds market on 15 May, from 09:00 to 16:00 and hold a live webinar at 18:00 on 16 May.

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