Focus East Anglia: The Greene belt

In the past few years one of the great names in regional brewing has rather outgrown itself.

Greene King's 2,500 pubs are now spread all over the UK, and it has one of the best-selling national ale brands, in Greene King IPA. But the company still believes its roots in the Suffolk town of Bury St Edmunds are vital to its success and its identity.

"We're very proud of our roots," says Greene King Brewing Company marketing director Fiona Hope. "East Anglia is the cornerstone of our business and has played an essential role in helping us build and grow the business from its birthplace to the national presence we enjoy today".

David Elliott, managing director for Greene King Pub Partners, the company's tenanted pubs arm, agrees. "Greene King plays a key role in many people's lives here in East Anglia," he says.

"We at Greene King are very proud of our heritage and we're equally proud of where we are today - a key employer, a central part of the economy and provider of great-tasting beers in welcoming and established local pubs."

Greene King has, in fact, played an integral part within the local community since its foundation in 1799 - no more so than today.Employing more than 700 people in Bury alone, the company continues to grow and develop its central functions within the town.

It still brews all its beers there, some 20 brands in all, and the brewery still draws its water from the original well sunk into the chalk beds.The brewery site has grown over the years and the company invested more than £12m in the brewing business last year including the development of a new bottling hall. Further investments in the pub estate in the region came on top of that.

Across East Anglia the company employs nearly 3,500 people and operates nearly 700 pubs, making it an important feature of the region for both workers, businesses and consumers.

For example, it purchases more than 10,000 tonnes of malted barley a year from one Bury St Edmunds business alone.Families in the region have run Greene King pubs for generations.

Tony and Liz Fayers took over the Rose and Crown in Bury from Liz's parents and have clocked up 42 years between them. Working for Greene King can become a family affair. Nick Betson has been with Greene King as a brewery operative for 25 years and both his parents worked for the company too, totalling 94 years' loyal service between them.