Consumer group Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) has sent brewer Greene King a petition with 4,800 names on it asking them to reconsider closing Ridley’s Brewery in Essex.

Greene King bought Ridley & Sons for £45.6m in July, and announced it would close the 163 year old brewery shortly after.

Since acquiring Ridley’s Greene King has tabled a £187m bid for Scotland’s largest independent pub company, Belhaven.

Mike Benner, chief executive of Camra said: “Greene King’s decision to close Ridley’s Brewery, buy Belhaven Brewery and axe popular beer brands threatens to undermine the very choice and diversity that is the key to the success of real ale and the success of Greene King.”

Meanwhile, at Greene King’s recent AGM it was announced that there has been an increase in beer volumes of 6% in the last 12 months.